The day-one problems on any repaint are the same five problems, and almost all of them are preventable with an hour of prep from the homeowner. This is the exact checklist our crew leads wish every customer had a week before the start date. It's free to use, free to share, and structured so you can print it and check items off.
The 48-hour move-list
At minimum, pull the following six feet off any wall being painted:
- All artwork, mirrors, and wall-mounted TVs (the crew can help, but pulling them in advance saves hours)
- Small-to-medium furniture (lamps, side tables, chairs, desks)
- Curtains and curtain rods — especially in humid rooms where the fabric absorbs overspray scent
- Everything off the tops of dressers, shelves, and mantels
- Rugs, runners, and anything on the floor the crew would have to move daily
Heavy furniture the crew will cover and move themselves — but the smaller stuff is faster if you handle it.
What the crew covers vs what you cover
Our standard: we plastic-drape all remaining furniture, floor-paper the entire work zone, and tape off trim, outlets, and edges. You don't need to cover anything we'll be working around. What we ask you to handle: valuables (jewelry, electronics, anything irreplaceable) should go in a drawer or another room, not because anything will happen, but because it removes ambiguity.
Pets, kids, and closed doors
Paint fumes are safe for kids and pets at current low-VOC levels, but crews working doors open all day is a disaster for cats and small dogs. Plan a "paint sanctuary" room that isn't getting painted, close it, and keep the pets there when the crew is in the house. For kids under 5, same logic.
Access and parking
Crews show up between 7:15 and 7:45am. They need: driveway or street access for a truck and a van, a spot to set up the paint station (typically garage or covered porch), and a clear bathroom they can use. Heated-and-cooled is preferred for interior jobs so paint cures properly.
Confirming the scope in writing
Walk the written quote room by room the day it comes in. Flag anything unclear immediately:
- Are ceilings included in every room? (Line-itemed room by room on our quotes.)
- Is trim being painted, re-painted, or left?
- Are closet interiors in scope?
- Wallpaper removal? Wall repair? Priming over stains?
Walkthrough day: what to ask
The morning of day one, your crew lead will do a physical walkthrough with you. Questions worth asking:
- Where will the paint station be set up?
- Which day will each room get worked?
- When does the crew plan to be in/out each day?
- How and when will I get end-of-day updates?
- Who do I text with a question?
During the job: how to flag issues fast
Our crews send an end-of-day text and photo set. If something looks off — a color that reads wrong in the light, a line that isn't clean, a spot that got missed — the faster it's flagged, the easier it is to fix. Don't save feedback for the final walkthrough. Say it the night you notice it.
Questions we get about this
Do I need to be home during the work?
No. Many of our customers give us a code or leave a key. We send daily check-ins with photos and a start-of-day heads-up. For the final walkthrough, we do ask you be present.
How do you protect floors?
Floor paper over hardwood, LVP, and tile; drop cloths over carpet; plastic on stair treads. Every day gets re-laid if needed.
What about smells?
Low-VOC interior paint is almost odorless after 6 hours. We leave fans running and open a window in the room last painted each day.
Get a no-surprises estimate in 48 hours.
We'll walk your project, write it up in plain English, and give you a fixed not-to-exceed number. No obligation, no pressure.