About interior painting
The paint itself is the least interesting part of an interior job. What separates a wall that still looks sharp in five years from one that looks patchy in one is almost entirely what happened before the first coat.
Preparation is most of the work
Filling nail holes and dents, caulking the gaps where trim meets wall, sanding old drips smooth, and priming any stain that would otherwise ghost through — that is where the hours go. Painting over an unprepared wall covers the colour and none of the flaws, and every one of them is still visible afterwards, just in a different shade.
Sheen matters more than people expect
Flat and matte hide imperfections well and suit ceilings and low-traffic rooms, but they mark when cleaned. Eggshell and satin take wiping, which is what you want in a hallway, a kitchen or anywhere with children. Semi-gloss is standard on trim and doors because it is the most scrubbable and it visually separates the woodwork from the wall. Choosing the wrong sheen for the room is a common and expensive-to-undo mistake.
Colour changes are not all equal
Going lighter over a dark wall, or covering a strong red or deep blue, may need a tinted primer and extra coats to stop the old colour showing through. A similar shade over a similar shade is a much shorter job. It is worth saying what is currently on the wall when asking for a price, because it changes the answer.
What moves the price
- Room count and size, and ceiling height
- Walls only, or ceilings, trim and doors as well
- Condition — patching, water stains and old wallpaper all add time
- How big a colour change it is
- How much furniture has to be moved and protected
This is why a photo prices most jobs without a visit.