A little preparation before the painters arrive makes the job faster, cleaner and often cheaper, because the crew spends its time painting, not moving your belongings. Here is a simple checklist for homeowners, plus what a professional painting company should take care of.
One to two weeks before
- Confirm your colours. Test samples on the walls and look at them in daylight and in the evening. See our living room and bedroom colour guides.
- Agree the scope in writing: which rooms, ceilings, doors, cabinets and exterior areas are included. Our guide to reading a painting quotation helps.
- Fix leaks and damp before painting, or the new paint will fail. See damp walls and peeling paint.
- Book other trades first: electricians, plumbers and carpenters should finish before painting starts.
- Tell your caretaker or estate management if workers need gate access or parking.
The day before
- Remove small items: ornaments, photos, books, electronics, plants and anything fragile or valuable.
- Take down curtains, blinds, pictures, mirrors and clocks. Leave the nails or hooks in place if you want them back in the same position.
- Empty wardrobes and cabinets if they are being painted.
- Clear space of about 1 metre around every wall.
- Clear the outside walls of pots, washing lines and parked cars for exterior work.
- Arrange water and power access for the crew.
What the painters should do
A professional painting company should handle all the technical preparation:
- Move heavy furniture to the centre and cover it with polythene sheets.
- Cover floors with drop cloths and mask tiles, sockets, switches and fittings.
- Remove or mask switch plates and door handles.
- Wash walls, scrape loose paint, fill cracks and sand smooth.
- Treat mould and seal new plaster or repairs.
- Clean up at the end of each day and remove all rubbish at the end of the job.
Living at home during painting
- Work room by room. Agree an order so you always have a usable bedroom and kitchen.
- Ventilate by opening windows during and after painting.
- Keep children and pets away from wet paint and ladders.
- Choose low-odour paint for bedrooms you’ll sleep in soon.
- Secure valuables and keep a key area locked if you’re not home.
After painting
- Walk through every room with the supervisor in good daylight and point out any missed spots.
- Wait about 24 hours before pushing furniture against the walls or rehanging pictures.
- Keep leftover paint, labelled with the room and colour code, for touch-ups.
- Clean gently for the first two weeks while the paint fully hardens.
- Pay the balance after touch-ups are complete, as agreed in your quotation.
Preparing for exterior painting
- Trim plants and hedges away from walls.
- Move cars, furniture and potted plants away from the house.
- Tell neighbours if scaffolding will be close to the boundary.
- Schedule work in the dry season where possible.
BrushMasters handles all furniture protection, preparation and daily clean-up as part of every job. See how we work on our interior painting page, read how to hire painters in Nairobi, or book a free site visit.
