Create an ideabook for your next remodeling project!
Browse more than 1,500,000 photos from top designers and save your favorites
How to Work With a House Painter
A professional house painter may be your best friend for refreshing rooms. Here's what you need to know to get the best result
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating media and immediately discovered a new passion. An Atlanta native, I spent several years as an editor for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine before making the leap to national publications and websites such as Houzz, Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Accents. I live in Birmingham, Alabama, with my husband and son, who’ve gotten used to coming home and finding the furniture rearranged. When I'm not dragging case goods across the floor, I enjoy good food and wine, college football, music of all kinds, and traveling.
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating... More »
Although painting is one of the most DIY-friendly jobs, there are times when you'll want or need to hire a pro. Here's how you can ensure a tip-top experience.
What a house painter does: In addition to painting surfaces of all kinds, painters prep those same surfaces (stripping wallpaper, sanding wood etc.), source and purchase materials, provide input about colors and finishes and, in many cases, supervise crews. Some handle specialty finishes such as a Venetian plaster or rag-rolled effect.
When to hire one: Hire a painter for interior and exterior painting jobs you don't want to handle or that are too tricky for an amateur to tackle.
What it will cost: Rather than an hourly fee, most painters charge according to surface area and the level of skill and work involved. Prices vary widely, but in general, labor will cost between $2 and $4 per square foot for a basic paint job. Paint itself costs $15 and up per gallon, depending on the brand and finish, and other supplies such as tape and rollers add to the bottom line too.
Ready to start? Keep the following suggestions in mind.
What a house painter does: In addition to painting surfaces of all kinds, painters prep those same surfaces (stripping wallpaper, sanding wood etc.), source and purchase materials, provide input about colors and finishes and, in many cases, supervise crews. Some handle specialty finishes such as a Venetian plaster or rag-rolled effect.
When to hire one: Hire a painter for interior and exterior painting jobs you don't want to handle or that are too tricky for an amateur to tackle.
What it will cost: Rather than an hourly fee, most painters charge according to surface area and the level of skill and work involved. Prices vary widely, but in general, labor will cost between $2 and $4 per square foot for a basic paint job. Paint itself costs $15 and up per gallon, depending on the brand and finish, and other supplies such as tape and rollers add to the bottom line too.
Ready to start? Keep the following suggestions in mind.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Make preliminary decisions up front. The process will go more smoothly if you go into it with ideas about your preferred colors and finishes and know exactly which surfaces you want painted. Be aware that paint colors almost always look slightly different in print or on a computer screen, so use these only as guides.
Paint chips, while not 100 percent true to life, provide a closer approximation, but the only reliable method of choosing colors is to test them on the walls (more on that in a minute). The painter you eventually hire should be able to offer advice on how lighting and other concerns will affect the hues you're considering.
Take care of necessary repairs. Do you have cracked moldings, dented drywall or other structural dings that need to be fixed? Make plans to repair them before the painter begins work. A flawed surface can ruin even a perfect paint job.
Paint chips, while not 100 percent true to life, provide a closer approximation, but the only reliable method of choosing colors is to test them on the walls (more on that in a minute). The painter you eventually hire should be able to offer advice on how lighting and other concerns will affect the hues you're considering.
Take care of necessary repairs. Do you have cracked moldings, dented drywall or other structural dings that need to be fixed? Make plans to repair them before the painter begins work. A flawed surface can ruin even a perfect paint job.
Gather and contact potential pros. Painters are among the most common professionals that homeowners use, so simply asking friends and neighbors for recommendations should start you off with a good list of names. You can also check with your local homebuilders' association or talk to architects and interior designers to see whom they like to work with.
Generally, a prospective pro will pay a site visit in order to learn more about your needs and work up an estimate. You want to find a painter who falls in step with your budget, suits your style and has experience with the types of surfaces you need painted, especially if you're considering special finishes. Once you've narrowed down your list to a few likely candidates, ask for references and check them.
Generally, a prospective pro will pay a site visit in order to learn more about your needs and work up an estimate. You want to find a painter who falls in step with your budget, suits your style and has experience with the types of surfaces you need painted, especially if you're considering special finishes. Once you've narrowed down your list to a few likely candidates, ask for references and check them.
by LASC Studio
»
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Request samples. Once you've settled on a painter, it's time to pin down the paint. Again, the only way you'll know if you really like a given color is to try it out in your target space. Ask the pro to provide sample boards or small pots of paint that you can dab onto the walls.
Be specific about brands. If you want a certain brand of paint used, be sure the painter is aware (ideally, you'd put it in writing). Otherwise, he or she might take the liberty of choosing a different variety to stay within budget or compensate for your choice's lack of availability.
Be specific about brands. If you want a certain brand of paint used, be sure the painter is aware (ideally, you'd put it in writing). Otherwise, he or she might take the liberty of choosing a different variety to stay within budget or compensate for your choice's lack of availability.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Clear out the room before painting begins. If an item can be moved, move it — this will make the painter's job easier and ensure that paint doesn't get dripped on your prized porcelain lamps. Large or fixed objects, such as chandeliers or sofas, can be covered with drop cloths or plastic sheeting. Don't use bedsheets; paint will soak right through them.
Be sure that the painting crew cleans up thoroughly. At the end of the job, keep an eye out for drips and spills, debris or other things that may need to be remedied.
Agree on follow-up maintenance. Most painters will fix chips, flakes, blisters and other flaws that appear within a specified time period after the painting is done. The paint you choose might come with a warranty as well, but remember that it won't cover the cost of labor.
Preparing for a paint job? Browse Houzz for thousands of colorful rooms to inspire you.
More:
How to Work With a Professional Organizer
How to Work With a Kitchen Designer
How to Work With a Landscape Pro
How to Work With a Color Consultant
Be sure that the painting crew cleans up thoroughly. At the end of the job, keep an eye out for drips and spills, debris or other things that may need to be remedied.
Agree on follow-up maintenance. Most painters will fix chips, flakes, blisters and other flaws that appear within a specified time period after the painting is done. The paint you choose might come with a warranty as well, but remember that it won't cover the cost of labor.
Preparing for a paint job? Browse Houzz for thousands of colorful rooms to inspire you.
More:
How to Work With a Professional Organizer
How to Work With a Kitchen Designer
How to Work With a Landscape Pro
How to Work With a Color Consultant
Ideabook published on July 16, 2012.
What are you working on?
News From Our Partners
Latest Ideabooks
People found the photos in this ideabook after searching for:
View over a million photos:
Very good guidelines BTW.
PS stork lady: We are out there.
paint. Also good painters charge either by the job or $35-40 an hour per man. I don't know
where you live but that is the going cost in the Washington D.C area and I imagine it is about the same or more in the New York area.
I paint everything myself as I am a dedicated DIY'er. I may not be very good, but I am slow :))
As for 'a cook', sorry can't help you out. As for the latter that cut corners; I've been married to the same man for fourty-two years and make everything pretty well from scratch. (Reason why I think he has kept me around....winks.)
Very nice talking to you and have a great day!
Most houses I paint are between run between $20,000 and $50,000 bigger jobs than most diy's want to tackle. But I will also paint someones front door for $135. Every new customer gets a list with name, address, phone and email of my most recent 15 customers, and are encouraged to speak with them. My past customers are usually happy to do it because they remember being in the same spot.
I started my company in March of 1982, we remodel kitchens,baths and paint inside and outside. In that time I have heard thousands of horror stories about project that went haywire, usually the customer thought he was getting a good deal... some people say "He had a license and insurance"... Having a license and insurance should just get a contractor the privilege to speak to a customer. Here in Florida having a license just means you can pass a test... it doesn't mean you have integrity.
http://www.streamlinepaintingdenver.com/exterior-painting-denver.php
Same goes for color selections! Most customers don't even realize that they don't have a clue what they really want! Ask a client what color they want their kitchen and they say something like "I just don't want it too dark". Now... let me think. Should I paint it beige or green??? HELP ME!! So you spend HOURS working through their inner most thoughts in an attempt to bring them to the surface and be able to provide them with the absolute PERFECT outcome... and that's before you ever buy the supplies!
Believe me, folks! If you're ultra pleased with your handiwork you won't ever need to consult a professional, but if you don't know the nuances of color v/s lighting or how one color interacts with another or how sheens work either for or against your efforts or quite what to do with finessing tricky prep and repair work--- YOU NEED A PROFESSIONAL! (If a successful finish is what you strive for.) If a slap of some old paint you revive from the dungeon and apply with a broom suits you, then by all means! Get started. You won't need help from anyone and you'll be saving all that money other people are throwing away on a supreme finished product.
(I love this job!)
1.) make sure the bid spells out exactly what they are proposing. Not just a list of rooms, but what surfaces, and how many coats will be applied
2.) do they warrant their work, and if so, how long have they been in business?
3.) can you talk to a few recent AND past customers? The more you get the better.
4.) what is their warranty?
5.) how long will the project take, and how many guys will be on the project
6.) how will each step be done
The last item should give you a sense of their process, do they have one, or do they wing it each time.