House painters in Bulleen

Homes in Bulleen

Most of Bulleen was subdivided in the 1950s and 1960s, on mostly flat land near the Yarra parklands, Bulleen Park and the Heide Museum of Modern Art. Typical houses are cream or red brick and brick veneer homes on generous blocks, with tiled roofs, painted eaves and timber or aluminium windows.

Many were built or rebuilt by post-war migrant families, and the homes of the 1960s and 1970s often have Mediterranean touches: rendered arches and columns, tiled or terrazzo porches, wrought iron balustrades and gates, and rendered or brick front fences with iron infills. These details are what give a Bulleen street its character, and most of them need paint.

Since the 2000s, many larger blocks have been split into two or three units or townhouses, finished in render and fibre cement cladding. On the older homes the work is usually in the trims, iron and render; on the newer ones it is large areas of render and cladding.

What to look for on a Bulleen repaint

• Rusting wrought iron. Iron balustrades, gates and fence infills rust wherever the paint has worn through. Rust is wire-brushed back to sound metal and primed with a rust-inhibiting primer before the top coats.
• Rendered arches, columns and fences. Older render often has hairline cracks and chalky paint. It is washed, the cracks are filled and the surface is sealed so the new coats bond and look even.
• Brick that was painted years ago. Once brick has been painted it needs repainting from then on. Peeling areas are scraped and wire-brushed, and the brick is sealed before new coats go on.
• Units sharing walls and driveways. On a subdivided block, part of the exterior may be common property, and shared driveways have to stay clear while the work is done.