Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions homeowners, property managers and general contractors ask us most about painting in Santa Barbara.
What areas do you serve?
We’re based at 1727 State Street in Santa Barbara and serve homes and businesses in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Montecito, Hope Ranch, Summerland, Carpinteria, Santa Ynez, Solvang, Los Olivos, Buellton, Ballard, Lompoc, Santa Maria, Ventura, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Camarillo, El Rio and Santa Paula. Our portfolio also includes projects in Santa Maria.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Purple Painting is a licensed California contractor (license #1096227) and is fully insured. We work in accordance with city guidelines and commercial compliance requirements. See our commercial work.
What painting services do you offer?
Interior and exterior painting and finishing for drywall, wood, plaster, masonry and metal: walls and ceilings, skim coating, popcorn ceiling removal, wallpaper installation, doors and windows, cabinet finishing, custom stain and varnish, deck restoration, stucco and plaster, brick and CMU walls, wrought iron railings, marine epoxy coatings, rust remediation, pressure washing, graffiti removal and murals. See all our services.
Do you work with property managers, HOAs and real estate agents?
Yes. Besides homeowners, we work with real estate agents, property managers and HOAs, with tenant-friendly scheduling and clear communication. We take on long-term maintenance plans as well as one-time projects, help clients prepare a property for moving, buying or selling, and offer options to pay out of escrow. See our residential projects, and the pages for real estate agents and property managers.
Do you do commercial painting?
Yes. We paint retail spaces, office buildings and multi-unit properties for national brands and local Santa Barbara businesses, including the Sonos relocation in Goleta, Dick’s Sporting Goods in Santa Maria and the Starbucks at the Hotel Californian. We work to keep disruption to your staff low, with flexible scheduling and clear timelines, whether you’re getting ready for an opening or need ongoing maintenance. See our commercial projects.
Do you do public works and prevailing wage projects?
Yes. Our public projects include the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, the Santa Barbara Public Library’s Faulkner Gallery, the Santa Maria DMV, Hope School and La Colina Junior High. On public works we pay prevailing wage, our office keeps DIR reporting up to date every week, and we’re registered with the California DIR (#PW-LR-1000998228). See our government projects.
Do you work as a subcontractor for general contractors?
Yes. Many of our commercial and public projects were for general contractors, including Plant Construction, Edwards Construction, Pac-West Construction, Viola, Inc., Schipper Construction and GGC National. See our government and commercial projects.
Do you paint kitchen cabinets?
Yes. We paint and stain kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, by brush or by spray. On one of our Santa Barbara kitchen projects, for example, the stained cabinets were sanded, primed with a high-adhesion conversion primer and finished with a smooth, durable sprayed coating. See our cabinet projects.
What’s the difference between limewash, lime paint and integral plaster?
All three are breathable mineral finishes, which matters in older homes and near the coast because they let moisture evaporate instead of trapping it. Limewash is a thin coating of crushed limestone and water that gives masonry a soft, chalky patina and may need refreshing over time. Lime paint sits between paint and limewash, can go on primed drywall and is easier to spot-repair. Integral plaster has the color mixed into the plaster itself, so it is both the prep and the finish; it is very durable but should be checked for hairline cracks. Read our limewash guide.
How does Santa Barbara’s coastal climate affect paint, and how often should I repaint?
Salt air, marine layer mornings and the daily swing between fog and inland heat make materials expand and contract. For a standard building, plan on touch-ups every 5 to 7 years, which doesn’t have to mean a full repaint; with consistent upkeep, exterior paint can last 15 years or more. Inspect every 2 to 3 years if your building gets heavy sun or weather, and re-coat transparent or semi-transparent wood stains every 1 to 3 years. Painted metal within five miles of the ocean should have marine coatings, re-coated every 3 to 5 years to keep rust away. Read Protection from Coastal Conditions.
Do you paint exteriors year-round?
Yes. Santa Barbara’s mild weather lets us paint interiors and exteriors in every month of the year. In rainy weeks we try to move exterior work back so the coatings aren’t compromised. See our services.
Do you install and remove wallpaper?
Yes. We install commercial and residential wallpaper and vinyl-backed murals, from small bathrooms to large dining halls, and skim coat and prime the walls first when needed. To remove wallpaper we score it, loosen the adhesive and scrape or steam it off, then skim coat the walls. We don’t recommend painting over wallpaper, because the seams can peel. See our residential projects.
What paint do you use?
Premium Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams and Dunn-Edwards paints. For metal railings we use Tnemec epoxy coatings. See our services.
How do I get an estimate?
Send the estimate request form on our contact page, call (805) 448-1241 or email estimates@purplepainting.net. We’ll meet to discuss your options and prepare a fair and transparent estimate, and once you accept it, we get started right away.
How do I apply for a painting job with Purple Painting?
Fill out the application on our careers page and we’ll contact you to set up an interview.