FAQQuestions, answered.

Bob Guiffre and his son, Bobby. They work every project side by side, so you’ll know exactly who is in your home — and the family name on the company is on the work.

More than 37 years. In that time he has painted more than 1,800 homes across Grosse Pointe and Metro Detroit.

All five Grosse Pointes — Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Woods and Grosse Pointe Shores — and homes across Metro Detroit. If you’re not sure whether you’re in our area, just tell us where the home is in your estimate request.

Sherwin-Williams. Guiffre’s is faithful to Sherwin-Williams paint, inside and out. We’ll talk through which Sherwin-Williams product and sheen suit each surface, and you can choose any color from the Sherwin-Williams color library — or start sketching in our Color Studio, where every swatch is a Sherwin-Williams color.

Yes. Guiffre’s is a family business: Bob Guiffre, with his son Bobby working alongside him on every project.

Start with the estimate form — a few questions about your home and what you’d like painted. We’ll follow up to talk it through and set a time to see the home, because an accurate estimate depends on the condition of the surfaces, not just the square footage.

It depends on the size of the home, the condition of the surfaces, how much preparation they need, the number of colors, and access — height, landscaping, stairways. Two houses of the same size can be very different jobs once prep is counted, which is why we look at the home before quoting.

Our guides to exterior and interior painting costs explain the factors, and comparing painting estimates shows what a complete quote should spell out.

It depends on the scope — a few rooms is a very different job from a full exterior — and, outside, on the weather. We’ll talk through the expected schedule when we discuss your estimate.

In Michigan, exterior painting generally runs from late spring into early fall, on dry days when nights stay above the paint’s minimum temperature. Many homeowners plan over the winter and early spring so they’re ready when the season opens. Interior work can be done year-round. Our guide on when to paint an exterior in Michigan covers the details.

We’ll go over it together before work starts. In general, it helps to clear small items, valuables and anything hanging on the walls. Larger furniture is usually moved toward the center of the room and covered so the walls and trim can be reached.

A good starting point: flat for ceilings, matte or eggshell for most living spaces, satin where walls see more wear or moisture, and semi-gloss for trim and doors. Sheen names aren’t standardized between brands, so judge from a sample. Our room-by-room sheen guide goes deeper.

Yes. Wall and plaster repair — cracks, holes, loose plaster, nail pops, water-damaged areas and skim coats — is part of what we do, usually alongside painting so the repair disappears under the finish. See wall & plaster repair.

Often, yes. Plaster walls, original wood trim and windows, and layers of old paint — sometimes oil-based — all change how surfaces should be prepared. Our guide to painting an older Grosse Pointe home explains what to expect.

Usually, yes. Hairline cracks are common in older plaster and are repaired as part of preparation. Plaster that is loose, bulging or separating from the lath is a bigger repair that has to be addressed before painting. We’ll point out what we see when we walk the rooms with you.

It varies with the surface, the exposure, the product and — above all — the preparation underneath. South- and west-facing walls take the most sun and usually show wear first. When exterior paint fails early, the cause is most often moisture or prep that was skipped, not the paint itself.

Every exterior paint has minimum temperatures for both the air and the surface, and it needs time to cure before cold nights and heavy dew set in. Some products are formulated for cooler conditions, but late fall leaves less margin for error. Our exterior timing guide explains what to watch.

In most cases, yes. Aluminum siding develops a chalky, oxidized surface over the years, and that chalk has to be cleaned off before new paint can bond. Bare or corroded spots need the right primer, then a quality exterior acrylic does the rest. Our guide to painting aluminum siding walks through it.

Think it through first — painted brick is very hard to undo. Brick needs to release moisture, so the coating matters, and the mortar should be sound before anything goes on. Sometimes the better answer is limewash, a brick stain, or simply repainting the trim around unpainted brick. Our guide to painting brick covers the pros, cons and alternatives.

Protecting plants, hardscape and roofing is part of exterior preparation — covering what needs covering, placing ladders with care, and keeping the work area tidy as the job moves around the house.

Think of it as a sketchbook. The names and numbers are real Sherwin-Williams colors, but screens vary and paint changes with daylight, so what you see is an approximation. Use the Color Studio to narrow your ideas, then test real samples on your house before you decide.

It depends on the house and the light. Pure White SW 7005 is a soft, versatile white; Alabaster SW 7008 is warmer and creamier; Extra White SW 7006 is crisp and slightly cool — a favorite for trim. Whites read brighter outdoors than on a chip, so test big samples on the house. Our guide to Sherwin-Williams whites compares six of them.

Agreeable Gray SW 7029 is a warm greige; Repose Gray SW 7015 reads cooler and can lean slightly blue or violet in cool light. Your floors, fixed finishes and the direction each room faces usually decide it. See Agreeable Gray vs. Repose Gray vs. Accessible Beige.

Start with what you can’t change — roof, brick, stone — and let the architecture lead: a Colonial, a Tudor and a ranch each want something different. Our guide to choosing exterior colors for a classic home walks through the method step by step.