When water has been inside
FEMA's disaster declaration records show Tippecanoe County in two 2008 major disasters: DR-1740, severe storms and flooding (declared January 30, 2008, incident January 7 to March 14), and DR-1766, severe storms, flooding and tornadoes (declared June 8, 2008, incident May 30 to June 27). Water reaches walls and ceilings in plenty of smaller ways too: a roof leak, a burst supply line, an overflowing tub. Whatever the cause, painting is the last step of the repair, and what comes before it decides the cost. This guide walks through those steps without quoting prices.
First, dry and stop the source
No painter should paint over damp drywall or plaster. Moisture trapped behind fresh paint causes blistering, peeling and returning stains. The source of the water has to be fixed, and the wall or ceiling has to dry fully. A painter may use a moisture meter to check. If the drying isn't done, the paint job isn't ready to start, and the schedule moves.
How far the damage goes
Painting cost after water damage depends on what the water left behind:
- A stain only. The surface is sound but discolored. It needs a stain-blocking primer, then paint.
- Soft or bubbled drywall. The paper face has lifted or the gypsum has softened. That section is cut out and replaced.
- Sagging ceiling board. Usually replaced, not patched.
- Plaster. Old plaster that got wet may lose its bond to the lath. Repair is slower and more skilled.
A painter who also does drywall repair will price these together. Others will want the repairs done first. Ask which applies.
Patching and texture
New drywall is taped, mudded and sanded, often over several days as each coat dries. If the wall or ceiling has a texture (orange peel, knockdown, popcorn), the patch needs to be textured to match. Matching texture well is a skill, and it's often what makes a repair visible or not. Our guide to drywall repair and surface preparation covers the steps.
Stain-blocking primer
Water stains bleed through ordinary paint, sometimes days later. A stain-blocking primer seals them. Some are solvent-based and need ventilation; some are water-based. New drywall mud also needs a primer, or it will show as a dull patch under the finish coat.
How much gets repainted
This is where many people are surprised. Touching up only the repaired patch rarely blends, because old paint has faded and sheen differs. Most painters recommend repainting the whole wall, or the whole ceiling, corner to corner. If the room's walls are all the same color, it may make sense to do the whole room. Ask the painter where they'd stop and why.
Older paint
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. Cutting out damaged drywall or plaster and sanding patches in an older home disturbs painted surfaces. If your home was built before 1978, ask how dust will be contained and cleaned up, and expect that care to be part of the price.
Insurance claims and paperwork
If an insurance claim is involved, the adjuster's scope may describe the painting differently from how a painter would. Ask the painter for a written, itemized proposal that lists each wall and ceiling, the repairs, the primer and the coats, so you can compare it with the claim.
Cost drivers in short
- Drying time before work can start.
- Area of drywall or plaster to replace.
- Texture matching.
- Stain-blocking primer.
- Whole wall, whole ceiling or whole room.
- Older-paint work practices.
See interior painting for how a room repaint is done and the pricing guide for how prices are built.