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House and home

Painting preparation

(9 Posts)
watermeadow Sat 21-Dec-19 19:23:03

In the New Year my whole house is being painted inside. Has anyone here had this done?
Can I move from room to room ahead of the painter, packing all books, pictures, ornaments into boxes one room at a time? I have to live here, with cat and dog, for the fortnight it will take so I can’t do it all at once.
My old wooden sash windows have swollen in the relentless rain and won’t open so I don’t know how he will paint them.

tanith Sat 21-Dec-19 19:35:13

I think you need a discussion with your decorator. It will be problematic for both of you if you can only clear one room at a time. My GS is a decorator and I know he prefers an empty house or at least able to do upstairs or downstairs in one go. It won’t be a good job if they are trying to paint round things and you of course. It will take an almighty effort from you to do as you suggest. What about carpets that will need to be folded back from skirtings.
Sorry I don’t mean to put a dampener on things but I think you’ve underestimated the upheaval of having your whole house decorated in one go. Could you not delay until the nicer weather?

MerylStreep Sat 21-Dec-19 20:23:58

Watermeadow
Yes it can be done, I did it and all the paint work was burnt off ( but not in 2weeks)
Has this person been recommended to you? The reason I ask concerns the sash windows. He can't possible do a good job in this weather.
Will you have someone there to help move the furniture? Otherwise he/they will do it and is this included in the price?
Tanith mentioned the carpets. Will they be doing those, and tacking them back.

wildswan16 Sat 21-Dec-19 21:29:07

To be honest, I think you should have a re-think. It may mean a longer period of upheaval, but you would find it much easier to clear one or two rooms at a time and get those completed before moving on to the next.

Your decorator will advise which rooms should be done together, and whether he will need any carpets rolled back (it isn't always necessary).

M0nica Sat 21-Dec-19 21:40:25

I would always do it one or two rooms at a time, and allow yourself a month at least between rooms being done.

jura2 Sat 21-Dec-19 21:45:24

not a criticism, but I can never understand why people paint inside their house, or have painted- in winter rather than when weather is warmer and windows can be opened.

M0nica Sun 22-Dec-19 15:28:45

Decorators would have a hard time of it if they were only enployed between Easter and the end of October.

When we have a decorator to do interior decorating, which is not often, we usually DIO it, we always get them in when they cannot do outdoor work to limit the wait.

Chewbacca Sun 22-Dec-19 16:16:05

I can never understand why people paint inside their house, or have painted- in winter.

Painters and decorators are usually booked up in the warmer drier weather and tend to undertake interior decorating when the weather tends to be colder and wetter . Hth

jusnoneed Sun 22-Dec-19 16:59:56

A friend had three rooms upstairs and one small area downstairs done a couple weeks ago. Her decorator went from room to room each day, doing all rubbing down and prep work over a couple days and then went round doing ceilings another day and so on. It would be difficult for him to do one room completely and then starting all over again with next room.