House painters in Box Hill North

Homes in Box Hill North

Box Hill North was largely built in the two decades after the Second World War. Typical homes are modest single-storey houses in weatherboard, cream brick or brick veneer, with low-pitched tiled roofs, timber windows and simple eaves, on long suburban blocks that run north towards the Koonung Creek parklands.

Many post-war homes used fibre cement sheeting for eaves linings, in wet areas and sometimes on outside walls. Sheeting from before 1990 may contain asbestos, which changes how those surfaces are cleaned and prepared.

Since the 2000s, many original houses have been replaced by two or three townhouses, finished in render, fibre cement and timber-look cladding, often with an owners corporation looking after shared driveways and fences. A good share of homes in the area are rented, so landlords and property managers are part of the picture too.

What to look for on a Box Hill North repaint

• Fibre cement that may contain asbestos. The Victorian Government’s asbestos hub says homes built or renovated before 1990 are likely to contain asbestos. Eaves linings and sheeting of that age should not be sanded or blasted with a high-pressure cleaner until they have been checked.
• Post-war weatherboard. Boards that have gone years between repaints have cracked and lifting paint. They are scraped back, joints re-caulked and bare timber primed before two top coats.
• Lead under later coats. Original windows, doors and weatherboards on homes from the 1950s and 1960s may have lead paint underneath. Test before the preparation starts.
• Townhouses due for a first repaint. Render and cladding on townhouses from the 2000s and 2010s often need their first repaint about now. Cracks are filled, joints sealed and walls washed, with the owners corporation involved if the exterior is shared.