Painting & Decorating

The time required depends on the size of the property, the condition of the surfaces and the amount of preparation needed. We will provide an estimated timeframe once we have assessed the work.

New plaster is very porous. A first coat of thinned emulsion soaks in and seals it, giving the finish coats something to bond to; without it, paint can peel or flake. The plaster must be fully dry first — it turns an even, pale colour with no dark patches.

They describe how much of each room is decorated. The first covers walls and ceilings; the second adds all the woodwork — skirting, architraves, doors, frames and banisters; the third covers specialist finishes and wallpaper. We agree the specification for each room at the survey.

No. It helps if you clear small items, pictures and anything fragile. Larger furniture is moved to the centre of the room and covered, and the floors are sheeted before any work starts.

Yes. Decorating is usually the last trade before handover, once plastering and making good are finished and dry. In Potters Bar, the walls were painted as part of a kitchen job that also took in a new ceiling, floor and plastering — 12 days in all.