Wall Painting in Orlando, FL: Plan and Hire

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Give each painter a room-by-room list and photographs. Separate walls, ceilings, baseboards, doors and closets. Point out holes, peeling areas, stains and previous patches during the visit. Ask the painter to inspect those areas and specify which repairs they include. Keep optional surfaces separate so you can change the scope without losing track of the agreed preparation.

Have the painter name the paint product, color and sheen, and describe cleaning, repairs, primer and finish coats. Ask how they will address a color change or incomplete coverage. Record who moves furniture, removes fixtures and protects floors. Request approval in writing before the crew adds repairs or other charges.

Build your budget from quotes for this shared scope. Ask whether each painter prices by wall area, room or another basis, and have them explain access equipment and repair charges. Compare the included work before comparing totals. Request payment terms, evidence of liability insurance and a written process for correcting unfinished work.

Resolve older-paint preparation before work starts

EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule covers paint-disturbing renovation work in covered houses, apartments and child-occupied facilities built before 1978. Painting preparation can fall within that scope. Paid firms, including sole proprietorships, must hold firm certification for covered work. Ask the firm to explain coverage, show its certification and describe containment and cleanup. [3]

EPA does not require paint testing under this rule. For covered work, the requirements apply unless you have documentation that the affected paint is not lead-based. If you choose testing, EPA specifies qualified professionals and testing methods. Ask who will test the affected surfaces and what records you will receive before the crew disturbs paint. [3]

EPA lists a minor repair and maintenance exception for activities disturbing six square feet or less of paint per interior room, or 20 square feet or less on an exterior. Window replacement and demolition of painted surfaces remain covered regardless of area; prohibited activities remain prohibited regardless of area. These thresholds concern disturbed paint, not the total wall area receiving a new coat. [3]

Use the chart to discuss a claimed minor-work exception with the firm. Ask it to identify the surfaces it will disturb and explain the applicable conditions. Avoid treating the area thresholds as instructions to divide a larger preparation job into smaller tasks.

Agree on access and a workable schedule

Ask for a schedule that separates preparation, coating and room handover. Request the chosen product's instructions for ventilation, recoating and returning furniture against walls. Decide which rooms you need to keep available, where the crew can store supplies and how you will handle pets and access keys.

For exterior walls, agree on weather delays and the product's application requirements before choosing a start date. Ask who makes the decision to postpone work and how the painter will communicate a revised completion date. If you have a fixed move-in date, discuss which surfaces the crew should finish first.

Assign cleanup and inspect the agreed surfaces

Specify which labeled paint containers you want to keep for touch-ups and who removes unwanted material. Include used coverings and debris in the cleanup agreement. Ask the painter to explain their disposal arrangements, including responsibility for contractor-generated waste.

Orlando allows paint cans in residential garbage carts when the cans are opened, cleaned out and any leftover paint is dry. The city prohibits wet paint in those carts and identifies wet oil-based and water-based paint as household hazardous waste. Confirm household drop-off arrangements before transporting unwanted wet paint. [2]

Walk through the work with the painter before final payment. Compare the finished surfaces with the written scope, including repaired areas, edges and coverage. Record corrections and agree on a return date. Keep the product names, colors, sheen and touch-up instructions with the invoice.

EPA paint-disturbance limits for the minor-work exception

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Your hiring checklist

1. Photograph the surfaces and separate walls, ceilings, trim and closets in the scope.
2. Ask the painter to inspect damage and describe included repairs.
3. Identify the home's construction year and discuss any paint-disturbing preparation.
4. Resolve any historic exterior color-review questions before purchasing paint.
5. Record the paint product, color, sheen, primer and finish-coat agreement.
6. Agree on room access, furniture moving, ventilation and delay communication.
7. Assign touch-up paint storage and waste-removal responsibilities.
8. Inspect the agreed surfaces and document corrections before final payment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Orlando require historic approval for interior painting?

The city's minor-review guidance lists paint color where required for historic properties. It does not establish a blanket approval requirement for interior repainting. Ask Historic Preservation whether your specific proposal needs review, particularly when changing exterior colors. [1]

Must I test old paint before hiring a painter?

EPA does not require testing under the RRP Rule. For covered work, its requirements apply unless you have documentation that the affected paint is not lead-based. If you choose testing, use the qualified professionals and methods EPA specifies. [3]

Can leftover paint go in my garbage cart?

Orlando prohibits wet paint in household garbage carts. The city allows opened, cleaned-out paint cans when any leftover paint is dry. For unwanted wet household paint, confirm disposal arrangements with Orange County Solid Waste at 407.836.6601. [2]

How should I compare a lower painting quote?

Ask each painter to confirm the same surfaces, repairs, primer, finish coats, product and cleanup. Have them explain omissions and optional work. Compare totals after resolving those differences, and agree how they will price additional work.