Plan wall painting in Burnaby: prep and hiring

Specify the surfaces and compare complete quotes

Give each painter the same room list, photos and access information. Identify the walls you want painted and list ceilings, baseboards, window trim, doors and closets as inclusions or exclusions. During the inspection, point out peeling areas, stains, cracks and previous patches. Agree who will move furniture, remove wall fittings and put them back.

Request a written quote naming the preparation work, primer locations, paint brand and product, colour, sheen and number of coats. Ask how the painter will handle incomplete coverage or an unexpected repair. Require your approval before extra charges. If the painter quotes by square footage, ask whether they measure wall surface area or floor area.

Build your budget from quotes for your actual surfaces. Compare the total, taxes as quoted, exclusions, payment stages and responsibility for materials. Have each painter price optional ceilings or trim separately so you can choose those additions without losing track of the wall-painting scope.

Confirm the business licence covering your job

Burnaby requires businesses operating in the city to hold a valid business licence. The City distinguishes resident businesses with a permanent city location from non-resident businesses, including trades contractors and mobile companies without a fixed location in Burnaby. Ask for the licence covering your job and match the business name to your agreement. [2]

The City's inter-municipal business licence guidance documents eligibility for Burnaby-issued licences: eligible businesses need a permanent Burnaby location and a valid business licence. The IMBL supplements the home municipal licence. This guidance does not establish which licences issued elsewhere cover an out-of-town painter's work here. If your painter relies on an IMBL, ask Burnaby Licensing at 604-294-7320 to confirm the issuing municipality and licence cover the proposed work. [2]

Request proof of liability insurance and examples of work with a similar scope. Ask who will attend your home, who supervises preparation and who handles touch-ups. Record those responsibilities alongside the price and schedule. Treat the business licence check as one hiring check rather than a substitute for reviewing the proposed work.

Resolve wall repairs and sanding before work starts

Ask the painter to explain how they will assess uncertain materials before scraping, sanding or opening patched areas. WorkSafeBC identifies exposure to gypsum and crystalline silica dust when workers sand drywall or joint tape. It also warns that older drywall mud and some gypsum boards can contain asbestos. [3]

WorkSafeBC recommends vacuum systems to reduce airborne sanding and cleanup dust and advises against dry sweeping or compressed air. Discuss dust capture, work-area enclosure and cleanup with the painter. If you suspect asbestos in old installed gypsum boards, leave them undisturbed and arrange assessment. WorkSafeBC says removal may require a qualified asbestos abatement professional. [3]

Show the painter any recurring damp patches or stains. Agree who will investigate the cause before coating that area and whether the affected wall belongs in the current scope. Request a colour and sheen sample on your wall or a sample board, review it under your usual lighting, then confirm the selection before the painter buys the full quantity.

Plan room access and the work sequence

Ask for a sequence covering protection, repairs, preparation, priming, coats and inspection. Have the painter consult the chosen product's instructions when explaining ventilation, drying intervals and when you can return furniture or clean the walls. Agree which rooms you can use during the job and how the crew will leave the home between visits.

For a strata home, check contractor access, elevator bookings, parking and work hours with your building manager before agreeing on the start date. Give the painter those arrangements with the scope. Decide where the crew can store supplies and keep a route through the home clear.

If the scope includes exterior walls, use the chart as regional seasonal context. Vancouver Harbour's 1991–2020 normals record monthly precipitation of 43.5 mm in July, 156.8 mm in October and 245.2 mm in November. These are Vancouver Harbour observations, not measurements at your property. Ask the painter to use the current forecast, surface conditions and coating instructions to plan the work. [5]

Inspect the finish and agree on paint disposal

Arrange a walkthrough under the room's usual lighting before the agreed final payment stage. Check the included surfaces, edges, coverage and repairs together. Write down touch-ups and a return date. Ask for the product name, colour code and sheen, and agree how much labelled paint you want to retain for future repairs.

Assign surplus paint and job-waste removal in the quote. Burnaby's Eco-Centre accepts paint for recycling at 4855 Still Creek Drive. The City excludes building paints from donation drop-offs, so use its recycling route. Confirm acceptance details for your containers before making the trip. [4]

Regional precipitation context for exterior wall painting

Choose the next step for your wall project

Your hiring checklist

1. Send each painter the same room list, photos and access restrictions.
2. Separate walls, ceilings, trim, doors and closets in the scope.
3. Record repairs, primer, product, sheen, colours and coats in the quote.
4. Ask for the licence covering the job and proof of liability insurance.
5. Agree on material assessment and dust controls before sanding.
6. Confirm room access, ventilation arrangements and the work sequence.
7. Require approval for extra charges and record payment stages.
8. Arrange the walkthrough, touch-ups and leftover-paint handover.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to paint my interior walls?

Burnaby states that painting inside your home does not need a permit. Contact the Building Department if the scope includes building or removing walls, structural work or disaster damage restoration. Resolve the approval question before agreeing to the expanded work. [1]

What should I ask before a painter sands old patches?

Ask how they will assess the material, capture dust and clean the work area. WorkSafeBC warns about crystalline silica in sanding dust and possible asbestos in older drywall mud. Leave suspected asbestos-containing boards undisturbed while you arrange assessment. [3]

How do I check a painter from another municipality?

Ask for the business licence covering the job. Burnaby identifies a non-resident category for travelling trades contractors. Its IMBL guidance documents Burnaby-issued eligibility, so ask Licensing at 604-294-7320 to confirm coverage if the painter presents an IMBL issued elsewhere. [2]

Where can I take unwanted paint after the job?

Burnaby's Eco-Centre accepts paint for recycling at 4855 Still Creek Drive. Confirm acceptance details for your containers and agree whether you or the painter will handle disposal. Keep any agreed touch-up paint labelled with its product, colour and sheen. [4]