Painting is the last step, not the first
After water comes into a house, the painter's work comes at the end of a longer sequence: water out, wet materials out, everything dried, repairs made, and only then primer and paint. Painting too early is the most expensive mistake on this kind of job, because paint sealed over damp drywall or wood can blister, peel and trap moisture behind it. This guide explains what drives the painting part of the cost. We don't publish prices.
The river record
NWS lists the Coosa River's record crest at Gadsden as 525.1 feet on 1886-04-06 and a 517.8-foot crest on 1961-02-26; the most recent crest it lists is 512.44 feet on 2019-03-04. Water can also come in from a burst pipe, a roof leak or a storm, and the painting steps afterward are much the same.
What ADPH says about wet materials and drying
ADPH's flood clean-up guidance says standing water should be removed as quickly as possible, materials that are wet and cannot be thoroughly cleaned and dried should be discarded, and drying out can take several weeks.
For a painting job, that guidance has two consequences. First, some of what used to be painted may be gone: lower drywall, baseboards, door casings and other trim that couldn't be cleaned and dried get replaced, and new material arrives bare. Second, the start date depends on drying, not on the painter's calendar. Ask the painter how they'll confirm walls and trim are dry before they prime, and be wary of anyone ready to paint the week after the water is out.
New drywall: finishing before painting
Replaced drywall has to be taped, finished and sanded smooth before it can be painted, and the quality of that finishing decides whether the repair line shows through. Some painters do it; others expect it done before they arrive. Ask who finishes the drywall, how many coats of compound, and whether the price assumes a ready-to-prime surface. Our guide to drywall repair and surface preparation explains the steps.
Primer: new surfaces and old stains
New drywall needs a primer made for bare drywall so the paint dries evenly. Walls that stayed but carry water lines or stains need a stain-blocking primer, or the marks bleed through. Ask what primer goes where; it's one of the clearest differences between bids for this kind of job.
Whole walls or patches
Painting only the repaired lower part of a wall almost always shows a line. Most painters recommend repainting each affected wall corner to corner, and often the whole room, so the color and sheen match. If several rooms were hit, painting them all with the same colors at once saves setup time. Ask how the painter proposes to handle matching.
New trim and doors
Replacement baseboards, casings and doors may come primed or bare. They need caulking, filling of nail holes, and finish coats, all of which are brushed by hand. Ask whether trim painting is in the price and whether the painter or a carpenter installs the new pieces.
Older paint
Removing water-damaged materials and sanding old painted trim can disturb old paint. EPA runs the RRP program in states it has not authorized; Alabama is among the states that run their own EPA-authorized programs, with Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. Ask the painter how they handle dust and cleanup if the house may have older layers of paint, and how those steps are priced.
Questions to ask before painting starts
- How will you confirm walls and trim are dry?
- Who finishes the new drywall, and to what level?
- Which primer will you use on new drywall, and which on stains?
- Will you repaint whole walls or rooms so the color matches?
- Is trim painting included, and who installs new trim?
Our pricing guide and the interior painting page cover the general steps and factors.