Painting seems simple until you’ve hired the wrong person and you’re staring at peeling paint, visible brush marks, and paint on your hardwood floors. The difference between a $3,000 paint job that looks terrible in two years and a $5,000 job that looks fresh for a decade comes down almost entirely to preparation and process. Knowing the right questions to ask a house painter before hiring separates the professionals who’ll transform your home from the ones who’ll just slap some color on the walls and cash your check.
These 15 questions cover prep work, paint quality, application methods, coats, timelines, and warranties. Whether you’re painting the interior, exterior, or both, this checklist gives you the tools to evaluate any painter you interview.
Before You Contact a Painter
Do a little homework before making calls:
- Decide what needs painting. Interior, exterior, or both? Every room, or just a few? Ceilings, trim, and doors, or walls only? Being specific helps painters give accurate estimates instead of vague ballpark numbers.
- Note any existing problems. Peeling paint, water stains, cracked caulk, rotting wood, mildew on exterior siding. These need to be addressed before new paint goes on, and they affect the price.
- Pick your colors (or at least narrow the palette). Having color selections ready speeds up the estimate process. If you need help choosing, some painters offer color consultation services for $100 to $300.
- Clear the space. For interior jobs, moving furniture away from walls, taking down artwork, and removing outlet covers before the painter arrives saves time (and potentially money on hourly jobs). Pick up a roll of painter’s tape and some canvas drop cloths so you can protect floors and trim if you’re doing any of the prep yourself.
- Get samples of your current paint (if possible). Knowing the existing paint brand, finish, and color helps the new painter plan for adhesion and coverage.
Credentials and Experience
1. Are you licensed and insured for painting work?
Licensing requirements vary by state and city. Some areas don’t require a specific painter’s license, but a general contractor or home improvement license may be necessary for jobs above a certain dollar amount. At a minimum, any painter you hire should carry general liability insurance (covering damage to your property) and workers’ compensation (covering injuries to their crew).
Ask for proof and verify it. A certificate of insurance is standard. For exterior work involving ladders and scaffolding, workers’ comp is especially important. If a painter falls off a ladder on your property and doesn’t carry workers’ comp, you could face a liability claim.
2. How long have you been painting professionally, and can you share references?
Painting experience matters because proper technique, surface preparation knowledge, and product selection come from years of hands-on work. A painter with five or more years of residential experience has likely dealt with every surface type, condition, and challenge your home can throw at them.
Ask for references from recent jobs similar to yours (interior vs. exterior, same type of siding or wall condition). Better yet, ask if you can see a completed project in person. Photos are helpful, but walking through a painted room reveals details that photos hide: clean cut lines at the ceiling, smooth finish on doors, consistent sheen across the walls.
3. Do you have a physical business address and a team, or do you work solo?
Solo painters can do excellent work, but they have limitations. A solo operator painting your entire house will take significantly longer than a crew, and if they get sick or injured, your project stops. A painting company with a crew of three to five people can complete most residential jobs in a fraction of the time.
This isn’t about disqualifying solo painters. It’s about understanding the timeline implications and having backup if something goes wrong. Ask how many people will be working on your project and whether they’re employees or subcontractors.
Preparation and Process
4. What prep work is included in your estimate?
This is the most important question on this list. Preparation is 70% to 80% of a professional paint job. The paint itself is easy. Getting the surface ready to accept and hold that paint is where skill and effort live.
For interior work, prep should include: patching nail holes and dents, sanding rough spots, caulking gaps at trim and molding, priming repaired areas, cleaning surfaces, taping edges or cutting in freehand (depending on the painter’s method), and protecting floors and furniture with drop cloths.
For exterior work, prep should include: pressure washing (letting it dry fully before painting), scraping loose and peeling paint, sanding rough edges, priming bare wood, caulking gaps and cracks, repairing rotted wood sections, and masking windows, fixtures, and adjacent surfaces.
If the estimate doesn’t explicitly list prep work, the painter is either skipping it or planning to add it as an extra charge later. Neither is acceptable.
5. How do you handle surfaces with peeling or flaking paint?
Peeling paint can’t just be painted over. It needs to be scraped, sanded, and primed before new paint will adhere properly. On exterior wood siding, peeling is often caused by moisture getting behind the paint film, so the root cause should be addressed too.
For homes built before 1978: Peeling paint may contain lead. The EPA’s Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule requires any painter working on pre-1978 homes to be EPA Lead-Safe certified and follow specific containment and cleanup procedures. This is not optional. Ask whether the painter is RRP-certified and how they handle lead paint. Improper lead paint disturbance creates serious health hazards, especially for children.
6. What do you do about cracks, dents, and imperfections in the walls?
Walls are rarely perfect, especially in older homes. Hairline cracks along seams, nail pops, dents from furniture, and textured patches from previous repairs all show through paint if they’re not addressed.
A professional painter fills cracks and holes with the appropriate compound (spackle for small repairs, setting compound for larger ones), sands them smooth, and primes before painting. For larger cracks, especially ones that recur seasonally due to settling, they may recommend flexible caulk or mesh tape with compound. Ask the painter how they address imperfections and whether this is included in the estimate or charged separately.
Paint Selection and Application
7. What paint brand and product line do you recommend, and why?
Not all paint is created equal. Professional-grade paint from Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, or PPG contains more pigment, better resins, and finer particles than budget brands, which translates to better coverage, adhesion, durability, and color retention.
A good painter has a preferred product line and can explain why they use it. “Whatever’s on sale” is not a confident answer. Common professional choices: Benjamin Moore Regal Select or Aura for interiors, Sherwin-Williams Duration or Emerald for exteriors. These products cost more per gallon ($50 to $80 vs. $25 to $35 for builder-grade), but the difference in longevity and appearance is dramatic. You’re paying for labor either way; don’t waste it on cheap paint.
8. How many coats will you apply, and does the estimate reflect that?
Two coats of finish paint over a coat of primer is the professional standard for most situations. Some painters try to cut corners with one coat, which often results in uneven coverage, visible roller marks, and a finish that wears faster.
When is one coat acceptable? Repainting the same color over a well-maintained surface in good condition can sometimes look fine with a single coat of high-quality paint. But any color change, especially going from dark to light, requires primer plus two coats. Make sure the estimate states the number of coats and includes primer where needed. “Two coats” should be in writing.
9. What finish (sheen) do you recommend for each area?
Sheen affects both appearance and durability. Higher sheen is more durable and easier to clean but also shows every wall imperfection. Lower sheen hides imperfections but marks and scuffs more easily.
Common recommendations:
- Ceilings: flat or matte (hides imperfections, low traffic)
- Living rooms and bedrooms: eggshell or matte (low luster, good balance)
- Hallways and kids’ rooms: satin (wipeable, moderate sheen)
- Kitchens and bathrooms: satin or semi-gloss (moisture resistant, easy to clean)
- Trim, doors, and cabinets: semi-gloss or high-gloss (durable, crisp lines)
Your painter should recommend sheens based on the room’s function and condition, not just use one finish everywhere. If they suggest flat paint in a kids’ playroom or matte in a bathroom, push back.
10. Will you use a brush, roller, or sprayer, and when does each make sense?
Each application method has its place. Rollers cover large wall surfaces efficiently and leave a consistent texture. Brushes are essential for cutting in at edges, painting trim, and handling detailed work. Sprayers cover large areas (especially exteriors) quickly and produce a smooth, even finish.
For interior walls, most professionals roll the walls and brush the edges. For trim and doors, brush or spray both produce excellent results (spray is smoother but requires more masking). For exteriors, spraying followed by back-rolling (rolling over the sprayed surface while still wet) is the gold standard because it combines the speed of spraying with the adhesion of rolling the paint into the surface texture.
Timeline, Pricing, and Warranty
11. How long will this project take, and when can you start?
Typical timelines for residential painting:
Interior (3-bedroom home, walls, trim, and ceilings): 4 to 7 days for a crew of two to three painters. Exterior (average-sized home, siding and trim): 5 to 10 days depending on prep requirements, weather, and the number of stories. Single room (walls only): 1 day.
Weather matters for exterior painting. Most paints need temperatures between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and low humidity to cure properly. Ask how the painter handles weather delays and what their rain contingency plan is for exterior work.
12. What does your estimate include, and what’s excluded?
Read the estimate carefully. A complete interior painting estimate should cover: prep work (patching, sanding, caulking, priming), paint (brand and product specified), number of coats, all surfaces being painted (walls, trim, doors, ceilings), protection of furniture and floors, cleanup, and touch-up paint left for you.
Common exclusions to watch for: moving heavy furniture, wallpaper removal, extensive drywall repair, exterior wood rot repair, lead paint testing and abatement, and color consultation. If something is listed as “additional if needed,” ask for the per-hour or per-item rate in advance.
13. What is your payment schedule?
Standard payment for painting projects: no deposit or a small deposit (10% to 25%) for material procurement on larger jobs, with the balance due upon completion and your walkthrough.
For larger exterior projects ($8,000+), a structured payment schedule is reasonable: one-third at signing, one-third at the midpoint, and one-third at completion. Never pay more than 50% before the work is done. And never release the final payment until you’ve done a thorough walkthrough in good lighting (both natural and artificial) to check for missed spots, drips, uneven coverage, and clean cut lines.
14. What warranty do you offer on your work?
A professional painter should warranty their workmanship for at least two years. Many offer three to five years on interior work and two to three years on exterior (exterior paint takes more abuse from weather). The warranty should cover peeling, blistering, and premature failure caused by improper preparation or application.
Paint manufacturers also offer product warranties (15 to 25 years on premium products), but those warranties cover the paint itself, not the application. If the painter preps poorly and the paint peels, the manufacturer’s warranty won’t help you. The painter’s workmanship warranty is what protects you from bad labor.
15. Will you leave me touch-up paint, and how do I maintain the finish?
After the job, you should receive labeled containers of every paint color used, along with the brand, product name, color code, and sheen. You’ll need this for touch-ups from furniture scuffs, nail holes from hanging pictures, and wear over time.
Ask the painter for maintenance advice specific to the products they used. How long should you wait before cleaning the walls? What cleaning products are safe? For exterior paint, when should you expect to repaint (7 to 10 years for quality products on well-prepped surfaces)? This information helps you protect your investment.
What to Mention or Send Beforehand
Share these details before the estimate visit:
- Which rooms or surfaces need painting. Be specific: “all walls and ceilings in bedrooms 1, 2, and 3, plus all trim throughout the house.”
- Any known problems. Peeling areas, water damage, previous bad paint jobs, wallpaper that needs removing. Photos help.
- Your color selections (or at least the direction). Having swatches or Benjamin Moore/Sherwin-Williams color codes ready speeds up the estimate and shows you’re prepared.
- The age of your home. Pre-1978 homes require lead paint precautions. This affects the scope and cost.
- Access issues for exterior work. Steep grades around the foundation, power lines near the roofline, bushes tight against the house, or a locked gate on one side. These affect how the crew sets up ladders and scaffolding.
Typical Cost Range and Factors
Painting costs depend on the scope, surface condition, paint quality, and your region. Here’s what to expect nationally:
Interior painting:
- Single room (walls only): $300 to $800
- Full interior (3-bedroom home, walls, trim, ceilings): $4,000 to $10,000
- Cabinet painting (kitchen): $3,000 to $7,000
Exterior painting:
- Average-sized home (1,500-2,500 sq ft): $4,000 to $12,000
- Large home (3,000+ sq ft) or multi-story: $8,000 to $20,000+
Key cost drivers:
- Surface condition. Extensive prep (scraping, patching, priming) adds 20% to 40% to the labor cost. A well-maintained surface costs less to paint than a neglected one.
- Number of colors. Each additional color requires separate setup, mixing, and cleanup. A two-color room costs more than a single-color room.
- Ceiling height. Rooms with 9 or 10-foot ceilings cost more than standard 8-foot ceilings due to extra wall area, taller ladders, and slower work.
- Trim and detail work. Crown molding, chair rail, wainscoting, and multi-panel doors increase labor time significantly.
- Paint quality. Premium paint ($50 to $80/gallon) vs. builder-grade ($25 to $35/gallon) affects both cost and longevity. You get what you pay for.
- Accessibility. Multi-story exteriors requiring scaffolding or lift equipment add $500 to $2,000+ in equipment costs.
- Your location. Metro areas run 20% to 40% higher than rural areas for the same scope.
Red Flags vs. Green Flags
| Red Flag | Green Flag |
|---|---|
| No written estimate. “It’ll be about $X” over the phone without seeing the space. | Visits your home, evaluates surfaces, and provides a detailed written estimate with specifics. |
| Estimate doesn’t mention prep work. If they’re not prepping, they’re not painting properly. | Estimate explicitly lists all prep steps: patching, sanding, caulking, priming. |
| Plans to apply one coat with no primer. Shortcut that costs you durability. | Specifies primer where needed and two coats of finish paint as standard. |
| Can’t name the paint brand or product line they’ll use. | Recommends a specific professional-grade product and explains why. |
| Dramatically cheaper than every other bid. They’re cutting corners somewhere. | Price falls within the range of other estimates, with clear itemization of what’s included. |
| Not EPA Lead-Safe certified but willing to work on pre-1978 homes. Illegal and dangerous. | EPA RRP-certified for work on pre-1978 homes, with clear lead paint protocols. |
| No warranty, or a verbal-only warranty. | Written workmanship warranty of two to five years with specific coverage terms. |
Money-Saving Tips
- Do your own prep for interior rooms. Moving furniture, removing outlet covers and switch plates, taking down curtains and artwork, and filling small nail holes saves the painter time (and saves you money on hourly estimates).
- Limit the number of colors. Every additional color increases setup and cleanup time. Sticking to two or three colors across multiple rooms is more cost-effective than a different color in every room.
- Paint during the off-season. Late fall and winter are slower for painters (especially exterior work). You may get better pricing and faster scheduling during these months for interior projects.
- Don’t skip quality paint. Cheap paint requires more coats for coverage and fails faster. Two coats of premium paint last 8 to 12 years. Three coats of budget paint might peel in four. You save on labor long-term with better product. If you want to test colors before committing, peel-and-stick paint sample kits let you compare options without buying full quarts.
- Bundle interior and exterior work. If you need both done, hiring one company for the full scope can get you a 10% to 15% discount compared to two separate projects.
- Maintain your paint to extend its life. Clean scuffs promptly, touch up small chips before they spread, caulk exterior gaps before moisture gets behind the paint film, and wash exterior siding annually. Maintenance extends the interval between full repaints by years.
Quick Reference Checklist
Bring this to your painter consultations:
- Are you licensed and insured?
- How long have you been painting professionally?
- Do you have a team or work solo?
- What prep work is included in the estimate?
- How do you handle peeling or flaking paint?
- How do you address cracks, dents, and wall imperfections?
- What paint brand and product do you recommend?
- How many coats will you apply?
- What finish/sheen do you recommend for each area?
- What application method will you use (brush, roller, spray)?
- How long will the project take?
- What does the estimate include and exclude?
- What is the payment schedule?
- What warranty do you offer?
- Will you leave touch-up paint and care instructions?
Glossary
- Cut in: The technique of painting along edges, corners, and trim lines with a brush before rolling the larger wall surface. Clean cut-in lines (where the wall color meets the ceiling or trim) are a hallmark of professional work.
- Primer: A preparatory coating applied before the finish paint. Primer seals porous surfaces, provides a uniform base for the finish coat, and improves paint adhesion. Essential on bare wood, new drywall, repaired areas, and when making dramatic color changes.
- Sheen: The level of light reflection in a paint finish. Ranges from flat/matte (no reflection, hides imperfections) to high-gloss (maximum reflection, very durable). Higher sheen means more durability and easier cleaning but also reveals surface flaws.
- Back-rolling: The process of rolling over a freshly sprayed surface while the paint is still wet. This works the paint into the surface texture for better adhesion and a more even finish. The gold standard for exterior paint application.
- VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds): Chemical compounds in paint that evaporate as the paint dries, contributing to indoor air pollution and that “new paint smell.” Low-VOC and zero-VOC paints are widely available and recommended for interior use, especially in bedrooms and children’s rooms.
Helpful Tools and Resources
Blue painter's tape designed for delicate surfaces peels off cleanly without pulling up existing paint. Essential for masking trim, windows, and ceiling lines whether you're doing the work yourself or helping with prep.
Canvas absorbs paint drips instead of letting them pool and track across the floor (like plastic does). A quality drop cloth protects hardwood, tile, and carpet during any painting project.
If you're handling smaller rooms yourself or doing touch-ups, an entry-level HVLP sprayer produces a smooth, professional finish on walls, cabinets, and furniture. Great for DIY between professional paint jobs.
Comparing colors on a screen is unreliable. Physical sample cards or peel-and-stick swatches show how a color actually looks in your lighting before you commit to gallons of it.
- Benjamin Moore Color Selection Tool: Browse colors, order peel-and-stick samples, and use the room visualizer to preview colors on your walls before committing.
- Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap Visualizer: Upload a photo of your room and test paint colors digitally. Helpful for narrowing choices before buying samples.
- EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm Directory: Verify that any painter working on your pre-1978 home is properly certified for lead paint work.
- Better Business Bureau: Check any painting company’s complaint history and customer reviews before signing a contract.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many coats of paint do I really need?
For most color changes: one coat of primer plus two coats of finish paint. Repainting the same color over a well-maintained surface may only need two coats of finish (no separate primer, though many premium paints include primer). Going from a very dark color to a very light one may need tinted primer plus two or three finish coats. One coat of finish paint is almost never sufficient for a professional-looking result.
How long does interior paint take to dry and cure?
Most latex interior paints are dry to the touch in one to two hours and ready for a second coat in four to six hours. Full curing (reaching maximum hardness and durability) takes two to four weeks. During the curing period, avoid washing the walls, scrubbing scuffs, or placing furniture directly against freshly painted surfaces. Treat the paint gently until it’s fully cured.
Is it worth paying more for premium paint?
Absolutely. Premium paints ($50 to $80 per gallon) contain higher concentrations of pigment and better resins than budget paints ($25 to $35 per gallon). This means better coverage (often needing fewer coats), superior color accuracy, easier application, better washability, and longer lifespan. Since labor is the biggest cost in any paint job, using paint that lasts 10+ years instead of 4 to 5 years saves you significant money over time.
Should I paint my home’s exterior myself or hire a pro?
Exterior painting involves heights, ladders or scaffolding, extensive prep work, and weather-dependent scheduling. A professional crew with the right equipment will finish faster, prep more thoroughly, and produce a more durable result. If your home is a single-story with simple siding and you’re comfortable on a ladder, DIY is feasible. For multi-story homes, homes with extensive prep needs, or anyone uncomfortable with heights, hiring a professional is worth the investment.
How often should I repaint the exterior of my house?
With quality paint on a well-prepped surface: every 7 to 10 years for wood siding, 10 to 15 years for fiber cement (like HardiePlank), and 15 to 20 years for brick or stucco. Exposure matters: south-facing and west-facing walls get more sun and weather degradation and may need repainting sooner. Watch for chalking (a powdery residue when you rub the surface), fading, peeling, and cracking as signs it’s time.
Next Steps
Get written estimates from at least three painters and compare them using this checklist. Focus on the prep work included, the paint product specified, the number of coats, and the warranty terms. The painter who’s most thorough in their estimate, most specific about their process, and most confident in their warranty is the safest bet for a job that’ll look great for years.
For more home improvement guidance, check out our Questions to Ask Before a Kitchen Remodel and our Complete Guide to Hiring Home Service Professionals.