Painting is the last step of a flood repair
After a house floods, the order of work is drying out, tearing out wet materials, drying again, then rebuilding with new drywall, insulation, trim and flooring. Painting comes at the end, and it's often priced separately from the rebuild. It's also easy to underestimate: new drywall, patched walls and a mix of new and old trim each need their own preparation.
Flooding is part of this area's record. The National Hurricane Center's Hurricane Harvey report says about 110,000 structures were flooded in Jefferson, Orange, Hardin and Tyler counties, with historic flooding in northeastern Beaumont and record water levels on Pine Island Bayou and the Lower Neches River. Its report on Tropical Storm Imelda, in September 2019, says rainfall topped 30 inches across several counties including Beaumont, with 44.29 inches recorded 2 miles south-southwest of Fannett, and an estimated 5,100 homes flooded in Jefferson County.
First, the walls must be dry
Paint over damp drywall, framing or plaster can blister, peel and trap moisture where mold grows. Before painting, the rebuild crew should confirm the materials are dry. A painter may also check with a moisture meter. If they find damp walls, waiting is cheaper than repainting.
New drywall is not ready for color
Fresh drywall has two different surfaces: the paper face and the joint compound over seams and screws. They absorb paint differently, and without a primer the seams show through as dull stripes. Painting new drywall usually means:
- Checking the finishing: seams, corners and screw holes smooth, sanded and free of dust.
- A drywall primer or primer-sealer over everything new.
- Two finish coats.
If the finishing isn't smooth, a painter will either fix it at extra cost or point it out before painting. Our guide to drywall repair and surface preparation explains the levels of finish and what a painter looks for.
Matching old and new
Many flood repairs replace only the lower part of the walls. The upper part keeps its old paint, the lower part is new drywall. Painting only the new section rarely matches; the usual answer is to paint whole walls, corner to corner, and often whole rooms. That adds area to the quote, but avoids a visible line.
Water stains on ceilings and upper walls need a stain-blocking primer, or they bleed through new paint.
Trim and doors
After a flood, baseboards, door casings and lower doors are often replaced. New trim may be primed from the factory or bare; either way it needs caulking, nail-hole filling and finish coats. Reused trim needs cleaning, sanding and priming. Count each in the quote.
Coordination and schedule
Flood rebuilds involve several trades. Painting is best done after drywall finishing and before new flooring and final trim, or with floors fully protected. Ask the painter how they'll fit around the other crews, and who handles the gap if drywall finishing isn't ready on the day they arrive.
Products for the rebuild
A good primer-sealer for new drywall, a washable finish for walls, a flat ceiling paint and a harder enamel for trim are typical. In bathrooms and kitchens, paint made for high-humidity rooms is worth asking about. See interior painting and paint sheens and finishes.
Older homes and lead
In a house built before 1978, a flood repair may disturb old paint on walls and trim that stay. Under EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, since April 22, 2010 firms doing renovation, repair or painting that disturbs lead-based paint in homes built before 1978 must hold EPA or state certification and use trained renovators who follow lead-safe work practices. That applies to sanding and scraping of the old surfaces before painting. You can ask whether the painting firm holds that certification.
Comparing post-flood painting quotes
Check each one for: drying confirmation, primer on all new drywall, whole-wall or whole-room coverage, stain-blocking primer, trim counts, coats, coordination with other trades and floor protection. The pricing guide has more on what moves painting prices.