10/17/2026
Two years in, the north wall goes chalky. That's when you find out what the cheap bid left out.
The low number isn't cheaper. It's smaller. What comes out of it is always the same: the wash, the scrape, the sand, the caulk, the primer, the second coat. None of that shows in a photo of a finished wall, so it's the easiest thing in the world to leave off a number and still call it painting.
In this climate the north side is the test. That's where it chalks and starts lifting first.
When we quote, prep is written down as its own line so you can see what you're buying. If another number comes back lower, compare the prep — that's where the difference lives. And if you want to take something out to bring the number down, you can. You'll just be doing it on purpose, with the trade-off in front of you.
Ask for the prep in writing. From anyone, not only us.
mach4homes.com or (425) 583-7295.