HGTV's Erin Napier Says To Skip This Upgrade To Save Money During A Renovation

Renovations can be an exciting time, but they can also be quite costly. Whether you are upgrading your current home or renovating a new home, every little detail can add up and cause you to quickly go over your budget. If you are looking for budget-friendly upgrades for a whole house remodel, know that a coat of paint can go a long way. And, while a coat of paint is sure to make the interior of your home look brand new, it's not always the best way to spend your dollars when you are looking at renovating the outside of your house.

Erin Napier of HGTV's "Home Town" steered a client away from painting the exterior of his house in Season 8, Episode 2 simply because he didn't love the color. "When you have fresh, beautiful, designer-chosen paint on the exterior of a house, you keep that paint if you can," Erin said during the episode (via Max). 

Although the homeowner in the "Home Town" episode didn't love the paint color at first, there is a lot more to consider than just personal preference when it comes to painting the exterior of a home. If you are in the same predicament and not in love with your exterior, consider the cost. As Erin Napier pointed out regarding the exterior color (via Max), "I mean, We can change it, but it wouldn't be cheap."

The average price of repainting the exterior of a home is between $1,800 and $4,500. That's a large chunk of money that can be used for interior renovations or upgrades that the home actually needs. Exterior painting is also not necessarily something you want to DIY, as it can be a safety hazard if you have a two or more-story house. For the best results, you should ideally enlist a professional to get the job done. Instead of painting, the Napiers created smaller changes, like changing the front door and adding windows to the garage, all of which were smarter, more effective ways to use the budget.

Unfortunately, choosing to forgo an exterior paint job isn't always an option. On average, most homes need a fresh coat of paint every five to 10 years. The actual number depends on many factors, including the materials your home is made of and the paint that was used. If your home has wood siding, you will need to paint it more often as opposed to homes with aluminum siding. If you are unsure when your home was last painted, there are a few tell-tale signs, including chipping paint, fading paint, or cracks in the siding.

There is one big reason a homeowner may choose to paint their home before the five to 10-year mark. If you are looking to sell, you may want to consider adding exterior paint to your upgrade budget. While, in most cases, a home does not need paint, for many, a fresh coat can make a big difference when things like curb appeal and first impressions are so important during a sale.