Painter Molkwerum, between paths and water

Molkwerum, called Molkwar in Frisian, lies between Stavoren and Hindeloopen behind the IJsselmeer dyke. The old village didn't start out on a drawing board. The houses stand every which way between narrow little paths and stretches of water, and often you can only reach them properly on foot.

It is lovely to live in, but it takes preparation for a painter. How does the scaffolding reach the facade, where does the material go and where does the van park? We answer those questions at the site visit, not on the first working day.

We work with our own scaffolding. That is handy here, because we can adapt the set-up to the spot and don't depend on a rental company. You pay a fixed price for putting it up and taking it down, so no daily rate that climbs when things go against us.

If we need to pass the neighbours or cross their path, we discuss that with you before we begin. You can read more about working in awkward places under painting at height.

We also look at the water side. If a facade stands directly on a ditch or canal, scaffolding can't always be placed there. Then we look for another way to work safely, for example with a cherry picker from the opposite bank, if one can stand anywhere.

The dyke holds back the water, but not the wind. South-westerlies come straight across the IJsselmeer here, and with water between the houses, wood dries out more slowly. You see that in thresholds, the bottoms of doors and frame corners facing the wind.

We use a screwdriver to find soft wood. Whatever is affected we remove back to sound wood, and we do the repair with Repair Care. The page about a home by the water explains why paint tires sooner here.

In the old village there are many smaller, older homes, often altered and extended. That means few square metres but plenty of edges: narrow frames, small panes, old doors and extensions from different periods. On work like that, the time goes into masking and preparation.

On old layers we also watch for lead, and then we don't sand dry. If your house is on a monument list, have a look at painting a monument as well.

On small facades, watch the junctions too. Where an extension meets the old house, a seam often forms that water gets into. We deal with those spots separately, with sealant and filler where possible and with new wood where necessary.

As well as the facades, take a photo of the way to them: the path, a little bridge, a gate or a narrow passage. That tells us more than you think. Add what you want done, roughly when the house was built and when it was last painted.

During the site visit we look at the surface and the colours together. We also agree then where materials may be stored.

In an awkward spot, setting up takes more time, and small details take more handwork. Hiring scaffolding or a lift elsewhere costs from €50 per day nationally, which is why our own scaffolding at a fixed price makes a difference. As a market indication, exterior painting is from €35 per m2 and an exterior frame from €50 each.

Those are national figures, not MJA prices. After the site visit you get a fixed price from us. If you want to compare quotes, read how to compare quotes from painters.

MJA Allround Bouw is based in Mirns, and Koudum and Stavoren are close by. Molkwerum is no long drive. Customers rate us 4.8 on Google from 25 reviews and often mention the neat masking and the clear agreements.

Call or message Mohamed on 06 3006 0558, or send your photos via the quote request. Then we come to see how things stand at your place. At handover we walk through the work together, and that agreement applies to the smallest house in the village too.