The shape of a painting project
Whether it's a few rooms or the outside of the house, a painting project in Missoula follows a fairly predictable path. Knowing that path helps you plan your household around it, and it helps you spot a crew that's skipping a stage. This page walks through a typical project in order, with the questions to ask at each stage.
Stage one: the estimate visit
A painter comes out to see the house. They should look closely at every surface you want painted, ask what you have in mind for color and sheen, and point out problems: peeling, cracks, stains, soft wood, mildew. Walk along. Mention anything you already know, such as a ceiling stain from an old leak or trim that keeps cracking.
If the house was built before 1978, this is the moment that should come up. The EPA rule printed on this page says anyone paid to disturb paint in such homes must hold RRP certification, firms included, and their workers must be trained in lead-safe work practices. Ask the painter whether the firm holds the RRP certification that rule describes.
Stage two: the written proposal
A good proposal arrives in writing and describes the work, not just the price:
- each room or exterior surface included;
- the preparation for each, from washing and scraping to patching and caulking;
- primer and finish products, sheens and number of coats;
- who moves furniture and covers floors and plants;
- how repairs that turn up mid-job are handled;
- how long the work will take and how payment is arranged.
Compare proposals line by line. A lower number often means fewer lines.
Stage three: booking and getting ready
Painters book ahead, and exterior work is weather-dependent, so dates can shift. Ask how the painter will tell you about delays. Before the start date, clear what you can: small furniture, wall hangings, items along the house exterior, cars from the driveway if a lift or ladders need space. Arrange for pets and for anyone in the house who's sensitive to odors.
Stage four: preparation days
On many jobs the first days produce no new color at all. Inside, the crew moves and covers furniture, removes switch plates, fills and sands holes, spot-primes patches and stains, and caulks trim gaps. Outside, they wash, let the house dry, scrape, sand, repair and prime. This is where the quality of the job is decided. Our surface preparation guide explains each step.
Stage five: painting and drying
Finish coats go on in a planned order, usually ceilings, then walls, then trim and doors inside; and top to bottom outside. Each coat needs its label's drying time before the next one.
In an average year at Missoula/Bell Field, NOAA counts about 0 hours with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F and about 15 hours above 67°F. Those are the figures from NOAA's engineering weather data for Missoula/Bell Field. The wet-bulb temperature combines heat and humidity in one reading. Whatever the counts, each day's painting window outside is set by the temperature, dew and rain limits printed on the product labels. Ask the crew how they read those limits and when they stop for the day.
Stage six: the walk-through
When the painter says the job is done, walk it together in good light. Look for missed spots, thin coverage, drips, rough patches, paint on glass or floors, and uneven lines where walls meet ceilings and trim. Make a list, and agree on when the corrections will be made. Check that hardware, switch plates and outdoor items are back in place and that debris is gone.
Stage seven: touch-ups and leftovers
Ask the painter to leave labeled leftover paint for each color and sheen, with the product name, so future touch-ups match. Write down which product went where. Paint can look different once fully cured, so a few touch-ups after a week or two are normal; ask whether a return visit is included.
Where to read more
Our interior painting and exterior painting pages explain each kind of job, and the pricing guide explains what moves the total.