Your house is likely to be the most expensive object you will ever own, and therefore needs looking after by expert house painters. Poorly maintained exterior paint-work can quite quickly lead to significant deterioration of wooden windows, sills, facia boards, and doors. Rendered masonry surfaces, once painted, need regular washing down and/or repainting keep algae and lichen growth at bay, as well as preventing unsightly peeling paint. The length of time between major repaints depends on the age of the property and the coatings used, but surfaces should be repainted BEFORE the paint starts to flake and peel. With proper preparation and good painting practise, modern coatings can extend the interval between each repaint. A quick "lick of paint" applied without proper preparation, materials or processes is a false economy. Painting a house is a costly job, especially taking into account the cost of erecting scaffolding or other access, so it makes sense to do the job thoroughly first time to achieve the longest period between repaints.