Expert: Stephen Major (Owner--Major Design Group) - 6/4/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hello. I am building in Orlando Florida. The builder is planning to use 100% acrylic semi gloss on exterior and acrylic flat on interior. He wants me pay $7,000 to upgrade to duration home (Sherwin williams SW)interior and exterior or $3,000 for luxon 2 coat interior and $3,700 SW super paint interior.  What is worth doing here? Should I upgrade? If so to which?
Thanks
Evans.

ANSWER: Evans,

These numbers are pretty amusing.  Assuming your house is,  say, 4000 square feet of living space, you may have 12,000 square feet of drywall inside.  Subtract out the ceilings (which don't need upgraded paint) and two coats of paint on 8000 s.f. is 45 gallons.  So your interior upgrade is costing something like $82 per gallon!  There is no additional labor cost, only material.  

But, if you are willing to pay triple for upgraded paint, a better paint will wash better and last longer than the builder paint that you will get without the upgrade.  Be sure, in any case, that a top grade primer is used prior to any finish paint.  

Your best route is to visit Sherwin Williams in person (best on a weekday) and learn the pros and cons of Duration vs. the others.  I have used them all, and I like them all.  In fact, I use SW almost exclusively.  

And if your house is bigger than 4000 s.f., please forgive me for exaggerating your builder's markup.

Please let me know if you need additional information.

--Steve Major

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks. My house is 6,000sq ft. They will not disclose how much they are paying.  How long will the paint last say exterior with Dration home vs luxon or acrylic semi gloss.??
Evans

Answer
Evans,

Again, you are best served by visiting SW and discussing these options with them.  

How long a paint will last depends on many factors: substrate, prep/priming, elements, etc., including one's perception of "failure" or "useful life".  In your exterior situation, your paint will be exposed to extremes of UV and moisture (being in FL).  Extra money spent on upgraded exterior paint is worth it.  You may get roughly 5 additional years with the best paint, or 3 with the Luxon.  

For the interior, both of the better paints will give you more washability and will appear fresher longer.  I believe the Duration is more washable than the Luxon.

I hope this helps.  Best of luck with this, and please let me know if you need more information.    

--Steve Major