What you can expect from us

Preparing the area for decorated

We would much prefer the area to be completely empty but we understand this is not always possible. For example, a large piece of furniture such as a bed or wardrobe may not fit through the doorway, so this can be put in the middle of the room and we would work around it. We can remove furniture but this would be chargeable to the customer as it takes up our time. We would normally remove shelves, pictures, curtain rails, etc if necessary, and fill any unwanted screw holes if fittings are not being put back. If carpets are staying, we will cover the area using dustsheets or other floor coverings. If the carpets are to be removed, but not right away, we can cut a four-inch section along the skirting line to help when painting the skirtings. If the carpets are to be removed, we can do this before work starts.

Preparing the surfaces

Firstly, we sand down all surfaces, including ceiling, walls, and woodwork. We use wall and palm sanders that attach to a dust extraction unit to minimise dust.  Doors are kept closed as much as possible to limit the amount of dust in the rest of the property. If there are any cracks, they will be raked out to remove any loose material. Ceiling cracks are also raked out but if the ceiling appears loose then screws would be used to help fix the surface back (this is mainly on plasterboard ceilings). Surfaces are then swept and cleaned to remove any dust and dirty marks.

Walls and ceilings

Once prepared, a first coat of paint is then applied to all surfaces as this will highlight any imperfections and seal the surface. Once dry we would then start filling. We use powder fillers to fill cracks, holes, and dents in the ceiling and wall surfaces and we use decorator caulk for corners and around skirting and architraves. Any marks or staining etc that have shown through the first coat of paint are painted with a stain blocker paint to stop them from showing through again. Once the fillers have dried, we then sand, clean, and apply paint to the filled areas or maybe the hole wall if it’s necessary.  When we are happy that the walls and ceiling look the best that we can achieve in our timeframe, we paint with a final coat of paint.

Woodwork

Woodwork will be rubbed down at the same time as the walls and ceilings to make all the messy work at the start. It will then be cleaned and wiped down and when dry, a first coat of paint will be applied. In most cases, this would be a grip primer such as Zinsser 123 as this gives great adhesion to the old painted surface and is perfect for most water-based top coats of paint. Any filling would be done after the paint is dry. When the filler is dry, we sand and clean ready for the first of two topcoats of paint. If we are varnishing woodwork, then we will sand and clean, and then apply two coats of varnish and possibly a third coat if it was bare wood at the start.

The finish

On the final day, we like to check the work over and make sure we haven’t missed anything. At this stage, we put back any pictures, shelves, door handles, etc. We then remove all tools and dust sheets and have a good clean and vacuum carpets.

The paints we use

 Woodwork

We do not use oil-based paints as the quality of water-based has improved and It’s hard to see the difference. With less toxic smells, quicker drying time, and less or no yellowing, it’s a must for our business. We use grip primers as a first coat on painted woodwork as this gives great adhesion to the old painted surface and is perfect for most water-based top coats of paint.

Walls and ceilings

If the walls and ceilings are painted already then we will paint the surface with two coats of good quality paint. If the walls or ceilings were previously papered, once stripped we would apply a primer coat first. This stabilizes the surface, to stop a reaction to the old wallpaper adhesive, and seals the surface for painting.

Estimate

We use an estimate system rather than a quote. I find this works better and if we find an unexpected problem the price can be revised; it’s easier than being held to a quoted price, and equally, if we can do the work cheaper than the estimate you will pay less, trust me.

Working hours

We would like to start work at 8 am and do an 8-hour day as we don’t stop for lunch, but this is flexible and we will fit in with you