A: The best way to find out how much it will cost to do a project is to collect three or four bids from qualified licensed contractors. Painters may be willing to give you a general ballpark figure to power wash and paint your home over the phone, but it won't be accurate if your home needs extra preparation.

Preparation is the most important, albeit labor-intensive, expensive part of a paint job. Paint must adhere to the surface to last, so if your home needs much scraping, sanding or caulking before it can be repainted, it will cost more than simply power washing, masking and repainting. Other elements that could affect the price of the job would be difficulty reaching certain areas of the home, and landscaping.

That is why it's a good idea to have a few different painters come look at your home and give you a written estimate explaining exactly how much preparation they recommend, as well as the type and quality of the paint they propose to use. That way you will be able to compare their bids accurately.

To locate some reputable painting contractors to collect bids, visit Home Advisor, enter a service request and be matched with service professionals in your area.

by Kathy Maynard, reprinted courtesy of HomeAdvisor.com