How often a building really needs repainting
Redecoration intervals depend on exposure, traffic and cleaning far more than on time. A sheltered spare bedroom and a school corridor age at completely different rates.

Interiors
Low-traffic rooms go a long time between repaints. Kitchens, hallways and children's rooms need it far sooner because of cleaning and contact wear.
Exteriors
Weather-facing and coastal elevations weather much faster than sheltered ones, so it's normal to repaint one elevation more often than the rest.
Commercial and high-traffic areas
Many facilities teams run rolling programmes — a proportion of the building each year — rather than a disruptive whole-site repaint every few years.
Maintenance that extends the interval
Clearing gutters, cleaning down exterior walls, gentle interior cleaning and prompt touch-ups all push the next full repaint further out.
Common questions
How often should I repaint the outside of my house?
It depends on exposure — coastal, weather-facing elevations need attention sooner than sheltered ones.
Is a rolling programme cheaper?
It spreads cost and disruption, and it usually keeps the building presentable more consistently.
Can washing exterior walls delay a repaint?
Yes, removing dirt and organic growth genuinely extends the life of a coating.
Do rentals need repainting every tenancy?
Not usually a full repaint — targeted touch-ups between fuller cycles are more economical.
Related services
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Next step
Ask about a planned maintenance schedule rather than reactive repaints.
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