A: Any faulty areas are removed and re-rendered before the application of the coating.
Q: What happens to all the chips when you power wash the walls?
A: Any chips that may be dislodged by power washing will be tidied up and taken away.
Q: If a house has been painted before, is the old paint removed?
A: Our products can be applied on top of existing paint, provided the paint is firmly attached to the wall. Any chipped, flaked, or loose paint is removed by powerwashing, wire-brushing or scraping prior to the coating application.
Q: Can you hammer in nails or screws for trellises or hanging baskets after the coating has been applied?
A: To avoid the coating becoming stained by rust, galvanised fittings should always be used to attach anything to the walls. If drilling is needed, always ensure a sealant is applied to the hole to form a watertight seal or blistering of the coating can occur.
Q: Where do you take the water from when you are power washing?
A: Ideally, from an outside garden tap. Alternatively, from a cold water tap in the kitchen.
Q: Can you power wash the walls after they have been coated?
A: Yes. To keep them clean and fresh, all that is required is to wash the walls once, or twice, a year using a garden hose or pressure washer.
Q: Can graffiti be removed from the coating?
A: The complete removal of graffiti is not always possible without applying additional coating on top of the effected area. As the coating is extremely colourfast, the re-coated area will be less visible than would have been the case with conventional paint.
Q: How do you deal with cracks in the walls?
A: Fine, hairline cracks will be filled by the coating. Deeper cracks will be filled in with a filler and, more severe cracks will be cut back and fully repaired with cement, before re-harling.
Q: What is bossing?
A: Bossing is the term used for areas of Harling where the adhesion between the Harling and the stonework, underneath, has failed. These areas give a hollow sound when lightly tapped with a metal object. All bossed areas are removed and re-harled before coating.
Q: Is there any weather restrictions on when it can be applied?
A: The whole application process is weather dependent. The only work that can be conducted in the rain is powerwashing! Rain, snow, high winds all inhibit the application process.
Q: How long does the work normally take?
A: The time taken to complete each contract is dependent upon a number of variables, e.g.
Size of property, the amount of masking, access to the property, time of year, the weather, amount of building work, etc. Once a property has been surveyed we will be able to give an indication as to how long the work will take from start to finish.
We cooperate with our customers requests as to start dates and when they are happy for us to work on their property. Once work has commenced, it is company policy to finish the contract as quickly as possible, before moving on to the next contract, thereby minimising customer inconvenience. Purely as a guide, a normal three bedroom detached bungalow, without a conservatory, requiring average masking and no building work should be completed in 4 to 5 days.
Q: Are the windows masked up for the whole period of the job?
A: No. The Crew Leaders do everything possible to minimise the time that windows are masked,particular the main living room windows. Masking remains in place prior to the application of the first coat, and is taken away immediately after the top coat is applied.
Q: Will masking cause damage to existing paint work?
A: No damage is caused to existing paint work, provided the paint is dry and not flaking.
Q: How many are in a Crew?
A: Each Crew has a Crew Leader who is responsible for liaising with the customer throughout, and for ensuring all the work is carried out correctly. The Crew Leader will normally have one additional person working with him, sometimes this becomes two. On rare occasions, with large contracts, more than one Crew can be used.
Q: Do the Crews need accommodation?
A: No. The Crews do not require accommodation from our customers.
Q: How long is the Guarantee?
A: All our Coatings are guaranteed for 15 years.Certain areas like down pipes, window sills and mullions are excluded from the guarantee.
Q: Does the clear coating change colour in any way?
A: In essence, no. In some case cases, certain stone, for example, limestone, can be slightly darkened.
Q: Do you have to re-point a stone building before applying the clear coating?
A: Re-pointing is only necessary if the original pointing is suspect. The powerwashing process is an extremely good indicator as to how sound the pointing is. If the property withstands powerwashing, no re-pointing is necessary.
Q: Is scaffolding required?
A: During the site survey, we will identify if access equipment, for example scaffolding, building towers, cherry-pickers, special ladders, Etc. are needed. An estimate will be given for the cost of hiring such equipment. This cost will not be included in the contract price as it is the customers responsibility to pay for access equipment themselves.
We will assist our customers in arranging the hire of any equipment if this is required.
Q: Do you need planning permission?
A: Planning permission is not required unless the building in question is listed, or has a restraining order regarding exterior decoration. In the case of listed buildings, the position in Scotland is not clear cut. We would therefore suggest that owners of listed buildings consult the appropriate authority in order to obtain clearance in advance of any work being carried out. If required we will readily give any assistance to help obtain the necessary clearance.