Painting mid-century homes and apartment buildings in Tacoma's West End (98465)
Tacoma's 98465 ZIP covers the West End south of 6th Avenue and SR 16, from around Pearl Street west toward the Narrows, near Tacoma Community College. This side of town was thinly settled until the 1940s, when new plats opened along the route to the Narrows Bridge, and lots filled in through the 1950s and 1960s. Away from the view streets by the water, inland blocks along South 12th, South 19th and Jackson Avenue mix brick ranches, post-and-beam modern homes, duplexes and apartment and condo complexes added in later decades, with the Scott Pierson Trail running beside the highway.
At a glance
- ZIP
- 98465
- County
- Pierce County
- Part of
- Tacoma, WA
- Best exterior window
- Late May to mid September
- Phone
- Answered 24/7
The West End asks two kinds of work from a painter. Its single-family homes are mostly mid-century designs with low-slope roofs, exposed beam ends, brick veneer and long runs of window trim, so a repaint is as much about wood details as wall area. Its apartment and condo buildings need phasing, resident notices and crews who can work around people coming and going. Our exterior painting covers the houses, and our apartment and HOA painting work covers the complexes along South 12th and near the college. The drive from our Puyallup shop is short, so West End jobs fit easily into a Tacoma week.
What should a West End condo board plan before a repaint?
Most West End complexes were built in phases and have been painted in phases, so the first step is a walk around every building with the manager or board. We note failing siding, rusted rail posts, soft stair treads and trim that needs carpentry, then put it into a written scope with a building-by-building order. Boards like that because it lines up with how reserve money gets spent, and owners can see when their building is up. Color changes usually need a vote, so we paint sample boards ahead of the meeting.
Once the season starts, we post notices a week ahead, ask residents to clear balconies and work one building at a time so parking and walkways stay open. Rails get rust treatment and a direct-to-metal primer, soft trim gets wood rot repair and stair towers are done on weekdays. A typical two-story building of eight to twelve units runs about $14,760-$27,380 for a full exterior, which is a typical range and not a quote. The real price is set after a walk-through of the whole complex.
What we watch for here
- Exposed beam ends and rafter tails on modern homes that soak up rain through the cut end grain.
- Low-slope roof edges where water lingers at the fascia and peels paint along the gutter line.
- Road film from SR 16 and 6th Avenue traffic that dulls siding on houses close to the highway.
- Condo boards that need repaint scopes planned around reserve budgets and resident notices.
- Glass walls and clerestory windows with wood stops that crack and let water behind the trim.
Houses common in West End and how we prep them
Post-and-beam modern homes
Exposed beams, clerestory windows and tongue-and-groove soffits. We check every beam end for rot, seal cut ends and brush the wood details.
1950s brick ranches
Unpainted brick stays natural. We repaint the wood trim, eaves, garage door and the gable siding above the brick.
Apartment and condo complexes
Two- and three-story buildings with stair towers, breezeways and metal rails. We phase the work by building and post notices before each stage.
Duplexes and small rentals
Side-by-side units and converted houses on the streets near 6th Avenue. We repaint walls, doors and trim between leases and refresh exteriors in summer.
Painting jobs we do most in West End
Exterior House Painting
Exterior house painting in Tacoma means washing off mildew and dirt, checking that the siding reads about 15% moisture or less, scraping and sanding loose paint, fixing rot, caulking, priming bare wood, then applying two coats of exterior acrylic.
See exterior house paintingApartment & HOA Painting
Apartment and HOA painting in Tacoma covers exterior repaints of apartment buildings, condos and townhome communities, plus common-area interiors like halls and stairwells.
See apartment & hoa paintingExterior Trim Painting
Exterior trim painting is a trim-only repaint: fascia, soffits, rake boards, corner boards and window and door casings, done while the siding still holds up.
See exterior trim paintingWood Rot Repair
Wood rot repair in Tacoma means probing fascia, trim, sills, corner boards and siding for soft wood, cutting out the decay, then replacing boards or rebuilding small areas with epoxy filler.
See wood rot repairRental Turnover Painting
Rental turnover painting in Tacoma means repainting a vacant unit between tenants: patching nail holes and dents, spot priming stains, and repainting walls, ceilings, trim and doors in a durable, easy-to-match color.
See rental turnover paintingInterior Painting
Interior painting in Tacoma covers moving and covering furniture, filling nail holes and dings, sanding, spot priming, cutting in edges by hand and rolling two finish coats on the walls, with ceilings and trim as add-ons.
See interior painting
Painting questions from West End
Can you repaint the exposed beams on my West End post-and-beam house?
Yes. Beam ends and rafter tails get checked first, since that is where water gets in. Soft wood is cut back and patched or replaced, then the end grain is sealed and primed before paint or stain. If the beams were stained originally, we can clean and restain them instead of switching to paint. It is slow work, and it is the detail people notice most on these houses.
How quickly can you repaint a vacant West End duplex unit between tenants?
Most one- and two-bedroom units are done in two to four working days, depending on repairs. A standard rental turnover covers walls, ceilings, doors and trim in a finish that touches up easily for the next move-out. We patch nail holes and dings, prime stains and match existing colors so both sides of the duplex stay consistent. Owners usually book the dates as soon as notice is given.
Can you paint the carport and breezeway on my mid-century West End home?
Yes, and they are often the most neglected part of these houses. Posts get checked at the base, where splashback rots the wood first, and soft sections are repaired before primer. The carport ceiling is cleaned of cobwebs and grime and painted in an exterior flat that hides seams. Beams and posts get a satin finish that sheds water. Oil spots on the slab are left alone unless you want a floor coating.
Neighboring areas we paint
Painting a home in West End?
Call and tell us what you are painting. We answer 24/7 and set up a walk-through at a time that suits you.