On the Central Coast, paint is not decoration — it is the building’s raincoat. Salt-laden fog, winter storms, and intense UV on clear days break down cheap coatings in three or four years, and every gap in the film lets moisture start the dry rot cycle. RC Builders Inc (CSLB License #1081425) paints houses the way a builder paints them: fix the substrate first, prep like it matters, then apply coatings specified for marine exposure.
That builder’s advantage is real. Most painting crews tape off rotted trim and paint over it; our carpenters replace it before the primer comes out. We paint interiors and exteriors across Seaside, Monterey, Salinas, Marina, Pacific Grove, Carmel, Pebble Beach, and Carmel Valley.
Painting services
- Exterior house painting — full repaints of siding, stucco, and trim.
- Interior painting — walls, ceilings, trim, and doors with clean lines and cleaner floors.
- Cabinet painting & refinishing — a sprayed factory-quality finish at a fraction of replacement cost.
- Stucco coating & repair — elastomeric and acrylic systems over patched, sound stucco.
- Siding & trim repair before paint — dry rot cut out and replaced, not caulked over.
- Deck & fence staining.
- Drywall repair & texture matching.
- Color consultation — tested on your actual walls in your actual light.
Prep is 80% of a paint job
The difference between a seven-year exterior and a three-year exterior is almost entirely preparation: wash, scrape, sand, repair, prime bare wood with the right primer, caulk with sealants that stay flexible, then topcoat. On pre-1978 homes we follow lead-safe work practices. Our proposals spell out the prep steps line by line — if a competing bid is dramatically cheaper, compare the prep section first, because that is where the money went.
What painting costs locally
Exterior repaints of typical single-family homes in this market generally run $8,000–$20,000 depending on size, stories, siding condition, and how much carpentry repair precedes the paint. Interior painting typically runs $3–$7 per square foot of floor area depending on ceiling height, colors, and trim scope. Cabinet refinishing for a typical kitchen lands between $4,000 and $9,000 — a fraction of new cabinets. Every proposal itemizes prep, repairs, and coatings so you can see exactly what you are buying.
Coatings that survive the coast
We specify premium acrylic exteriors with UV-stable pigments, elastomerics where stucco cracking calls for them, and marine-grade enamels on doors and high-touch trim. Fog dictates scheduling too: exterior coats go on when surfaces are dry and temperatures hold, which is why coastal exteriors are planned around the weather window, not the calendar. It is the unglamorous discipline that decides whether your paint job is a 2029 project or a 2033 one.
Our work
Interior & Exterior Painting services we offer
- Exterior house painting
- Interior painting
- Cabinet painting & refinishing
- Stucco repair & coating
- Trim & siding repair
- Deck & fence staining
- Drywall repair & texture
- Color consultation
Frequently Asked Questions
Most full exterior repaints here run $8,000–$20,000 depending on home size, stories, substrate condition, and repair scope. Interiors typically run $3–$7 per square foot of floor area. Itemized proposals let you compare bids on prep and repairs — the parts that determine how long the job lasts.
With proper prep and premium coatings, expect 7–10 years on most Peninsula exteriors; south- and west-facing walls weather fastest. Cheap jobs fail in 3–4 years, which is why the cheaper bid is usually the more expensive one over a decade.
Dry surfaces and steady temperatures — which on the coast means working around morning fog and painting in the window when walls are truly dry. We schedule exterior phases to the forecast and stop when conditions turn; rushing coats onto damp siding is how blistering happens.
If the boxes and doors are sound, yes — degreased, sanded, primed, and sprayed for a factory-smooth finish, typically $4,000–$9,000 for a full kitchen. It is one of the highest-return updates a dated kitchen can get.
Always — it is the reason clients hire a builder to paint. Rotted trim, fascia, and siding get cut out and replaced by our carpenters before priming. Painting over rot just gift-wraps the problem.
Homes built before 1978 may have lead-based paint layers. We follow EPA lead-safe renovation practices — containment, safe sanding, and cleanup — on pre-1978 exteriors and interiors as required.