Painting - professional decorator vs DIY

KateLiana27

We need the whole interior of our new 3-bedroom house painted. Currently it's covered with a single layer of 1970s wallpaper (unpainted).

Once the wallpaper has been stripped, our options are to:

- get a professional painter and decorator to prep the walls and paint. Quoted about £2300 for the whole lot including ceilings, and materials (this is a highly recommended person but he can't start for quite a while).

- do it ourselves. Cheaper and we can start straight away. However, we've never painted before.

How noticeable is the difference in finish between a professional decorator and an amateur DIYer? How long would it take the average amateur vs professional to do?

Any thoughts appreciated!

Leif

I've never decorated before, and last week I had to paint my newly rewired and plastered kitchen which is 3.5 m by 3 m. I used Dulux matt emulsion all over. First mist coat took 5 hours. Third and final coat took just over 2 hours. The difference is due to me learning how to do the job faster and better. I did the primer on the skirting today. I am surprised at how easy it has been, but you need the right tools. A roller on a long pole makes life easy, and a brush with a flat end makes cutting in along architraves and skirting easy. A wider brush is good for cutting in at corners.

What has taken me ages is preparation. Apart from the kitchen, I have stripped wall paper in all rooms, and discovered vile walls. I made the mistake of using a steamer to strip paper. Don't, because it can blow plaster. If you find paint underneath you'll have to deal with that. I was left with some areas of paint, which I stripped with a thin chisel bladed scraper. In my case the walls needed huge amounts of filling due to small holes and gouges everywhere, some made by me, most not. I used Easi-fill. To find holes, shine a very bright light/torch along the wall at a steep angle. Also make sure you wash the walls after removing paper. If you paint directly, the paint will reactivate old wall paper paste, and it might go horrible.

As for pros, I am living in a flat while I do my house, and the flat is painted to a high standard. I think I will come close. But pro does not always mean good. I am sure a lot of work in my house was done by pros, and its scheisse. The electrical sockets were put in by a drunk, and they are all at an angle. Repairs to plaster are bodges, covered with wall paper. And so on. But because I care about my house, I can take my time to do it properly. A pro might not do that. You've found someone recommended, so chances are (s)he will. The difference between a pro and me might only be noticeable at joins between architraves and walls, though I think I can do a good job.

There are lots of online videos showing how to cut in and roller, and I recommend taking a look at them.

One tip. Always make sure you know where your paint pot is. I stepped down from a trestle and my foot landed directly on top of the paint kettle, which broke, and paint went everywhere. :wall:It only took 5 minutes to clean up (I'd put old curtains on the screed floor which saved the day).

olly300

KateLiana27 wrote: »

How noticeable is the difference in finish between a professional decorator and an amateur DIYer? How long would it take the average amateur vs professional to do?

The thing is you don't know until you try.

So starting with the smallest room prep and paint the room.

BTW once you know what you need to do and have your technique you get faster.

phill99

I run a maintenance company and could never work out why people employed decorators. However, now I have een the difference between a pro and an amateur, I can see the difference and it is significant. Pros cut in better, know different tricks to get a really good finish, they know when back rolling is needed, when paint needs thinning out, how to feather filler so the wall looks like its been plastered etc.

However, I have also seen some excellent amateurs (my old Dad for one who was excellent but very slow).

Why don't you have a go in one room (say spare bedroom) and see how you get on. Remember don't be sucked in by gimmick paints eg One Cpat paints etc - the pros don't use them!!

macman

As already stated, prep is everything. And don't believe you can get any kind of result with paint that describes itself as 'one-coat'-you can't.
If you're prepared to put in the time and efort, then you can achieve a result as good as the majority of paid contractors will give you.
However it will take you a lot longer.

Leif

phill99 wrote: »

I run a maintenance company and could never work out why people employed decorators. However, now I have een the difference between a pro and an amateur, I can see the difference and it is significant.

I forgot to mention the work I have had done by a professional building firm. Pros replaced skirting board. I had to remove the filler from the screw holes, which was caulk, badly sanded, with damage to the skirting from an electric sander, and refill with 2 part filler, and sand. It is now much better. And the caulking at the edges of skirting boards, and along a window board is rough. Oh and damage to a kitchen window frame from dragging in skirting without protection. That said, the plastering was top notch. You can't say pros are top notch, some are, some aren't, though I can't say how they vary, or if my experience is unusual.

Jaynne

Pros will almost certainly do it faster, it is their job after all. It sounds like I'm in the same position as you though, just moved in and am redecorating the whole house. Thankfully almost all the walls are in good condition and painted not papered. Right now its taking me about a day per room to paint them which is two coats of white and then a cream coat (until we decide just what we want to do with them). This is going from bright blue and bright green paint previously.

How fast you go really depends on the state of the walls once you get the paper off. Filling and sanding takes a while but if you don't do it the holes are really noticeable. Buy decent paint, take your time and you should be fine. Painting is about the easiest DIY skill out there.

phill99

Leif wrote: »

I forgot to mention the work I have had done by a professional building firm. Pros replaced skirting board. I had to remove the filler from the screw holes, which was caulk, badly sanded, with damage to the skirting from an electric sander, and refill with 2 part filler, and sand. It is now much better. And the caulking at the edges of skirting boards, and along a window board is rough. Oh and damage to a kitchen window frame from dragging in skirting without protection. That said, the plastering was top notch. You can't say pros are top notch, some are, some aren't, though I can't say how they vary, or if my experience is unusual.

I agree that not all pros are good. However, the ones I have worked with have been very good, but unfortunately, like every trade and profession, there are good and bad.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

I have never been satisfied with any of the decorators we've employed and just don't bother nowadays.
Mind you I am a perfectionist and probably a pain to work for.
To be honest you will never know how good someone is until you try them,if you must employ someone then your'e going to have to just take a chance.
Good luck with finding someone,hope it works out for you.

pinkteapot

I agree that it's at least worth having a go yourself...

As others have said, a big part of the time is preparation (sanding, filling etc).

What I've found is that I need plenty of time and to be in the mood. If you try and do it evenings after work when you're tired you won't get a good finish. It takes patience and it is time consuming. If you don't have much spare time then it's worth considering a decorator. If you have the time then give it a go!

Leif

pinkteapot wrote: »

What I've found is that I need plenty of time and to be in the mood. If you try and do it evenings after work when you're tired you won't get a good finish. It takes patience and it is time consuming. If you don't have much spare time then it's worth considering a decorator. If you have the time then give it a go!

Sensible advice.