One of the most affordable ways to renovate your home is to paint your interior. You can attack this project yourself or enlist the help of professionals, which is all part of the planning process. You may be able to complete smaller straightforward projects on your own on the weekends, but for larger projects, you may want to bring in the professionals. Take a look at the following considerations.
The Scale of Your Project
Knowing the scale of your project will give you insight into what your options are. If you work full time, will you realistically be able to complete the job, or do you need to hire the professionals? Painting your house involves more than painting the walls; there is prep work, repairs, and multiple coats of paint, including the trim. Your first step is to determine the scale of your project and realistically assess what you have time for.
The Scope of Your Project
The scope of your project tells you how involved it is. If you are repainting walls that are free of imperfections, it may be a simpler job than removing wallpaper and repairing blemishes in the walls before you paint. You should consider how much prep work is required, as well as the condition of the walls. They may need to be sanded and scraped if there is old paint that is peeling.
Where to Put Your Furniture and Decorations
You will need to either move the items out of the room, or you can move them to the center of the room and cover them. Plan how you will store your furniture and other items while the rooms are being painted.
Painting the House Yourself
If you decide to paint the house yourself, you will have some groundwork to do. You need to make some choices, including the following:
- What kind of paint: latex or oil?
- Determine the sheen you will use
- High gloss
- Semi-gloss
- Satin
- Eggshell
- Flat or matte
- Estimate the surface area that you will paint for each room
- Make sure you have drop cloths, painters tape, brushes, rollers, trays, a ladder, primer, and paint
Hiring a Professional to Paint Your Interior
Hiring a professional is often a good choice because they have years of experience painting. Your project will look fantastic when it is complete, and you won’t have to worry about being called in to work halfway through a room. If you plan to hire a painting company, you will need to do the following:
- Get an estimate
- Ask for references
- Make sure there is a contract
- Have a payment plan
You should be sure to check the references so that you have confidence that your painter will do a good job for you. Make sure that the contract spells out whether the painter will do the prep work, or whether it costs extra. This includes removing switch plates and outlet covers, among other things. You may need to move the furniture before they start. Having a plan will help make the project go smoothly.
