How to Hire a Painter to Do Your Interiors
Here’s what to know about hiring a painting contractor and what to expect during the job
Julie Sheer
December 10, 2015
Houzz Contributor; journalist with more than two decades of experience as a graphics editor and writer at the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune; outdoor guidebook author; lover of all things outdoors, nature and wildlife. Follow me at https://westcentric.wordpress.com/
Houzz Contributor; journalist with more than two decades of experience as a graphics... More
Remember the last time you tackled a paint job inside your house? Maybe you still have nightmares about the endless taping and other prep work, the inevitable drips and slightly crooked edges. Even the most avid do-it-yourselfers have to admit that hiring a professional painter is usually worth the extra expense. But even with a painting contractor, there are things to know to make the job go more smoothly.
Project: Working with a professional painter to get your home’s interior walls painted.
Why use a pro? Professional painters can usually guarantee a quicker, higher-quality and more accurate paint job than you could do yourself. Licensed pros know the best and fastest ways to prepare walls before painting — removing wallpaper, refinishing plaster, sanding, spackling, priming — for a better result, according to Kevin Nolan of Nolan Painting in Havertown, Pennsylvania. And the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA) says painting pros have more education and knowledge than homeowners about how various paints work and how durable they are.
Why use a pro? Professional painters can usually guarantee a quicker, higher-quality and more accurate paint job than you could do yourself. Licensed pros know the best and fastest ways to prepare walls before painting — removing wallpaper, refinishing plaster, sanding, spackling, priming — for a better result, according to Kevin Nolan of Nolan Painting in Havertown, Pennsylvania. And the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA) says painting pros have more education and knowledge than homeowners about how various paints work and how durable they are.
Whom to hire: You should work with a professional painting contractor who is licensed and insured. Ask about insurance and bonding to be sure that all workers are covered for any injuries. Find out if the company provides a warranty on its work and for how long. You may want to ask how long the company has been in business and if its painters are employees or subcontractors. Benjamin Moore recommends getting at least three references from past customers. You can also check Houzz pro pages for customer reviews of the company.
Find painting professionals near you
Find painting professionals near you
Cost: A cost estimate, or quote, should include all labor and materials, including the type of paint that will be used. Additional detail work, such as intricate molding or drywall repair prep, usually will increase the cost due to the extra time required. Costs vary by region, the size of the project, and the amount of detail and fine-finish work to be done. Travel time to the job can be a factor too.
Darrell Hale, co-owner of Fresh Coat in Allen, Texas, says his firm measures each room with a laser measure and charges by wall square footage. “We use PDCA rates for the ‘average’ painter to determine hours of work and spread rates of paint to determine the paint quantities.” Using these numbers, they calculate the time needed, plus paint cost, plus markup on a per-item basis — factoring in such things as windows, moldings, cabinetry and ceiling type — to arrive at a quote. One of the family firm’s recent interior jobs, a three-bedroom, two-bath house with an office and 9-foot ceilings, was priced at about $3,400.
Jeff DuPont, of Sound Painting Solutions in Seattle, says his medium-to-large interior painting projects typically run about $6,000 to $8,000. He defines medium size as a 1,200-to- 1,700-square-foot three-bedroom home.
Darrell Hale, co-owner of Fresh Coat in Allen, Texas, says his firm measures each room with a laser measure and charges by wall square footage. “We use PDCA rates for the ‘average’ painter to determine hours of work and spread rates of paint to determine the paint quantities.” Using these numbers, they calculate the time needed, plus paint cost, plus markup on a per-item basis — factoring in such things as windows, moldings, cabinetry and ceiling type — to arrive at a quote. One of the family firm’s recent interior jobs, a three-bedroom, two-bath house with an office and 9-foot ceilings, was priced at about $3,400.
Jeff DuPont, of Sound Painting Solutions in Seattle, says his medium-to-large interior painting projects typically run about $6,000 to $8,000. He defines medium size as a 1,200-to- 1,700-square-foot three-bedroom home.
Mari Hensley, with Kennedy Painting in St. Louis, says extreme ceiling and wall heights and a need for special equipment are among the factors that go into pricing a painting project.
Grace Ragsdale says her family’s Lake Bluff, Illinois, company, Ragsdale Inc., does primarily restorative painting, which makes estimating more challenging. “A lot of work we will only take on a time-and-material basis, such as stripping paint and removing wallpaper, as there are so many variables involved, and there’s no way of knowing what you’re getting into until you start. Whenever we bid on a time-and-material basis, we lay out our labor and material rates, and provide the client with an estimated budget range and/or a not-to-exceed figure. This provides the client with an expectation on price, but allows us the ability to do the job right.”
Grace Ragsdale says her family’s Lake Bluff, Illinois, company, Ragsdale Inc., does primarily restorative painting, which makes estimating more challenging. “A lot of work we will only take on a time-and-material basis, such as stripping paint and removing wallpaper, as there are so many variables involved, and there’s no way of knowing what you’re getting into until you start. Whenever we bid on a time-and-material basis, we lay out our labor and material rates, and provide the client with an estimated budget range and/or a not-to-exceed figure. This provides the client with an expectation on price, but allows us the ability to do the job right.”
How long will the job take? Depending on the size of the house, count on the work taking several days. A three-bedroom interior could take three to five days, depending on the scope of the work, DuPont says. And consider that each surface will take time. “For example, a client may only wish to have their walls painted, or they might want walls, ceilings and trim work painted,” he says.
Hensley points out another factor that will add time: dealing with any remediation for lead paint in structures built before 1978. If lead paint is detected on a surface that’s going to be sanded or scraped, the Environmental Protection Agency has a set of procedures for painting contractors dealing with lead dust. For older homes where lead is suspected, the EPA recommends working with a lead-safe contractor.
Hensley points out another factor that will add time: dealing with any remediation for lead paint in structures built before 1978. If lead paint is detected on a surface that’s going to be sanded or scraped, the Environmental Protection Agency has a set of procedures for painting contractors dealing with lead dust. For older homes where lead is suspected, the EPA recommends working with a lead-safe contractor.
First steps: Many painters visit the site for a free initial consultation to talk about the scope of the project, and estimate the cost and amount of time it will take. Benjamin Moore recommends walking each potential contractor around the house, specifying which surfaces you want painted, such as walls, trims, moldings and ceilings.
Before work begins, you should obtain a written contract detailing the work to be done. Read it over carefully to make sure it’s clear what surfaces are to be painted, how long the project will take and how the contractor will be paid.
Before work begins, you should obtain a written contract detailing the work to be done. Read it over carefully to make sure it’s clear what surfaces are to be painted, how long the project will take and how the contractor will be paid.
Color considerations: When it comes to choosing colors, some painters provide a fan deck of swatches or refer customers to local paint stores to research colors. DuPont says he also refers clients to Seattle-area designers he works with for color consultation. Fresh Coat’s Hale says his company frequently uses Houzz to “get people going in the right direction on colors.” When deciding on a palette, keep in mind the flow of color from room to room.
Find guides to every color group in the Houzz Color section
Find guides to every color group in the Houzz Color section
Before work begins, most homeowners are expected to remove wall hangings and accessories from the work area, and most painters will help move larger items. Painters take care of covering furnishings and masking areas with tape as part of their prep work before painting begins. Homeowners aren’t expected to provide anything — a reputable pro should be well-equipped with all the necessary supplies.
During the project: In addition to the painters, you should expect a crew leader to be on site during the project. At Sound Painting Solutions, DuPont says a crew leader is in constant contact with an operations manager, who stops by job sites periodically. Hensley says homeowners can expect the contractor-project manager to be on site at the start and finish of the project. In general, project managers should be available to communicate with homeowners during the project — either in person, by phone or via email.
After covering furnishings and floors to protect them, and using tape to mask off areas that won’t be painted, the painters repair surface imperfections — caulking holes and cracks and spackling any dents in the drywall. Then they usually apply a primer, which provides a smooth surface for the topcoat of paint. Generally, the standard is two coats of paint for most interior projects. Standard latex paint dries in three to six hours, and millwork (wood trim around doors and windows, baseboards, chair rails) dries in about 24 hours. When the painting is done, the crew should clean rooms of debris and dust, and move furniture back into place.
Remember that unusual surfaces may call for special procedures. For example, Scott Keating, of DiPasquale Painting outside St. Louis, says brick walls require a masonry primer, such as Loxon by Sherwin-Williams.
What you need to know before painting brick
What you need to know before painting brick
Best time for this project:
There’s no best time of year for painting interiors, but keep in mind that painters throughout the U.S. are more likely to be busy painting exteriors during the summer. Sound Painting Solutions’ DuPont says his Seattle company does most of its interior work from October to May.
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There’s no best time of year for painting interiors, but keep in mind that painters throughout the U.S. are more likely to be busy painting exteriors during the summer. Sound Painting Solutions’ DuPont says his Seattle company does most of its interior work from October to May.
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How to Work With a Color Consultant
Pick-a-Paint Help: How to Create a Whole-House Color Palette
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Very useful article, thank you
Great article. We provide the amount of detail that the article suggests and we follow the procedures recommended!
Re Prep prior to painting. When I rag rolled (oil based paints and 3 colors of BM tone on tone) a Living / Dining L with 6 walls, with stairs up and down, it took me 3 months working evenings and weekends and probably 80% of the time was prep. (I never did finish the stair walls; had them painted 18 years later when I sold the house.) Sent out the drapes for cleaning and storage while I did the project. (The dry cleaner lost one pair - another problem all together.) Washed the walls by hand with rags using a special wall wash product (forget brand), spackled and sanded hundreds of imperfections. Used many rolls of blue tape. Thousands of hops off and onto a low parson's table I used to reach the upper parts of the walls; moved lamps around so I could see at night. Stored brushes, rags, pans, and rollers in the freezer, to avoid nightly oil based paint clean up. Happy to trash it all when finished.
I had general contractors who did home renovations later assure me that my finished walls were high end wallpaper!
I told everyone I would not do that job again unless I would be paid a minimum of $10,000 - and that was one room in 1986.
I have never painted another lick since that job. I truly learned appreciation for the time and effort required for a professionally prepared wall.
That gorgeous room did help me obtain 9 escalating contract offers when I sold the house. So fine prep and paint jobs are truly worth the time and money expended - because they hold up in the end.