A professional painting crew does the heavy preparation itself: moving and covering furniture, protecting floors, filling holes, sanding and priming. Still, a few things are best handled by the homeowner, and they make a real difference to how smoothly the job goes. A little planning means the crew can start painting sooner, and you are not hunting for the cat or a passport on the first morning.
This checklist is organized by timing, from the weeks before the job to the morning the painters arrive. It covers interior and exterior work.
A few weeks before
Settle your colours and sheens
Changing your mind about a colour after work has started can slow everything down. Decide on colours, and on the sheen for walls, ceilings and trim, before the start date. Look at large samples on your own walls, in daylight and at night. Ask about our free colour consultation, which comes with sample pots, and our online colour visualizer lets you try shades on a sample room before you buy anything.
Confirm the scope in writing
Make sure your quote lists every room and surface you expect to be painted: walls, ceilings, trim, doors, closets, and any repairs. If something is not on the quote, raise it now rather than on the day. An itemized written quote makes this easy to check.
Plan around your household
Think about who will be home. Painting is easier with fewer people moving around the work area. If you work from home, have young children or someone sensitive to smells, plan where they will spend the day. Ask about Zero‑VOC or low-odour paints if odour is a concern.
Book anything your building needs
If you live in a condo, check the building’s rules on elevator bookings, work hours, contractor check-in and insurance documents, and book the service elevator early. Our guide to painting a Toronto condo goes through these in detail.
The week before
Clear small items
Take everything off the walls: pictures, mirrors, shelves you want kept, clocks and wall-mounted decorations. Clear the tops of dressers, bookshelves and side tables. Pack away small breakables and anything valuable or sentimental. A crew will move furniture, but it is quicker and safer if the small items are already out of the way.
Empty what needs emptying
If closets are being painted, empty them, including the floor. If kitchen or bathroom cabinets are being painted, clear them out. Leave a path to each room being painted.
Take care of electronics
Unplug and move computers, televisions and sound systems if you can, or at least gather the cables so the equipment can be moved and covered. Wall-mounted TVs usually need to come down for the wall behind them to be painted; let your painter know about them in advance.
Point out problem areas
Walk through the rooms and note anything you want looked at: cracks, nail pops, water stains, dents or a sticking door. Mentioning these before the job lets them be patched and primed in the right order. If there is old damage from a leak, make sure the leak itself has been fixed.
Mention anything fragile or unusual
Antique furniture, a piano, delicate light fixtures or a wall with a mural you want protected should all be pointed out. The crew can plan how to move or cover them.
The day before
Make space
Move anything you can easily move yourself away from the walls, towards the centre of the room. Large furniture can stay for the crew to move and cover, but clearing chairs, lamps, plants and rugs saves time.
Plan for pets
Pets and wet paint do not mix, and doors will be open while equipment comes in. Arrange a room the crew will not need, a crate, or a day with a friend or a pet sitter.
Sort out parking and access
Let the crew know where they can park, and make sure the driveway or parking spot is free. If the job includes rooms you keep locked, or a basement with a separate entrance, sort out access in advance.
Agree on a washroom and water
Painters need access to water for clean-up. Let them know which sink they can use. Many homeowners also offer a washroom; if you would rather they use a specific one, just say so.
On the morning
- Be available at the start to walk through the scope, confirm colours and answer questions.
- Keep the thermostat steady. Paint dries best in a normal room temperature with some airflow.
- Keep windows workable so rooms can be ventilated.
- Share the best way to reach you during the day if you will be out.
For exterior painting
Exterior work has its own list:
- Move patio furniture, barbecues, planters and decorations away from the walls.
- Trim shrubs and branches that touch the house, so the crew can reach the walls.
- Turn off sprinklers for the duration of the job.
- Park cars away from the house to keep them clear of the work area.
- Let neighbours know, especially if you share a narrow side yard or the crew needs to set a ladder near the property line.
- Check that windows and doors close properly, since some may be kept shut while they are painted.
Weather also affects exterior schedules. If rain is forecast or the temperature drops too far, expect the crew to move a day rather than paint in poor conditions.
During and after the job
Expect the crew to keep the work area tidy, with materials gathered up at the end of every day. Before the job is finished, walk through the work with the painter, point out anything you would like touched up, and ask for any leftover paint to be labelled and left for future touch-ups.
Allow freshly painted surfaces some time before hanging pictures or pushing furniture back against the walls. Paint can feel dry well before it is fully hard.
Getting started
Our interior painting page explains what is included in an interior repaint, and the exterior painting page covers siding, trim and doors. If you are planning a whole-home project, see house painting.
Ready when you are
When you are ready for a quote, contact All Painting. Quotes are free and itemized in writing, we apply at least two coats as standard, and we leave the site tidy at the end of every day.
