Bright BrushKnowing when to repaint is not always obvious. A house can look tired without being urgent, and it can look "pretty good from the street" while water is already getting behind the film.
Chalking is the early one. Rub a wall with a dry hand. If you come away with a pale powder, the binder is breaking down. That is still a maintenance coat if you catch it now.
Peeling at edges is next — window sills, bottom boards, barge boards, and anywhere timber moves. Once an edge has lifted, water sits in the gap.
Hairline cracks at joints and around windows are easy to ignore. They are also where water gets in. Failed sealant and open mitres belong in the same bucket.
Mould that comes back after a wash is not just a cleaning problem on a south wall. It often means the film is staying damp.
Bare timber, greyed edges, or boards that go dark after rain then stay dark are past cosmetic. The paint is no longer shedding water. Rust stains from nails or flashings mean metal is involved too — painting over rust without treating it is a short job.
Catching it at chalking is a wash, a sand, and a proper coat. Catching it at bare timber is a bigger prep job, and sometimes board repairs. If you are unsure, photos of the worst wall and a close-up of a window edge are enough for Daniel to tell you which side of that line you are on.