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Historic & Craftsman · South Pasadena, CA

Historic Home & Craftsman Exterior Painting

About a third of South Pasadena homes were built before 1940. Painting them well is mostly prep: scraping, wood repair and full priming before a finish coat ever goes on. Licensed CSLB #1095819.

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★ 4.9 Google (34)CSLB #1095819Pre-1940 experience

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Pre-1940 exterior prep

An old house punishes shortcuts. Original wood siding moves, splits and holds moisture differently than stucco, and paint applied over failing substrate will lift within a couple of seasons. The sequence that works: wash, scrape back to sound material, sand and feather the edges, repair or replace damaged wood, caulk the joints, then prime every bare surface before the finish coats.

  • Hand scraping and sanding on original siding and trim
  • Wood repair and replacement on siding, fascia, eaves and window trim
  • Full priming of bare and repaired surfaces
  • Caulking at joints, trim and transitions
  • Two coats of premium exterior coating

Pre-1978 homes

Pre-1978 home? We tell you what the paint needs before we quote. Lead work goes to a certified contractor.

Two-story South Pasadena home with an arched entry, cypress and palms after exterior repainting
Arched entry · South Pasadena
Two-story South Pasadena home with palms and a curved front walk after exterior repainting
Street view · South Pasadena
Arched front entry of a South Pasadena home masked and primed before repainting
Before · entry mid-prep · South Pasadena
Finished arched entry of a South Pasadena home with palms and cypress after exterior repainting
After · arched entry · South Pasadena
Repainted South Pasadena bathroom with a white double vanity
Bathroom · South Pasadena
Finished South Pasadena bathroom with a freestanding tub, plantation shutters and a glass shower
Finished bathroom · South Pasadena
Double vanity with arched mirrors in a finished South Pasadena bathroom
Bathroom vanity · South Pasadena

Historic review and color

South Pasadena maintains a register of landmarks, historic districts, and an Inventory of Historic Resources. The Cultural Heritage Commission Chair reviews exterior alterations affecting those properties. The practical step is simple: confirm your property's status with the Planning Division before you commit to a schedule, because review timelines are outside anyone's control.

Color guidance is included with the estimate. On a period home we start from what the architecture supports rather than what is trending, then work within whatever approvals apply.

Answers

South Pasadena Painting FAQ

Do you offer a warranty?
Every project is backed by a written workmanship guarantee: 3 years on interior work, and 3, 6 or 10 years on exterior work depending on scope and prep. The term is written into your estimate, and the full terms are on our warranty page.
What prep do you do before painting?
Prep is most of the job. Floors, furniture and fixtures get covered, surfaces get cleaned, loose paint is scraped and sanded, cracks and holes are patched, and bare spots are primed before any finish coat goes on. Every step is listed in your written estimate.
Do you paint historic and Craftsman homes in South Pasadena?
Yes. Pre-1940 homes are roughly a third of South Pasadena's housing stock, and original wood siding, fascia, eaves and window trim are the norm on them. That work is prep-led: scraping, sanding, wood repair and full priming before any finish coat.
Do I need city approval to repaint a historic home in South Pasadena?
It depends on your property's status. The Cultural Heritage Commission Chair reviews exterior alterations to properties on the city's register of landmarks, within historic districts, or on the Inventory of Historic Resources. Confirm your property's status with the South Pasadena Planning Division before booking exterior work.
How do you handle lead paint on a pre-1978 home?
We tell you what the paint needs before we quote. Lead work goes to a certified contractor.
Can you repair damaged wood siding and trim?
Yes. Rotted or split siding, fascia, eaves and window trim are repaired or replaced before priming. On a pre-war home this is usually the largest single line in the quote, and skipping it is why repaints on old houses fail early.
How do you choose historically appropriate colors?
We start from what the house and its period support, then work within whatever review requirements apply to the property. Color guidance is included with the estimate, and if the home is on the Inventory of Historic Resources we factor the review process into the schedule.
How much does it cost to repaint a historic home in South Pasadena?
Exterior work runs $4 to $9 per square foot, and pre-1940 homes sit toward the upper end because of the additional scraping, wood repair and priming involved. A 2,500 sq ft two-story home typically falls between $10,000 and $22,500.
How long does a historic exterior repaint take?
Longer than a modern stucco house. Budget five to seven working days or more for a two-story pre-war home, because scraping and wood repair drive the schedule rather than the painting itself.

Prep first.Paint second.

  • 24 to 48 hoursYour written estimate lands in your inbox
  • 2 to 4 weeksHow far out we usually book
  • 3 equal paymentsAfter a $1,000 deposit books your date (10% on jobs under $10,000)

Financing available through Acorn Finance. Check your rate on your proposal.

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Exterior Prep Checklist

What proper prep actually includes.

Exterior Prep Checklist →
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