Common questions

It depends on the size of the place, the condition it is in and how much preparation is needed. A tired weatherboard exterior that needs scraping and priming costs far more than a two-year-old render that just needs a freshen up.

We do not quote over the phone for that reason — a number given blind is either padded to be safe or gets revised upward once we arrive. We come out, look at it, and give you a fixed written price with no obligation.

Yes. We come out, measure up and give you an itemised written quote at no cost. There is no obligation to go ahead, and we will not chase you about it.

Yes, both. We hold NSW contractor licence 381238C, carry public liability and workers compensation cover, and trade under ABN 42 691 332 546.

You can verify that licence yourself through the Service NSW licence check before letting anyone start work. We would encourage you to do it — for us and for any other trade you are considering. If you want to see our certificate of currency for the insurance, just ask and we will send it through.

Honestly, it is almost impossible to say without seeing the job. We take on anything from a single door to multi-storey commercial work, and two houses that look the same from the street can be a week apart once you factor in the preparation.

So we do not guess over the phone. We come out, look at it, and your written quote includes an estimated duration and an agreed start date before we begin.

We are Wattyl accredited painters, so that is what we reach for by default — matched to the surface and how exposed it is. A west-facing coastal wall gets a different system to an internal hallway.

That said, we will use any brand and any colour you want. Tell us what you have in mind and we will price it that way. The specific products and the number of coats are named on your quote either way, so you know exactly what is going on your walls.

Almost never. We work room by room and put each space back together at the end of the day so the house stays liveable. Modern low odour water based paints make this far easier than it used to be.

If you are having the whole house done at once, or someone in the house is sensitive to fumes, it can be worth being out for a day or two. We will tell you honestly at the quote if we think that applies.

Exterior work stops. Painting over damp surfaces, or letting fresh coats get rained on, causes failures a year or two later — so we would rather lose the day than hand back a job that will not last.

If weather stops us we ring you that morning rather than leaving you wondering, and we pick up on the next suitable day.

Very little. Take down anything precious or fragile, and clear the tops of benches and shelves if you can. We move and cover the rest, mask up and lay drop sheets.

For exterior work we need clear access around the house, plus a tap and a power point.

Yes. One room, a front door, a fence, a patched ceiling after a leak. Ring and ask — and if it is genuinely not worth us coming out, we will tell you straight and often point you at a better option.

We can talk through what works with the light in the room and the finishes you already have. We will always recommend testing sample pots on the actual wall first.

Colour looks completely different on a north facing Newcastle wall in afternoon sun than it does on a chart under shop lighting. Two days with a sample patch saves a lot of regret.

Yes, including for agents and landlords. We can work to a handover date and invoice the agency directly if that is how you need it done.

Newcastle and the surrounding suburbs, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock and Port Stephens.

If your suburb sits outside that, ring and ask. It is usually still a yes.