You booked the painters — so what do you actually need to do to get ready? Honestly, not a lot. We do the big work: moving heavy furniture, covering your floors and anything we're not painting, and masking off trim and fixtures. But a little prep on your end clears the way, keeps your smaller belongings safe, and helps the crew hit the ground running on day one. Here's a simple checklist.
A day or two before
The most helpful thing you can do is clear the small stuff off your walls and surfaces. A day or two ahead, walk the rooms we're painting and knock out these:
- Take down photos, art and mirrors — or leave them up and just ask us to. Either way is fine; we only want to know before we start.
- Clear knick-knacks off shelves and counters, along with plants and anything on the windowsills.
- Empty the cabinets if we're painting them, so we can pull the doors and hardware and get to work.
- Move small valuables and breakables — jewelry, heirlooms, anything fragile — to a room we're not working in.
Furniture, floors and cars
Leave the big stuff to us. We move and cover heavy furniture, shift it to the center of the room, and drop-cloth the floors before a drop of paint comes out. A couple of things do help, though. If we're painting your garage, pull the cars out and park them clear of the work. And wherever we're headed — inside or out — a clear walking path from the door to the work area keeps everyone safe and moving.
Pets and kids
Fresh paint, open doors and ladders don't mix well with curious pets and little ones. Plan a quiet room away from where we're working, and keep it clear of any doors we'll be going in and out of. If you've got a dog, cat or anything else we should know about, tell us up front — that way nobody gets startled and no door gets left open at the wrong moment.
Access and parking
Our crew rolls up with ladders, tarps and gear, so a little access goes a long way. Leave room in the driveway for our vehicles, and let us know which door to use and any gate or garage codes we'll need. For exterior work, we'll also need to reach an outdoor spigot for water and a couple of outdoor outlets for our equipment — just point us to them when we get there.
Lock in your colors
Try to finalize your colors and sheens before day one. Changing your mind mid-project can mean an extra coat or a short delay, so it's worth settling ahead of time. We're glad to help you choose, and a painted sample board in your actual room and light takes the guesswork out of it. Not sure yet? Our paint brand guide is a good place to start.
The bottom line
That's really all we ask — clear the small stuff, plan for pets and kids, and give us a clean path in. We'll walk through anything specific to your home when we come out for the estimate, so you'll know exactly what to expect before we start. No surprises.