Interior painting in Northern Virginia is a big deal – especially for homeowners. Deciding on a color is just half the battle.

The other half is how smoothly and successfully the painting project will be executed.

Gone are the days when you would see a group of scruffy painters in overalls rambling about your house, painting at a snail’s pace.

With time, the painting industry and the painters themselves have become a lot more sophisticated.

Most of us take sufficient care when comparing prices and hiring a contractor.

We read online reviews ask for references and ask many questions before feeling comfortable we have hired the right company.

After all, the cost of interior painting is relatively high, so you want to do it right.

Related article: 7 Reasons Why You Should Hire Professionals Virginia Painters To Paint The Interior of Your Home

Some painting contractors in Northern Virginia may even assist you in choosing colors for your project.

Now that all the details have been taken care of, the real fun begins.

The painters are going to be in your house for a few days and you may have some concerns – irrespective of whether it is your first painting project or fifth.

Painting is a home improvement activity that everyone seems to have an opinion on.

There are new products and tools that should make the job easier yet many misconception about interior painting remain.

In this article, we will take a look at some common concerns you may have before you start your home interior painting decorating journey.

Interior Painting Concerns

Quantity of Paint: Some customers prefer to ask their painting contractor to buy the paints and determine the number of gallons required.

Others prefer to buy the paint on their own.

While there are a number of factors that will determine the exact quantity you need – there is a simple formula that you can use for most interior or exterior painting projects.

Take the square footage of the areas that need to be painted. Divide this by the figure of square feet that the manufacturer suggests could be covered by a gallon of the chosen paint.

In addition to the easy calculation above, be sure to account for other aspects, such as the type of surface, and whether it has been previously painted.

With the dimensions of room and other pertinent information, approach your local paint retailer for further questions and purchase.

Paint Sheens: As a customer, whether you buy your own paint or request the painting contractor to make the purchase for you, the decision making won’t stop at the color.

You will also need to decide on the ‘sheen’. For those who haven’t heard the term, sheen refers to how ‘glossy’ a paint finish will appear.

There are a number of paint sheens in the market and each has a specific purpose or functionality.

Odour and Fumes: Who loves the smell of fresh paint? Not me!

Chances are that if you like the smell of fresh paint, you like volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

These are harmful chemicals which can cause a number of health issues when a person is exposed to them.

The side effects vary from breathlessness, headaches to more serious lung ailments depending on the duration/quality of exposure.

Fortunately, most of the paints today emit minimum odor and reputable brands carry low or zero VOC paints.

Even if there is good ventilation, children and some adults could be more affected by them than others. We at Benjamin Painters stand by our commitment to the environment and always encourage our clients to use the least harmful paints for their homes.

Color confusion: As humans, we can be fickle. What looks great to us one moment, can look less than ideal under a different set of circumstances.

You may think a paint color looks beautiful when you see it on the fan deck but when it goes up on the wall you may wish you’d chosen something different.

In order to solve this dilemma, we sometimes advise our clients to get some color samples painted on the walls.

We can do this for you before painting your home or it can also be a DIY task.

Once you observe the paint on the walls under different lighting conditions, you should feel confident about your choice.

In the rare chance that confusion persists, talk to us and we will put our expertise to use.

At the worst, you may end up with spending a little more on a gallon or two of paint and a few more hours for the painters. This is much better than living with the wrong choice.

General Concerns About Interior Painting

Getting ready for the painting crew: By getting your home ready for painting you can help the painting crew and become an active participant in your home improvement.

You may also read: How to Prepare your Home for an Interior Painting Job

Protection of personal belongings: A good painting contractor in Northern Virginia will take due care in protecting a customer’s personal property and belongings from paint or dust.

It is normal practice to move or cover expensive items during renovations.

If there are concerns – be sure to let your painters know in advance if they need to take extra care around specific personal property.

To ensure that everything goes smoothly, remove all personal belongings from the top of furniture or dressers.

The painters will appreciate it and it will affect how long the painting of your home will take. Do the same for closets, washroom shelves and kitchen countertops.

Before the painting commences, store all these items in a safe place.

A good place to keep your closet contents in on the bed where they will be covered up and protected.

Disruption in routine: The kids need to get ready for school, the adults need to get to work. Some people even work at home.

Find out from the painters what time they start in the morning and what time they will work until. It may be necessary and convenient to everyone, to provide the contractor a key.

If nobody is home during the day, it is a good idea to provide a phone number for emergencies or for any questions that may come up.

Talk to the crew leader about any concerns you may have about any indoor pets. Cats don’t like disruption during renovations.

A completion date can be discussed and should be adhered to, unless more work is added to the scope.

Condition of the house: Your home is not going to be turned upside down. This is probably one of the major fears that homeowners have.

If you have a lot of furniture, it will be moved around to get to the walls.

Professional painters in Northern Virginia will minimize the chaos and the job can be sequenced so that certain rooms or areas of the house are painted first.

Ask the crew for a daily update on sequencing and communicate regularly in case of any change of plans.

There shouldn’t be any mess left and the garbage removed at the end of the day. Once an area is complete, furniture and window coverings can be put back in place.

If closets or cabinets have been painted, they may need to be left to dry. However, with advances in the paint industry, you may even be able to use them immediately.

Your crew will also patch any picture holes that are not going to be used for their original purpose.

In conclusion, be sure to get each of the above concerns addressed before you begin an interior painting project for your home.

Any reputable painter should have no qualms in addressing any of the above concerns and it is your right as a customer to expect clear answers.

What other worries do you have? Use the comment section below or just talk to us. We’re always here to answer your questions.

To arrange a consultation with one of our representatives call 703-303-4197 or complete the request form on this page.