Start with the scope, not the color
Most painting disagreements trace back to a proposal that left something out. Before anyone in Lima quotes your job, write down what you expect painted and what you don't. A useful scope names:
- each room, or each side of the house;
- whether ceilings, closets, trim, doors, window sashes and baseboards are included;
- what repairs come first, from nail pops to rotted sill boards;
- how many coats, and of which products;
- who moves furniture, and who takes down and rehangs fixtures, outlet covers and curtain rods.
With that list in hand, bids become comparable. One painter's lower number often turns out to cover fewer surfaces or less preparation.
Preparation is where the money goes
For an interior, preparation means cleaning walls, filling holes and cracks, sanding glossy trim so the new coat grips, caulking gaps at trim, and spot-priming every patch. Skipping primer over patches leaves dull spots called flashing that show through the topcoat. Our drywall repair and surface preparation guide explains each step.
For an exterior, it means washing, scraping loose paint, sanding the edges, replacing failed caulk, fixing soft wood and priming bare spots. A proposal that says "scrape and paint" without more detail leaves a lot open.
Older paint and the federal lead rule
Under EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint in homes, childcare facilities and preschools built before 1978 must hold RRP certification, firms included, even sole proprietorships, and their workers must be trained in lead-safe work practices.
If your Lima house was built before 1978, the prep steps above, scraping, sanding and removing trim, are exactly the kind of work the rule covers. Ask whether the firm holds RRP certification and how the crew will contain chips and dust. On the outside, that usually means plastic sheeting spread on the ground under the work; inside, it means sealed doorways, covered floors and a careful wet cleanup at the end.
Cleanup and what happens to leftover paint
Lima's refuse brochure says residents may place up to 3 cubic yards of material at the curb with their trash containers at no extra charge, but it excludes unauthorized items such as tires, paint and auto parts. Material over 3 cubic yards is removed and charged to the resident, and materials may not go out before 6:00 p.m. the day before pickup.
For a painting job, that matters in two ways:
- Leftover paint isn't curbside trash. Agree with the painter, in writing, whether they take unused paint, partly used cans and rinse water with them, or leave labeled touch-up cans for you.
- Old trim, doors and debris add up. If a job includes removing damaged siding, trim or shutters, the scrap has to go somewhere. Ask whether hauling is in the price, rather than assuming it will fit at the curb.
Keep one labeled can of each color for touch-ups, with the room and the date written on the lid. It saves guessing at a match later.
Interior or exterior first?
If both are on your list, interior work can be scheduled in any season, while exterior painting needs dry days and temperatures within the range printed on the product label, including overnight while the paint cures. Many homeowners book the outside for the warm months and the inside for the colder ones, when crews often have more open dates.
For walls and ceilings, see interior painting. If the project includes kitchen cabinets, cabinet painting and refinishing is a separate, slower job, and it's worth getting a separate line for it.
Comparing two Lima bids
Lay the proposals side by side and check each against your scope list. Look for the products by name, the number of coats, the prep steps, the repair allowance, the cleanup and disposal plan and the start date. Our pricing guide covers the factors that move the total up or down, and our guide to sheens helps you decide what finish each room needs.