Before you call a painter

Prep is the price

Two painters can quote the same rooms a thousand dollars apart because one is washing, sanding, filling and priming and the other is rolling paint over dust. Ask exactly what prep is included and how many coats.

Decide before the walkthrough

Which rooms, whether ceilings and trim are included, whether doors and closets are, and roughly what colors. Changing your mind after the estimate is a change order.

Exterior

Ask about scraping and priming bare wood, caulking, rot repair pricing, and whether they spray and back-roll. Weather matters; a good painter will not paint a wall in direct sun on a hot day or with rain coming.

Homes built before 1978

The painter must be EPA lead-safe certified to disturb old paint. Ask to see the certificate.

Products

The estimate should name the brand and line, and the sheen for each surface. Leftover paint, labeled by room, is worth asking for.

Cabinets

Refinishing sound cabinets with a sprayed enamel is a fraction of the cost of replacement. It is a multi-day process of cleaning, sanding, priming and spraying, ideally with doors taken off site.