Address: Wollongong NSW
What’s Involved in a Professional Paint Job
People are often surprised when we tell them how much of a professional paint job happens before a drop of colour goes on the wall. They picture rollers and brushes. The truth is the painting itself is the easy bit — the prep is where the job is won or lost. After 35-plus years on the tools across Wollongong and the Illawarra, here’s exactly what a professional paint job involves, start to finish, so you know what you’re paying for.
Step 1: The walk-through and quote
It starts with us coming out and actually looking at the place — not guessing over the phone. We check the condition of the surfaces, look for damage, damp, flaking or previous dodgy work, talk through colours, and then give you a clear quote. A good quote should tell you what’s included: prep, number of coats, the paint being used. If a quote’s vague, that’s usually where the corners get cut.
Step 2: Protection and setup
Before anything else, we protect your home. Drop sheets over floors and furniture, masking around windows, trims, power points and edges. This is the stuff clients don’t think about, but a tidy professional paint job means you don’t end up with paint on your carpet, your skirting or your good benchtop.
Step 3: Preparation (this is the real job)
If I had to put a number on it, prep is about 80% of a quality professional paint job. This is where we fill cracks and holes, sand back rough or flaking areas, scrape and treat any peeling paint, wash down dirty or chalky surfaces, and repair damaged plaster or timber. Skip this and the best paint in the world will still flake and look terrible within a year or two. The reason a cheap quote is cheap is almost always because the prep is being rushed or skipped.
Step 4: Priming and sealing
Bare timber, patched areas, stains and new surfaces all need the right primer or sealer before the topcoat. This is what gives the paint something to grip and stops stains bleeding through. It’s another step that’s invisible in the finished job but makes all the difference to how long it lasts.
Step 5: Painting — the coats that count
Now the colour goes on. A proper professional paint job is usually two topcoats over the primer — not one coat stretched thin to save time. We let each coat dry properly before the next, cut in the edges by hand, and roll or spray the bodies for an even finish. One coat might look fine on day one, but it won’t hold the colour or coverage the way two proper coats will.
Step 6: Clean-up and final check
A professional paint job isn’t finished until your home is left how we found it — or better. We pull up the masking, fold away the drop sheets, clean our gear, and walk the job with you to check every wall and edge. If something needs a touch-up, we do it then and there. You shouldn’t be finding our mess after we’ve gone.
How to tell a real professional paint job from a cheap one
- The quote spells out prep, coats and the paint brand — it’s not just one lump figure.
- They’re licensed and insured (ours is NSW licence 390512C).
- They spend real time on prep before any colour goes up.
- Two topcoats, not one.
- The site stays tidy and protected the whole way through.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a professional paint job take?
It depends on the size and condition of the home, but most of the time goes into prep, not painting. A few rooms might take a few days; a full house exterior with heavy prep can take a week or more. Rushing it is usually a sign corners are being cut.
Why is one quote so much cheaper than another?
Almost always because of prep and coats. A cheaper quote often means less surface preparation, one coat instead of two, or a lower-grade paint. It looks fine at first and fails far sooner.
Do I need to move out during a professional paint job?
For most interior work, no. We work room by room and keep everything protected so you can stay living in the home. We’ll plan it around you.
Want a professional paint job done properly?
If you want a professional paint job that’s prepped properly and built to last — not rushed to hit a cheap price — get a free quote from Colourland Painting. We’ll walk the job, explain exactly what’s involved, and do it right. Phone 0480 020 243 or visit our contact page. See more of our interior and exterior painting services. For licensing background, the NSW Government painting licence rules explain what’s required.