How Do I Know when It's Time to Repaint or Recoat My Office Building's Exterior?

Most of us would agree that it’s what goes on inside an office building that matters most -- the phone calls, meetings, team projects, and so on. While the heartbeat of an office is certainly its internal operations, no workplace can continue to thrive (let alone exist) if its structure and atmosphere are neglected. Your building’s outward-facing appearance is the first thing your employees, customers, guests, and partners see before entering your office space, and the importance of first impressions is well documented.

That said, it can be difficult to keep track of the condition of your office building’s exterior as well as the impact it’s having on your business as a whole. Seeing something nearly every day can desensitize you to changes in its appeal, color, and form. So, even if you know that you’ll have to make an investment in commercial exterior painting at some point in the future, you might have no clue when to actually tackle this project. If you find yourself asking the question, “How do I know when it’s time to repaint or recoat my office building’s exterior?” here are some signs and circumstances to watch for.

How to Know when to Repaint an Office

You’re Refreshing Your Brand

Perhaps the clearest cause to invest in fresh commercial painting for your office exterior is when your business undergoes a brand change. As we’ve discussed in previous articles, rebranding is a holistic change in not only your business’ operations but also its aesthetic. In order to establish a cohesive rebranding effort, you must consider all aspects of your business, including the appearance of its physical location(s). If your business’ rebrand includes a change in logo and color scheme, you’ll want your office building exterior (and interior) to match this new look. And even if a color change isn’t imminent, applying a fresh coat to your office’s exterior sends a clear message that your business is starting anew.

It’s Been Half a Decade Since You Last Painted Your Exterior

While there’s no strict timetable for exterior painting projects, a fresh coat is recommended for most buildings about every 5-7 years to ensure ongoing surface protection and curb appeal. If you do a great job maintaining your exterior surfaces and live in a relatively mild climate, you might be able to go a decade or longer before really needing to apply a new coat of paint. Conversely, a poorly kept exterior in a harsher climate might be in desperate need of a fresh coating just a few years after the last one. Most office building exteriors fall somewhere between these two extremes, hence the “5-7 year” rule of thumb. Regardless of your specific situation, it’s important to keep track of when your building was last painted and check in about every five years to assess whether or not a fresh coat is warranted. In most cases, you can’t go wrong investing in a thorough touch-up around the five-year mark, but factors such as tight margins and schedules might cause you to push this project further into the future.

The Wear and Tear Is in Plain Sight

Sometimes the need for repainting is loud and clear. Indeed, if you can easily see signs of surface degradation on your office building’s exterior from a distance, now is certainly the time to have it repainted (at the very least). These issues might seem merely cosmetic (e.g., peeling paint, discoloration), but keep in mind that visible paint damage can point to other concerns and open the door for moisture, pests, and other environmental forces to damage your exterior on a deeper level. As such, choosing not to wait too long after noticing these visible warning signs is key for aesthetic and practical reasons alike.

You’re Collecting Complaints

Maintaining a strong reputation is one of the most critical aspects of your business. Regardless of whether you provide top-notch products and services, however, your reputation can suffer severely if your physical presence lacks that same level of polish. Even a single complaint about your office building’s appearance (exterior, interior, or both) should spur you to action and start looking for commercial painters to restore and enhance your property. You won’t always receive such bold complaints, of course -- if you notice a decline in foot traffic, reviews, sales, etc., your office’s overall atmosphere might be one of the culprits. Either way, maintaining an appealing office building inside and out will help ensure that you remain in the good graces of your customers and continue to attract new ones.

Employee Morale Is Down

Customers and guests aren’t the only ones who might get turned off by an office building in decline. Your employees will also be affected by how well or poorly maintained your property is. Approaching an office building that appears to be falling apart doesn’t breed enthusiasm. If your interior is also in bad shape, it’s only natural to see a decrease in productivity and passion in the workplace. There are, of course, many other reasons for a decline in workplace morale, but if you do notice such a change in your office, it might be time to hire commercial painting contractors to bring your property back to life.

You’re Spending More Time and Money on Maintenance

There’s no doubt that painting your office building’s entire exterior can be an expensive proposition. Still, you might end up spending more money on repairs and maintenance by neglecting to repaint your property when the time comes. As your exterior paint job loses its integrity, maintenance tasks like exterior power washing won’t have the potency they once did, and you’ll find yourself performing them more frequently to attain the same results. Additionally, you’ll likely encounter more exterior repairs along the way. If these maintenance costs are steadily increasing, it’s a strong sign that your building needs a fresh coat of high-durability paint. The short-term cost of this investment will be offset by the long-term savings.

You Plan on Painting Your Interior

Interior & exterior painting projects don’t always go hand in hand, nor should they. Considering that your building’s exterior is exposed to a greater number of threats than your interior, it makes sense that exterior painting should occur more frequently than interior painting. In some instances, though, it might make the most sense to tackle both of these projects at the same time. If you’re rebranding, for instance, you’ll probably want to repaint both the inside and outside of your building, and hiring a single contractor to oversee the entire project can save you time and money. Getting both of these projects out of the way simultaneously can also help you keep track of your building’s maintenance priorities in the future.

Time to Repaint Your Office Building’s Exterior Surfaces?

It’s not always easy to know when it’s the right time to invest in exterior painting for your commercial property. This article may help you make this decision with more confidence. And if and when the time comes to provide your Nashville, Brentwood, or Franklin, TN, office exterior with fresh coatings, Nash Painting is here to help. To learn more about us, our hassle free painting services, and our values, call us at 615-829-6858 today!