Some home projects have to occur piecemeal, whether for logistical or financial reasons. But others – like painting a room – are best done in one fell swoop. H.J. Holtz & Son estimators know part of what they do is to educate homeowners about how to best approach interior painting projects.
“I see this all the time: People think they can just change the wall color and not paint the ceiling and the trim,” says project estimator Travis Gibson. “But if you’re going to change the walls, it’s really a no-brainer to do the rest. You’re not going to be happy with the final appearance if all you’ve done is paint the walls.”
The primary reason to do everything at once, Gibson says, is aesthetics. “Fresh walls make the trim and ceiling look dingy,” he notes. “When we paint the walls, we make sure there are clean, crisp lines. When you see the new paint against existing trim, you really notice the difference.”
Another good reason to do both at once is to save money. In situations where customers decide to paint only the walls, Gibson says customers often return to him later, asking for the ceiling and trim to be painted. That becomes a complete second job.
“Our costs to send a crew out and prepare a space really don’t change much,” Gibson says. “When you have us come twice to paint the same room, you end up paying double for those set-up costs. It’s more efficient for the team to do everything at once, and the homeowner is going to save money in the long run.”
Additionally, the new job has to be worked into the schedule, which means waiting for the room to be completely finished. That delay can lead to additional dislocation or mean the room isn’t picture-perfect for a special event or for guests’ arrival.
“Yes, painting the walls, trim and ceiling costs more than just painting the walls,” Gibson says, “but so often customers realize while we’re working that they should have done everything at once.”
