A repaint goes faster, cleaner and cheaper when the property is ready before the crew arrives. Most of this is not your job, but a few things genuinely help, and a few things are worth asking about before day one.
Before the crew arrives
- Take down photos, mirrors, curtains and wall-mounted fittings you care about
- Empty or move display cabinets, sheeting protects from paint, not from knocks
- Clear a path from the door to the work area for equipment
- Put valuables, documents and small electronics somewhere else entirely
- Decide where pets will be during working hours
What the crew should handle
You should not be masking skirting boards or laying dust sheets yourself. A professional crew arrives with its own protection and treats it as part of the job, not an extra.
- Sheeting and taping all furniture that stays in the room
- Covering floors wall to wall, not just the middle
- Masking skirtings, frames, switches and sockets
- Removing and reinstating switch and socket faceplates where needed
- Daily cleanup, you should be able to use the rest of the home each evening
Things worth asking before they start
- How many coats, and is primer included as a separate coat?
- What is the exact product and finish being used in each room?
- How long between coats, and when can furniture go back?
- Who is on site each day, and who do I call if something is wrong?
- What happens if you find damage behind the furniture or under the old paint?
That last one matters more than it sounds. Concealed damage is the most common reason a job changes price midway. Agreeing up front that additional work gets quoted and approved in writing, before anyone does it, avoids the single most common dispute in this trade.
After the work
Walk the site with the crew before they pack up. Look at the surfaces in daylight and at an angle, not straight on, that is how you spot roller marks, thin coverage and missed edges. A good contractor expects this and will touch up on the spot.