Propserve Painting & Maintenance Division
Division 09 of 09
Interior and exterior painting, waterproofing and planned building maintenance, with the preparation done properly, because that is what determines how long the coating lasts.
The paint is the cheap part. The preparation is the job.
A repaint that fails in two years almost never fails because of the paint. It fails because it went onto a chalky, damp, dirty or unstable surface. Propserve prices preparation as real work: washing down, scraping back to sound substrate, treating rust and mould, filling and crack repairing, and priming with the correct primer for that surface. We will also tell you when a wall needs more preparation than you were hoping for.
We work with major South African coating systems and specify to the substrate and exposure rather than to a shelf price. West facing exterior walls, galvanised roof sheeting, timber fascias and interior bathrooms each need a different system, and getting that wrong is what shortens a paint life from ten years to three.
Alongside painting, the division handles the ordinary maintenance items that turn into expensive ones when ignored: waterproofing, gutters, rotten fascia boards, cracked plaster, failed sealant joints and general handyman work.
What the division covers
- Exterior paintingPlaster, face brick, cladding and boundary walls, prepared and coated for local sun and rain exposure.
- Interior paintingWalls, ceilings, cornices, skirtings, doors and frames with proper masking and dust control.
- Roof coatingCleaning, rust treatment and coating of IBR, corrugated and tile roofs with the correct system.
- WaterproofingFlat roofs, parapets, box gutters, balconies and shower areas, including detailing at penetrations.
- Crack & plaster repairCutting out, filling and patching of cracked plaster before it is coated over and hidden.
- General maintenanceGutters and downpipes, fascia and barge boards, sealant joints, door and window furniture, minor carpentry.
How a painting project runs
- Survey & substrate testWe check the existing coating's adhesion, look for damp and movement cracks, and identify every substrate on the building.
- Written specificationThe quote states the system, coats, preparation and area, so it can be compared honestly against another quote.
- PreparationHigh pressure wash where appropriate, scrape back to sound, treat rust and mould, repair cracks, mask and protect.
- Priming & coatingThe correct primer for each substrate, then coats applied at the manufacturer's spread rate rather than thinned to stretch.
- Snag & sign offWe walk the building with you, snag it, fix the list, clean up, and hand over the guarantee and colour schedule.
Suited to
- Homeowners repainting inside or out
- Body corporates and estates on a repaint cycle
- Commercial buildings and office parks
- Landlords preparing units for tenants
- Buildings with recurring damp or leak problems
- Sites needing a standing maintenance arrangement
About damp
If a wall is damp, painting it is not a repair. The coating will blister or peel and the money is gone. Where we find rising damp, penetrating damp or a failed waterproofing detail, we will say so and quote the remedial work separately, even when that makes our quote look larger than the one next to it. Coating over a live damp problem is the single most common reason a repaint fails early.
Common questions
How long should an exterior repaint last?
Inland, eight to ten years on exterior plaster is a fair expectation. On the KwaZulu-Natal coast it is realistically shorter, because salt, humidity and hard UV are unkind to coatings, and a west or sea facing elevation ages faster than the sheltered sides of the same building. Poorly prepared work or a thinned coating can start failing within two or three years anywhere.
Do you help with colour choice?
Yes. We can arrange sample pots and draw down large test patches on the actual wall, because colours read completely differently at full scale and in direct sun than they do on a fan deck.
Can you work while we occupy the building?
Almost always. Interior work is phased room by room with dust protection and low odour products where needed. Exterior work rarely disrupts occupation at all.
Is the waterproofing guaranteed?
Yes. A written workmanship guarantee, and where the specified system and application allow it, the manufacturer's product warranty on top. Both are handed over on completion.