Steeples and exteriors
Painting at height starts on the ground
Wood that has held paint for decades hides its soft spots. We look from the ground, from the scaffold and from inside the belfry before we price a single louver.
Our crew builds the scaffold, ties it to the structure and works from it, so the building's tallest points are reached the same way every time.
Soft wood, rusted fasteners and failed caulk marked on the walk-through
Scaffold tied in and checked each morning
Work stops for lightning, rain and high wind
Sidewalks and entrances fenced and kept clear
From the ground up
Four steps on a steeple
- 01
Step 1: Look and mark
Soft wood, loose louvers and failing joints are marked with paint and photographed.
- 02
Step 2: Build the access
The scaffold goes up, tied to the building, with rails and toe boards on every working level.
- 03
Step 3: Repair and prime
Rot is cut out and replaced, scraped surfaces are primed and joints are caulked.
- 04
Step 4: Finish and take down
Finish coats go on dry days, the scaffold comes down and your board walks the building with us.
Weather, in plain words
What the sky decides
This is a city of humidity, summer storms and a long hurricane season. The calendar bends around that.
Dry days only
Exterior paint goes on dry surfaces on dry days. A wet morning means a late start or no start.
Cooler months first
We move exterior work to the drier, cooler part of the year when your calendar allows.
Storm season
From June to November we watch the forecast and secure or take down the scaffold when a storm is named.
Exteriors
Questions about steeples and church fronts
Who builds the scaffold?
Our own crew builds it, ties it to the building and takes it down. Working levels have rails and toe boards, and we stop for lightning and high wind. If a scaffold needs an engineer's design or a city permit for the sidewalk or street, the proposal says so.
What about humidity, rain and hurricane season?
Exterior paint needs dry surfaces and dry days, so we move exterior work to the cooler, drier months where the calendar allows. From June to November we watch the forecast, and when a storm is named we secure or take down the scaffold and tell you the new plan.
Is our building in a historic district, and do we need approval to repaint?
Many of the city's older neighborhoods are local historic districts, and some buildings are landmarks. Whether a repaint needs review depends on the district, the building and the change: the Historic District Landmarks Commission covers most of them and the Vieux Carré Commission covers the French Quarter. We look up the rule for your address and, when review is needed, prepare photographs and a color schedule for your board to submit. The decision is the commission's, not ours.
What does your warranty cover?
The written warranty says what is covered, for how long and what is not. Terms, limits and exclusions are in your written warranty, which we give your board with the proposal.
Show us the steeple
Send a photo of the building and the date of your next board meeting. We will say when we can walk it.