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After spending so much time at home over the past year and a half, you’ve decided that your house’s exterior could use a new coat of paint. You don’t want to take this Herculean project on yourself, so you hire a residential painting company to do it for you.

But then when you schedule the team to come and paint, they give you a list of things you need to do to get ready. Aren’t you hiring them to do everything for you? Do you really need to follow these instructions for prepping your house to paint? Here are the steps you as a homeowner should take before the crew arrives and why it’s important to do them.

Turn Off Sprinklers

If you have a set timer for your sprinkler system, make sure it is turned off by the time the painting crew has come to start exterior painting. They likely don’t want to get soaking wet, and you certainly don’t want streaks or drips in the final paint finish.

Clear the Space

Do you have flower pots or ornaments hung outside your home? Do you have toys, patio furniture, or a grill that’s located near the house? These things need to be removed from the workspace in order for the painting team to get to work right away. Otherwise, they have to spend that time—on your dime—doing it for you. Plus, even though the team will try to be careful, there’s no guarantee that your possessions will be undamaged.

Keep Animals Contained

Your dog or other pet may want to say hello to the painting crew, but animals can get in the way. You need to secure your pets in another area or inside the house so that the team doesn’t have to worry about your pet accidentally escaping or distracting from their work. Also, it’s important to make sure any messes your pet may have left in the work area have been cleared so that the painters don’t step in them.

Why You Need to Prepare the Outside for Painting

Perhaps you’re thinking to yourself that you don’t want to do any work before the painting crew comes. However, that could be a costly mistake. Not doing these simple steps beforehand can make the process much more complicated and cause the project to take longer than expected, which means you pay more. Or you could end up with results that don’t look as flawless as they could.

Getting your house ready for exterior painting doesn’t take a ton of time. By doing this prep work, you can save money in the long run and make sure that the outside of your house is as beautiful as you imagined.

About Platinum Painting

Since 2008, Platinum Painting has made homeowners’ design dreams a reality. While we handle steps like power washing the exteriors, sealing up cracks, and cleaning up afterward, the Platinum Painting team asks homeowners to take these preparatory steps to make the most efficient use of time. We also are happy to provide in-person estimates, which are far more accurate than over-the-phone quotes you get with other companies. You can learn more about the Platinum Painting difference by contacting our Customer Care team!

The post 3 Things You Should Do Before the Painting Crew Comes appeared first on Platinum Painting Blog.

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You’ve decided to take the plunge—you’re painting the brick on the outside of your house. The earthy tones used to be in style at one point, but now you want your house to stand out and really make a statement. Good choice! But painting brick isn’t quite like painting other surfaces. If you want the finished product to look amazing, you need to approach it differently. Here are the steps to doing the job the right way and mistakes to avoid in the process.

Why You Should Get Help

When it comes to DIY projects, painting may initially seem simple enough. However, flaws in the exterior painting can be apparent to anyone who walks or drives by your house or comes to visit. Getting the brick right is important if you want to make a good impression. Turn to Platinum Painting to handle the stress of this project. As professionals, we know how to paint brick, and we have years of experience doing it correctly.

Step #1: Power Wash

Unless the house is brand-new, chances are that your exterior brick could use a thorough cleaning. Years of dirt and grime need to come off before you paint, or it won’t adhere properly to the brick. Use a power washer to flush out all the nooks and crannies. Although you could in theory get a brush and scrub the bricks with a cleaning mixture, this method would require hours of hard effort, especially if you have a large house.

Step #2: Fill and Caulk

Before you paint, you need to take a closer look at the brick and grout. Are there any cracks, holes, or leaks? These weakened areas can allow moisture to seep through and damage the interior of your house. Now is the time to caulk them and seal off these access points, protecting your home from moisture. Give the acrylic caulk plenty of time to set before moving on to the next phase.

Step #3: Prime and Paint

Did you know there is a special primer specifically for masonry? Brick is unique in that it is especially porous and rough. As a result, it needs to be primed prior to opening the first paint can. Whether you choose to use a sprayer or a brush to apply paint to brick, you must make sure to paint from all angles. Otherwise, even coverage can be difficult to achieve, and you’re more likely to end up with mistakes or flaws in the paint job.

Ultimately, on your own painting your exterior brick can feel overwhelming, but when you have a team who has completed the process countless times, you can simply look forward to the final result with less stress and more excitement!

About Platinum Painting

With a background in home design and customer service, Platinum Painting owners Karl and Marjorie Pickens started the company in 2008. Although the team has grown since then, many of our employees have been with us since the beginning. As a result, we know which materials are best for each job and how to approach each project. Would you like to have a free in-person estimate? Contact Platinum Painting and talk to our Customer Care team today!

The post Steps to Paint Brick the Right Way appeared first on Platinum Painting Blog.

You’ve visited paint store after paint store, burned through Pinterest options, and are starting to find creative uses for that stack of paint chips, like bookmarks and coasters. Still, you can’t find the right color. Now what? It’s time for a personalized wall color – one you’ll only get through unique wall paint or color consulting. Our pros walk you through the process, helping you pinpoint that one-of-a-kind hue.

Personalized Wall Colors the Easy Way

You can get a customized interior color without hiring an interior designer. Here’s how.

Upload a Match

Many designers start a project with an inspiration piece — that can be anything from a favorite scarf to a rug or even a color from nature. But how do you get the paint to match your inspiration piece?

While you may have browsed lots of paint chips, the truth is, stores don’t put out every hue by a paint company. To find those, you have to get a fan deck, which is the fan-shaped set of color strips that show every color family a company has.

If you can’t get ahold of a fan deck, use a color matching app. Many paint stores have them on their websites, including PPG’s Match My Color app. You just snap a picture of your inspiration piece, upload it to the app, and the system matches your color to the nearest hue in their complete color palette.

Get a One-of-a-Kind Blend

Another option is to find something – anything – that matches the personalized wall color you’re interested in matching. It doesn’t have to be an inspiration piece. It can be a spool of thread, a piece of fabric or even a photograph.

Paint stores have something called a spectrophotometer, which can analyze the material and match it to their brand’s closest hue. You’ll need a flat sample about one inch square, which the paint-store pro will run through the machine and match to a color in their palette.

sk for a Recommendation

If those methods don’t work, ask a professional painter for a recommendation. Let them know you’re looking for a personalized wall color, and experienced painters can make recommendations based on furniture colors, existing color schemes and specific contrasts or tones. They can even help you plan a color scheme for your home, not just one room, so you get a pulled-together look that truly fits your style.

Interested in your own personalized wall color? Our color consultants can help. Not only can they recommend hues, they’ll send you free 8’ x 8’ color samples to help you find the perfectly customized interior color for your home. Or, if you’d rather talk with a painter, try our house painting services today.

The post Personalized Wall Colors Are Easier to Create Than You Think appeared first on Paintzen.

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Your guests have just arrived for a long, overdue get-together. You’ve meticulously prepared the rooms they’ll see the most, specifically the kitchen and the living room. But have you paid enough attention to the bathroom colors? Chances are they’ll visit this room a couple of times during their visit, and it can make a powerful impression.

You can’t treat a bathroom just like every other room in the house, and there are certain colors you should and shouldn’t consider for this important room. Read on to find out how you can make your bathroom a pleasant place to visit for you and your guests.

Smart Choices for Bathroom Paint

What color work well for a bathroom? Which ones can create the kind of environment you want there? Here are colors to think about when it comes time to repainting your bathroom.

Ocean Aquamarine

Is there anything more comforting than the sound of ocean waves ebbing and flowing on the beach? With an aquamarine color on the walls and a beach/nautical theme in décor, you can feel relaxed as you enter the bathroom, almost as if you’re escaping real life with a brief retreat.

Calm, Light Blue

You don’t have to go for an aquatic vibe in your bathroom, but blue is a commonly chosen color for the bathroom because of its calming effect. Think of the kind of blue you’d see on a robin’s egg. This shade is clean, light, and airy but not too bright. Other neutrals, such as gray or off-white can have a similar effect.

Deep, Dark Blue

If you prefer a darker color for the bathroom, you can choose to paint the walls with a deeper blue, but be careful. Dark colors can make a space seem more intimate, potentially making a small powder room feel even smaller. If you choose a rich, deep blue or a charcoal brown, make sure you include accent pieces that bring more lightness to the room. Or you could consider highlighting one wall with a bold color and putting a lighter complementary color on the others.

Bad Choices for Bathroom Paint

There are certain shades that work in other rooms but simply shouldn’t be used in a bathroom. After a while, bathrooms tend to look dingy and grimy, usually assuming muddy or beige undertones. As a result, you should not use these kinds of colors on the walls. They have long been out of style and can make your bathroom appear outdated and dirty.

In addition, although kids may find them fun, the bathroom isn’t the best place for bright neon colors, which can be especially overwhelming in small spaces. Instead, you can choose a bold accent color of their choosing to make the room fun, yet still tolerable.

Although your bathroom isn’t where you or your guests will spend the most time, it’s still important. By following these tips, it can provide a calm, beautiful area for anyone to visit.

About Platinum Painting

In over a decade, Platinum Painting has painted well over 10,000 North Texas homes ranging in size from one-room condos to three-story houses. With every project, you can enjoy a color consultation with one of our experienced team members, ensuring that you’ll love the shade you pick before we open the first paint can. If you have questions about bathroom paint colors, you can give us a call for an free, in-home estimate.

The post Good and Bad Paint Choices for Bathroom Colors appeared first on Platinum Painting Blog.

A textured accent wall is a great way to update any room in your home. These focal walls add drama, intensity and depth to your space. So, go beyond the usual coat of paint and get a look that’s all your own.

Venetian Plaster

There are lots of ways to create a textured accent wall, including faux finishing or using a specialty paint, like suede, sandstone or metallic. But one of our favorites, which has been around for centuries, is Venetian wall plaster.

This wall and ceiling finish, a blend of plaster with marble dust, is applied in thin, multiple layers to create a deep, burnished color with an appealingly rough texture. Perk up a kitchen or bathroom with this low-maintenance finish. It’s nontoxic, zero-VOC and breathable, so it’s naturally mildew resistant.

Faux Finishing

Faux finishing is a decorative painting technique that recreates the look or feel of other surfaces, like wallpaper, marble, wood or fabric. You can use a variety of faux finishing methods to create the look of a textured accent wall.

For example, a rag or sponge roller will give you the look of plaster or marble. Or by applying a glaze in a circular motion, you can create an effect called color washing, which gives walls an Old-World look. You can also paint on any geometric shape, like stripes or a checkerboard, using two different paint colors or one color and a glaze. Faux finishing gives kids’ bedrooms a textural pop and it can be elegant in a master bedroom, especially when used as a focal wall behind the bed.

Metallic Paint

Make your walls shimmer with metallic paint or glaze. You can now get water-based metallic paints, which you apply the same way you do any other paint. Try one whole wall in a glowing gold or try rose-gold stripes in a powder room.

And speaking of metallic finishes, you can also get metallic plaster, which blends glass and mica with the plaster for a deep color that really shines.

Sandstone Paint

This highly textured acrylic paint has a find sand finish gives walls a distinctive feel. The paint has a raised finish that’s slightly gritty to the touch. It’s one of the fastest and easiest textured accent-wall finishes to apply – just roll it on like any other paint. Try it in a man cave or a coastal-style guest room.

Brushed Suede Paint

Give your walls the look and feel of suede with brushed suede paint. Like sandstone and metallic paint, brushed suede paint, this textured finish rolls on like any other paint. However, the finish is delicate and easy to scratch, and it can be hard to blend repairs into the surrounding paint, so it’s best to use it in low-traffic areas. Try it in a guest bedroom.

Textured Wallpaper

Paintable wallpaper with a raised design, like grasscloth and embossed papers, are popular because they’re versatile and easy to use. With a nearly unlimited variety of textures and patterns, you can tailor a textured accent wall using one of these to your preferences. Grasscloth and home offices go together like PB&J. Try an embossed wallpaper in a guest bathroom or on the ceiling to create the look of vintage ceiling tiles.

Learn more about our interior painting and wallpaper installation services and how we can help you create your own textured accent wall.

The post How To Get the Beauty of a Textured Accent Wall appeared first on Paintzen.

If you’ve ever moved out of an apartment, you know what a nail-biter it can be waiting on your security deposit refund. This is especially true if you’ve already paid a security deposit and the first month’s rent on a new place and your budget is tight. Apartment painting is one of the ways you can improve your chances of getting your deposit back. But, before you paint, there’s some important information to consider.

For Security Deposit Refunds, First, Know Thy Lease

Before you reach for a paintbrush, dig back through your files for your lease. There, you’ll find the list of all the things you can lose your security deposit over. While rental laws differ from state to state, most leases distinguish between “damage” and “wear and tear.” Usually, it’s the stuff on the “damage” column you have to look out for. That can include:

Big holes in the wall (including excessive holes from picture hangers)Fixtures and appliances broken due to negligence, like a dented fridge door or cracked bathroom tilesPoor cleaning habits – dirty stovetops, mold and mildew, water spots on the floorsUrine stains from petsStained or scuffed paint

If you want to get every penny back, download an apartment cleaning checklist. That will help you ensure you hit everywhere a landlord will look, including places you may not have thought of, like the top of the range hood and bifold door tracks.

Cleaning and Repair Tips

Regular wear and tear on walls, like minor dings or a normal number of holes from picture hangers, won’t trigger your landlord to keep your security deposit. But if there’s actual damage — like big scuff marks or holes in the wall — before you hand over the keys, you’ll need to repair it.

Use melamine foam to get rid of scuff marks on the walls and trim. Repair small drywall dings with painter’s putty and sandpaper. Larger holes in the wall may require more effort.

Don’t Paint, Yet

Before you break out the paintbrush to cover the spackling, ask your landlord about the paint policy (and be sure to get all answers in writing). Many landlords don’t require you to paint over patched drywall. Plus, it can be hard to match existing paint color – and you don’t want to repaint the whole place and have it turn out to be the wrong hue. (Your landlord will charge you to repaint then, for sure.) If your landlord will allow you to touch up paint, ask them to share the name of the paint color and the preferred sheen. Some landlords will provide the paint to make sure it will match.

If you painted any room in the apartment a non-approved color during your lease, repaint in the original color (again, ask the landlord for the paint, itself, or the right color). That way, you’ll save your security deposit.

And once you get to your new place, whether it’s a house or apartment, reach out for a free paint quote. Whether you want a new coat of paint to hide wear and tear or you want to explore different paint colors and embrace new design trends, painting your walls can dramatically improve your space.

The post Apartment Painting Tips to Help You Get Back Your Security Deposit appeared first on Paintzen.

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Any astrologer worth her charts knows the placement of her sun sign. But did you know that every sign also has its own color? Put your horoscope to work for you. Paint your house your zodiac sign colors, and your life could become as harmonious as a Grand Trine.

ries – Red

Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, is driven to succeed. This motivated sign is represented by an equally powerful color – red. Try Blaze on an accent wall and bring the power of Aries to life.

Taurus – Pink

Taurus is associated with Venus, known as the goddess of love. So, it’s no surprise that Taurus’s horoscope color is pink. Try Ballet Slipper in a master bedroom for some zodiac-approved romance.

Gemini – Yellow

Gemini aligns itself with vibrant yellow, thanks to its lively, ever-changing energy. Be as energetic as your sign and paint your dining room a chrome-yellow, like Flirtatious.

Cancer – Silver

Watery Cancer is a nurturing, emotional sign associated with the moon and its silvery tones. Draw on your horoscope to bring a sense of calm to your home with soft, cool Peregrine.

Leo – Gold

Leo the lion goes for the gusto. This limelight-loving sign struts its stuff in regal gold. Embrace your inner Leo by painting a powder room Gilded Gold.

Virgo – Green

Grounded Virgos do their best work when helping people optimize systems and processes. Green, the color of new growth, personifies this sign of service. Try a muted peacock green, Pinehurst, for a man cave or game room.

Libra – Light Blue

Balanced Libra, represented by the scales, is a natural diplomat. Light blue, the color of peace and optimism, personifies its energy. Bring this feeling to light with a zodiac sign color like Magical.

Scorpio – Black

Determined, brave and loyal Scorpio also loves dancing in the shadows. Its horoscope power color is black, a hue of strength and authority. Embrace your inner shadow with Midnight Hour.

Sagittarius – Purple

Sagittarius, the zodiac’s philosopher, loves thinking deep thoughts. Purple, the color of mystery and wisdom, represents this spiritual sign. A delicious heliotrope like Pale Plum captures Sag’s otherworldly nature.

Capricorn – Brown

Known as the Goat, Capricorn, is a grounded, strong sign. Its color, brown, symbolizes earth, maturity and intelligence. Bring your horoscope color to life with elegant Winter Cocoa.

quarius – Bright Blue

Ruled by Uranus, Aquarius is the most forward-thinking, socially minded of the signs. It’s represented by bright blue. Paint your front door Brilliant Blue and revel in your Aquarian originality.

Pisces – Green

Spiritual, watery Pisces takes for its color the green of the ocean. Try a paint color like Catalina. This calming, harmonizing hue is good for soothing the Piscean soul.

Find more options for horoscopes and zodiac sign colors at our Color Tool. Or learn about our residential painting service. Whether you need your whole house painted or just want to freshen up the living room with this year’s PPG paint color of the year, Paintzen interior house painting services are equipped for all of your painting needs.

The post Choose Your Horoscope Power Colors for an Off-the-Charts Vibe appeared first on Paintzen.

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When you hear the word “accent wall,” you probably think of a single wall painted a different color from the rest as a focal point. But accent wall ideas don’t have to stop there. For example, did you know that you can use accent walls to create space and intrigue? Read on for more focal point painting tips.

Offset Accent Wall

While this is a traditional color block accent wall, what makes it interesting is its juxtaposition to the neutral wall behind. You’re not just painting a colorful wall in a square room here – you’re creating a sophisticated visual effect by layering colors. Like a garden path, this creates a feeling of mystery, pulling your eye (and your curiosity) into the back part of the room.

Framed Nook

Got a neutral room that needs some punch? Don’t paint the room — paint the hallway. Then, add to the visual interest by using an open doorway to frame an interesting table or mirror.

Coordinating Colors

Don’t stop at one color when thinking of accent walls. Instead, think of sightlines — what you see at various points in the room. When you’re standing at one end of this room, for example, you’ll see the neutral walls highlighted by the mint green focal wall. But from another spot, the neutral, green and gold will all come into play. The graduated colors lead people through the room, as the eye naturally follows the changing hues.

Eye-Catching Shelving

Use an architectural feature like a built-in bar as a focal point by painting it a different color from the rest of the room. In this large, white space, it can be hard to know where to look. But the gray cabinets give the eye a starting point and gracefully lead it through the room.

Retro Angles

Create a vintage look by painting coordinating colors in large triangles. This is a great design tip for a small space where you want visual appeal but don’t have room for a lot of art. The shapes come alive when paired with a harmonizing pillow.

Pretty Wallpaper

Don’t stop at paint when considering an accent wall. Wallpaper is a natural for this kind of project because it gives you a range of colors and patterns to choose from. As with paint, you don’t have to do a whole wall. Just do a portion – use some behind the bed as a headboard, highlight a couch or dining table, or try an off-center installation like this one to layer in color.

Bright Niche

Like the built-in bar above, this room has a cool architectural feature in the form of the long, horizontal shelf. Create a focal point by painting it a bright hue. You’ll love the pep it brings your whole room.

For more great ideas for accent walls, contact our color consultants. We’d love to help you pick the right colors for your home and we’ll start by sending free 8” by 8” paint samples. (Psst! Did you know we also install and remove wallpaper?)

The post Accent Walls That Are So Fresh You Have To Look appeared first on Paintzen.

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Before the process of painting your home begins, you need to choose a color that works well with the space. This can actually be surprisingly tricky, as factors such as how light affects it, how it matches the woodwork, and whether it makes the room feel more open or more claustrophobic, all come into play. Read on for a handful of foolproof color selection tips for your room painting project!

Are you in Northern Colorado and want to make sure your residential or commercial painting project goes off without a hitch? Horner Painting provides professional painting services throughout the region with reliably high-quality results and hands-on customer support. We find that putting people first produces the best painting experience. Contact us today to speak with a Fort Collins painting contractor about your upcoming project today!

Where Should You Start?

When choosing what color to paint your room, a good place to start is to consider the amount and direction of natural light in the room. Contextualizing the light along with the existing colors and shapes in the room (such as rugs and furniture) can help you quickly narrow down your options. Bright, clean natural light will brighten up the paint so that the true color shows well, while a southern facing room may be warmed up by the warmer natural lighting it will get.

Feeling of Spaciousness

When you want to make your room feel more spacious and open, brighter colors are often a better choice, as they will reflect more natural light. However, if the concept for the room is less “openness” than “coziness,” a deeper, moodier color may be superior for achieving that affect.

Cohesiveness

When getting multiple rooms painted in your house at the same time, there should be some consideration regarding how to make the colors feel coordinated and flow seamlessly from one room to the next. An easy way to do this is to choose different shades within the same color family. For example, having one room with a medium blue, and the next one a few shades lighter. Complimentary colors also help build a sense of cohesion — for example, you have that medium blue in one room and then go for a medium-hued gray hue in the next.

How to Use White

White is actually one of the hardest colors to get right. The subtle undertones and considerations of warmth and balancing it with the other colors in the room can be difficult. Generally, eggshell white is best for finishing walls, as it gives a soft sheen, while semi-gloss looks great for trim and matches eggshell white walls well.

Get More on Choosing Interior Wall Colors

Want more professional advice as to what color to paint your interior walls? Whether you are a homeowner or are getting your business’s walls repainted, Horner Painting is here to help. We pay very close attention to all the details, and provide excellent customer service at every step of the interior painting process. If you are in Northern Colorado, contact Horner Painting today to get help bringing your interior painting vision to life!

(303) 415-2508

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We’re taking a break from our traditional paint-themed articles to bring you a few tips to get your lawn in top shape as the grass starts turning its greenest here in Northern Colorado. As we begin to turn on our sprinklers and our mowers for the first time, now is the perfect time to set up your lawn for a successful summer. And if you’re like most folks, you may have a few brown patches, a few dozen weeds, and a bit of thatch built up from winter. So, we’ve cataloged a few tips you can try out to make your lawn the talk of the town. Take a look!

Aerate

Plenty of homeowners neglect to aerate their lawn, but it’s a good habit to get into. It’s recommended that folks aerate twice per year to improve the soil of the lawn, preferably in the spring and fall. Aerating helps to soften dirt, bringing a bit of air to grass roots, while also mixing up much needed nutrients. Plus, water will more easily penetrate your soil after aerating. So, your grass will have more nutrients, more water, and more air. Don’t have an aerator? You can rent a machine aerator from your local hardware store for a few hours, or invest in a step-on aerator that you can use with your feet.

Fertilize

Fertilizing replenishes your lawn’s soil with all the nutrients it needs to support healthy grass. It’s best to fertilize your lawn once per year, and now is the perfect time to do it! Pick up a bag of fertilizer and use a fertilizer spreader to give your lawn a thin coating. Be sure to follow the instructions of the fertilizer you purchase. Most fertilizers recommend giving your lawn a good soak beforehand, to help the nutrients to penetrate the soil. Don’t forget to keep your pets and kiddoes off the lawn for a day or two, since some fertilizers can be harmful.

Watering

If you’re turning your sprinklers on for the first time this season, be sure to check all of your sprinkler heads. Sprinkler heads often break or become misaligned over winter, so you may have to do a bit of maintenance to ensure you have even coverage over your whole lawn. It’s best to set your system timer to go off at night, just before sunrise, to ensure that the water doesn’t evaporate right away. Adjust the amount of time that you water for the heat, or if there is rain in the forecast, so you don’t end up overwatering your lawn. Give your lawn about 20 minutes of water every other day in the spring, and possibly every day in the height of the summer to ensure your grass gets about an inch of water per week.

Here for Spring Painting

As the green season is in full form, and it’s the perfect time for house painting. As the temperatures rise, we’re scheduling exterior home painting projects for folks throughout Northern Colorado. We hope you’ve enjoyed our lawncare tips, and as always, you can count on us for all your painting needs. Horner Painting provides home painting services for folks throughout Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Windsor, Johnstown, Wellington, Severance, and Timnath — simply reach out to us to get started!

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