Exterior paint costs in Savannah

Savannah's planning commission draws a clear line for wood houses in the city's local historic districts. Scraping, caulking and repainting count as routine maintenance. A change of paint color doesn't. Typically, any work that affects the outside of a building in those districts needs a Certificate of Appropriateness before it starts, so call the commission's preservation staff before you switch colors.

Shade and damp are the everyday problem. Summers are hot, and close to 18 inches falls in June, July and August alone. Under big live oaks, walls stay damp and mildew settles into the paint, especially on the shady sides. A fresh coat won't hide it for long. The mildew needs a cleaner that kills it and a good rinse before any primer goes on.

The metro's housing runs from very old to brand new: nearly 13,000 homes from before 1940, about 7 percent, and more than four in ten from 2000 or later. On an older house in a district, the same commission guidance favors repairing wood siding by patching and piecing in new wood that matches. Swapping true wood for fiber cement or vinyl isn't routine maintenance, and it's a much bigger conversation.