Nichols Painting & Renovations

11/06/2026

Office Day.

08/06/2026

🎨 TIP OF THE WEEK – HOW MUCH EXTERIOR PAINT DO I NEED?

Thinking of painting your home’s exterior this summer?

One of the most common questions we get is:

“How much paint do I need?”

Here’s a simple guide to help you calculate it correctly.

⸻

STEP 1 – MEASURE THE WALLS

Measure the length and height of each wall.

Example:

* Front wall: 10m × 3m = 30m²
* Rear wall: 10m × 3m = 30m²
* Side wall: 8m × 3m = 24m²
* Side wall: 8m × 3m = 24m²

Total wall area = 108m²

⸻

STEP 2 – SUBTRACT DOORS & WINDOWS

You don’t need to paint glass!

As a rough guide:

* Standard window = approximately 1.5–2m²
* Standard door = approximately 2m²

Example:

* 6 windows = 12m²
* 2 doors = 4m²

108m² - 16m² = 92m² to paint

⸻

STEP 3 – CHECK PAINT COVERAGE

Most quality exterior masonry paints cover approximately:

✔ 8–10m² per litre per coat

Always check the manufacturer’s data sheet as coverage varies between products.

⸻

STEP 4 – ALLOW FOR MULTIPLE COATS

In the Algarve, a proper exterior painting system is rarely just one coat.

A typical system may include:

✔ Cleaning and preparation

✔ Primer/sealer coat

✔ First full coat of masonry paint

✔ Second full coat of masonry paint

For 92m²:

92m² ÷ 8m² = approximately 12 litres per coat

For a primer and two finish coats:

12 litres × 3 coats = approximately 36 litres

⸻

STEP 5 – INSPECT THE WALLS FIRST

Before buying paint, check for:

✔ Cracks in render

✔ Hollow or loose areas

✔ Damp patches

✔ Flaking paint

✔ Salt deposits (efflorescence)

Painting over these issues won’t fix them and may lead to premature paint failure.

⸻

THE PROFESSIONAL PROCESS WE RECOMMEND IN THE ALGARVE

The Algarve climate is beautiful, but the combination of strong UV, winter rain, and coastal moisture can be tough on exterior paintwork.

For best results:

1️⃣ Wash and clean all surfaces

2️⃣ Repair cracks and damaged render

3️⃣ Treat any mould or algae

4️⃣ Apply a suitable exterior primer/sealer

5️⃣ Apply two quality exterior masonry paint coats

6️⃣ Allow correct drying times between coats

⸻

PROFESSIONAL TIP

The cheapest paint is often the most expensive.

Higher-quality exterior paints usually provide better coverage, better colour retention, and significantly longer life in the Algarve sun—meaning fewer repaints and lower maintenance costs over time.

⸻

Nichols Painting & Renovations

Helping Algarve homeowners protect and improve their properties with quality workmanship and honest advice.

04/06/2026

🚨 WE ARE RECRUITING 🚨

Nichols Painting & Renovations is looking for an experienced all-round tradesperson to join our team as a self-employed subcontractor.

Requirements:

✔ Experience in building, maintenance and renovation work
✔ Legally entitled to work in Portugal
✔ Registered as self-employed and able to issue Recibos Verdes (green receipts)
✔ All required registrations and insurance in place to legally undertake subcontract work in Portugal
✔ Own transport and ability to travel independently to sites, mainly the central Algarve
✔ Own basic hand tools
✔ English and/or Portuguese speaking
✔ Reliable, professional, hardworking and committed to high-quality workmanship

We supply larger tools, power tools and specialist equipment.

Experience in painting, plastering, tiling, roofing repairs, rendering, general building maintenance and renovations would be an advantage.

We have ongoing work available for the right person.

Proof of registration and insurance will be required before any work commences.

Please PM us with your details

We are looking for professional, reliable individuals who are properly registered and insured to work in Portugal.

We look forward to hearing from you.

01/06/2026

TIP OF THE WEEK – PLANNING A NEW PATIO THIS SUMMER

With summer here, many homeowners are thinking about transforming part of their garden into a patio for relaxing, entertaining, and family BBQs.

Before buying materials, here's a simple guide to help you calculate what you'll need.

STEP 1 – MEASURE THE AREA

Measure the length and width of the space.

Example:

5m × 4m = 20m² patio

For irregular shapes, divide the area into smaller sections and add them together.

STEP 2 – CALCULATE PAVING SLABS OR TILES

Paving is usually sold by square metre.

For a 20m² patio:

✔ Order 20m² of paving
✔ Add 10% extra for cuts, breakages, and future repairs

Total to buy = 22m²

STEP 3 – DON'T FORGET THE BASE

A patio is only as good as its foundation.

A typical build-up includes:

✔ Compacted hardcore/sub-base
✔ Bedding layer
✔ Paving slabs or exterior tiles

As a guide, a 20 m² patio with a 100mm hardcore base will require approximately 2 m³ of hardcore.

STEP 4 – MEASURE THE EDGING

Add up the patio's perimeter to calculate how many edging stones you'll need.

STEP 5 – ALLOW FOR DRAINAGE

Patios should always have a slight fall away from the house so rainwater can drain properly.

PROFESSIONAL TIP

Mark out your patio with string or spray paint before ordering materials. Once you place furniture, BBQs, and planters, many people realise they need a little more space than they first thought!

22/05/2026

What a transformation 🙌

This was a full internal repair and redecoration project after this beautiful home was devastated by the severe storms Portugal experienced at the beginning of the year. From top to bottom, the property suffered major water damage to walls, ceilings and contents throughout the house.

After working closely on behalf of our clients with the insurance company and loss adjuster, our team stepped in to manage the entire project from start to finish while the homeowners were away.

The works included:
✔ Full deep clean of the property and contents
✔ Repairing damaged walls and ceilings throughout
✔ Two coats of primer applied
✔ Three coats of topcoat with anti-fungal protection added
✔ Cleaning all bedding, linen and household items
✔ Final builders clean to remove dust and any paint splashes before handover

Today we returned for the final clean, ready for Andy and Alison arriving back in Portugal this evening ❤️

After the awful disaster they faced earlier this year, we truly hope they enjoy a well-deserved relaxing weekend in their freshly restored, clean and beautifully redecorated home.

A huge thank you to Andy and Alison for trusting us and the team to manage this project on your behalf while you were away.

Another happy customer and another property brought back to life 💪🏽🏠✨

12/05/2026

Full interior start to finish.

11/05/2026

Another full renovation completed and we couldn’t be happier with the final result 🙌

This project was a complete transformation from start to finish, including:

• New drop ceilings
• Full loft conversion
• Rendered and fully finished walls
• Complete painting throughout
• Roof and terrace repair
• Brand new flooring
• New bathroom supplied and fitted
• Full kitchen installation, Windows & Stair installation completed by a third party

The customer is now only waiting on final electrics and plumbing connections before everything is fully complete.

Projects like this never go completely to plan — there are always unforeseen things that appear along the way which can change timings and decisions. But this is exactly why communication matters. Working closely with the customer throughout made the whole process smooth, positive, and ultimately led to the perfect end result.

A massive thank you to the customer for being fantastic to work with from beginning to end. We really appreciate the trust 🙏

Proud of the team and the transformation on this one. Swipe through to see the before, during, and after photos 🔨🏠✨

11/05/2026

Another full renovation completed and we couldn’t be happier with the final result 🙌

This project was a complete transformation from start to finish, including:

• New drop ceilings
• Full loft conversion
• Rendered and fully finished walls
• Complete painting throughout
• Roof and terrace repair
• Brand new flooring
• New bathroom fitted

• Full kitchen installation, Windows & Stair installation completed by a third party

The customer is now only waiting on final electrics and plumbing connections before everything is fully complete.

Projects like this never go completely to plan — there are always unforeseen things that appear along the way which can change timings and decisions. But this is exactly why communication matters. Working closely with the customer throughout made the whole process smooth, positive, and ultimately led to the perfect end result.

A massive thank you to the customer for being fantastic to work with from beginning to end. We really appreciate the trust 🙏

Proud of the team and the transformation on this one. Swipe through to see the before, during, and after photos 🔨🏠✨

10/05/2026

10/05/2026

Been a very busy couple of weeks for us finishing off some lovely customer jobs 👌

We’ve got the last few bits to wrap up this week and then we’ll finally be posting loads of updated photos of completed projects — some really nice transformations we can’t wait to share!

Also… something a little different coming 👀

With so many people asking questions on jobs and wanting to learn how to do smaller projects themselves, Steve is going to start running hands-on DIY workshops alongside work.

First up will be beginner bricklaying workshops for anyone wanting to learn how to build their own:
🔥 Garden walls
🔥 BBQ areas
🔥 Planters
🔥 Small outdoor projects

We’ll also be looking at future workshops on:
✔ Patios
✔ Rendering
✔ Tiling
✔ Plastering
✔ Pergolas

These aren’t classroom courses or anything formal — just proper practical learning from someone who does this every single day.

The idea is simple — helping people gain confidence, learn real skills and save themselves huge labour costs on smaller home projects 💪

Workshops will include:
✔ All tools & materials
✔ Lunch & drinks
✔ Hands-on practical learning
✔ Beginner guides & cheat sheets to take home
✔ Starter tool kits available
✔ Small group learning
✔ Ongoing support group hosted by Steve for questions and advice after the workshop

Perfect for homeowners, renovators, DIYers or anyone who’s always wanted to learn but never known where to start.

More details coming very soon 👀