Triple-Decker Painting
Quincy Point's shipyard-era triple-deckers need staging on three-story walls and careful prep of every porch level.
DetailsTriple-decker and porch painting in Quincy Point (02169)
Quincy Point grew up around the Fore River Shipyard, and the streets off Washington Street still carry the shipbuilders' housing: tight rows of two-families and triple-deckers with stacked porches facing the street.
Quincy neighborhood
02169
- Houses
- Triple-deckers and two-families with stacked porches
- Built
- 1900s to 1920s shipyard-era housing
- Landmark
- Fore River Shipyard and the Fore River Bridge on Washington Street
- Phone
- (617) 576-8235, any hour
Painting and paperhanging in Quincy Point, Quincy
Quincy Point sits on the Town River side of the city, where Washington Street heads east to the Fore River Bridge and the long waterfront of the Fore River Shipyard sits just beyond. For most of the twentieth century, the shipyard was one of the biggest employers on the South Shore, and the neighborhood was built for the people who worked there. Blocks of triple-deckers and two-families went up quickly in the 1910s, close together, with stacked front porches and small back yards.
That housing is still the core of Quincy Point, and much of it is owned by landlords or by families living on one floor and renting the others. The exterior problems are those of tall, narrow wood buildings: three stories of clapboard to prep, porches that take weather on every level and rot at the column bases and rail caps. Inside, apartments turn over and need fast, clean repaints between tenants.
Housing era1900s to 1920s shipyard-era housing
Common housesTriple-deckers and two-families with stacked porches
LandmarkFore River Shipyard and the Fore River Bridge on Washington Street
What fails firstPeeling stacked porches and alligatored clapboard on three-story walls
Access and stagingTight side yards between multi-families and heavy traffic on Washington Street
What does a Quincy Point triple-decker need from an exterior repaint?
Height and porches drive the work. We set staging or pump jacks on the tall walls, since three stories of clapboard can't be prepped well from a ladder alone. The siding gets scraped and sanded to sound edges, with bare wood spot-primed and failed caulk cut out and replaced. Then come the porches: column bases, rail caps, balusters, porch ceilings and floor boards on each level. Soft wood is cut out and replaced with primed stock before anything is painted.
These are pre-1978 buildings, presumed to contain lead paint, and many house young families. We contain the ground with sheeting, mist before scraping, HEPA-vacuum and check the cleanup daily. Owners of rental properties should check their own lead obligations with the state, especially when young children live in a unit.
How do we turn over Quincy Point apartments between tenants?
Turnovers are about speed and durability. We fill nail holes, patch drywall and plaster damage, spot-prime water and smoke stains with a stain-blocking primer and paint ceilings first. Walls get a washable eggshell and trim and doors a semi-gloss that wipes clean. Kitchens and baths get a scrubbable finish that holds up to steam. Landlords usually standardize on one wall color and one trim white so the next touch-up is simple.
Most units here are five or six rooms, and a normal turnover takes two to three working days. We can coordinate with cleaners and floor refinishers so the unit is ready on the move-in date.
How do we stage on Quincy Point's tight lots and Washington Street traffic?
Many Quincy Point multi-families sit only a few feet from the house next door, so staging on the side walls often reaches over the property line. We ask the owner to talk with the neighbor first and we plan the setup together. Front walls on Washington Street and the busier side streets get done on weekdays, with ladders kept off the sidewalk.
We park in the driveway when there is one and bring materials in for several days at a time. Exteriors run from late May through early October, while turnovers and interiors keep going through the winter.
The work we are called for most in Quincy Point, Quincy
Porch Painting
Stacked porches on Quincy Point multi-families take weather on every floor and are the first part of the house to peel.
DetailsApartment Turnover Painting
Landlord-owned units in Quincy Point turn over often and need patching, stain priming and fresh coats between leases.
DetailsLead-Safe Painting
Nearly every Quincy Point building predates 1978, and many house young families, so containment and HEPA cleanup are standard.
DetailsWood Rot Repair
Porch column bases, rail caps and sills on Quincy Point triple-deckers often hide rot that must be replaced before paint.
DetailsClapboard & Siding Painting
Three stories of clapboard on Quincy Point multi-families need full scraping, priming and caulking to hold paint through winter.
DetailsNeed something else? We do all 40 painting and wallpaper services here.
Questions from Quincy Point homeowners
What does it cost to paint a Quincy Point triple-decker?
For a full exterior on a typical Quincy Point triple-decker with front porches on all three levels, a planning range is $21,750 to $38,400. Porch rot, staging access, lead-safe scraping and trim detail move the number. The walk-through and written estimate set the real price for your building.
Can you paint a Quincy Point triple-decker without tenants moving out?
Yes. Exterior work doesn't require anyone to leave. We keep entrances and porches usable, work one side of the building at a time and let tenants know which windows to keep closed each day. Owners of Quincy Point rentals should give tenants notice before staging goes up.
How fast can you turn over a Quincy Point apartment?
A typical five or six-room Quincy Point unit with normal wear takes two to three working days, including patching, stain priming, ceilings, walls and trim. Heavy damage or smoke staining adds time. We can line up with your cleaners and floor work so the unit is ready for move-in.
Do you need the neighbor's yard to paint a Quincy Point multi-family?
Often, yes, for the side walls. Many Quincy Point buildings sit only a few feet apart, and staging may need to reach onto the next lot. We ask owners to speak with the neighbor first, then we plan the setup, protect their yard and clean up each day.
Nearby places we also cover
Painting or wallpaper in Quincy Point?
Call (617) 576-8235. The line is answered 24/7 and we schedule walk-throughs across Quincy Point with a written estimate after every visit.