Interior paint, is it okay to just paint the wall?

Question

All,

I have one unit that is about 1150 sqft, 2br/1.5 bath 2 stories. From my PM I should expect a quote about 2-3k.

What have yall been quoted before? How can I reduce the cost, aside from hiring off craiglist. This is my first investment.

Is it acceptable to just paint the walls. And I can paint the Trim myself. I was planning on leaving the ceiling as is. The paint color I plant to use will be same as existing wall. No change.

Anthony Rosa · Answer

Sure, you can paint the walls and leave the ceiling but if you never "cut" before you need to use blue tape along the ceiling and trim so you don't get paint on them.  Cut all corners and areas the roller can reach, then paint with the roller.  Typically, two coats will do.

Also, remove all electric cover plates prior to painting.  Nothing uglier then painting the plates and receptacles.

Ronnie S. · Answer

I paint my units myself and do a better job than most painter/handymen who want to get in and out quickly. The end result is in the prep work you do. The better prep you do the better it will turn out. You will be surprised how fast and easy it is to do. Plus...you save money doing it yourself.

Matt O'Brien · Answer

Robert,  YouTube has some videos to explain basics.  My start in real estate was painting units being turned.   Just know if you are using a speciality paint store, not Lowes or HD, talk with them about the contractor quality paints and check out the deals on their property management grade of material(especially if you are on a tight budget or expect to repaint frequently).  Also, the specialty paint stores will deliver your material for free and save your color and material information in their computer. If you would like more info PM me.

Theresa Harris · Answer

I've painted myself.  It took two of us a couple days to paint a 900 sq ft 2 bedroom and a little bit longer for a 4 bed house.  It isn't hard to do, just take your time cutting in around the edges and trim.  Usually by the time you have the first coat on a couple of rooms, you can do a second coat, if needed.

Find a colour you like and use it for all of the rooms.  Get a good paint, doesn't need to be expensive, but it should give good coverage and be durable.

Alec Granger · Answer

If there isn't anything structural wrong with the walls and you already have a matching paint color, and you have the time there's no reason why you can't just paint the walls yourself. Like Theresa said though, take your time and don't try to cut corners. You want to do it right otherwise you will waste time and money trying to paint yourself just to have it be messed up and then you have to hire someone else anyway.

Theresa Harris · Answer

@Robert Hernandez  Go ahead and paint the walls and trim yourself.  It isn't hard, but you need to be careful (ie not sloppy). Preparation is key. Wash down the walls to remove any grease, patch any holes and do a light sanding.  Then buy a good paint and go for it.

Stephen Willis · Answer

There's no doubt that painting indoors on the wall costs a lot of time but if you finish that, the sense of accomplishment is overwhelming.

Jennifer J. · Answer

I painted a 1200 square foot house recently and it took me a little over a week. It had been a while since I did any house painting so it was slow at first but I got faster after my first 2 rooms. It’s an older house with lots of trim and moldings, which also slowed me down. Painting from a 5 gallon bucket with a mesh screen is key. There are lots of YouTube videos to help!

Ozzie Rodriguez · Answer

Hi @Robert Hernandez if you really want to have quality painter then go ahead and hire someone if all you want is to clean up the place do it your self is not hard at all. If you go to home depot and see someone with paint all over them ask them if they work by the day. Or tell them all Want is for them to cut corner which everyone has a hard time at. Paint is not hard and you can save up money by them your self.

Chris Allen · Answer

Hey Robert,

A quick bit of information on myself. Although I haven't painted a whole unit myself, I can say that from my experience doing renovations around many different houses with my father, something as simple as painting you want to do yourself. This all depends on the size and complexity of the project as well. Like others in this post have stated the biggest thing is do not cut corners. The paint on your walls will never last forever. Sometimes the paint might be damaged or discolor from many things. Ceilings especially can turn yellow and look off-colored slightly. I recommend buying a big 5-gallon Jug of this special ceiling paint that my dad used in all the rooms in our house in our remodel this past winter. Remember the one thing that can make or break a buyers decision can be something as small as the color of paint you use and will admire either the hard work you did or the diligent work of finding a painter who could not only paint for cheep but can do a good job for the price.

Interior paint, is it okay to just paint the wall?

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