The awkward part of the house
Stairwells and upper hallways are some of the hardest spaces in a house to paint. The wall over the stairs can be the tallest in the home, there's no flat floor beneath it, and everyone needs to use the stairs while the work is going on. Halls are narrow, lined with doors and trim, and scuffed from daily traffic. All of this means a painter prices these spaces with care, and quotes can differ a lot. This guide explains why. It doesn't quote prices.
Waterbury is in the Naugatuck Valley planning region and the Naugatuck Valley council of governments, according to the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management. The layout of your own stairs, more than anything about the town, will drive the price.
Height and setup
The tall wall over the stairs is the single largest variable. A painter can't stand a normal ladder on stairs. Common setups include:
- an adjustable ladder that sets one leg on a step and the other on a higher one;
- a plank spanning from a step to the landing, supported at each end;
- small scaffold sections made for stairs.
Setup and moving take time, and the work is slower from a plank than from the floor. The ceiling over the stairwell, and any light fixture there, adds to the reach problem.
Railings, balusters and newels
If the railing is painted, it's often the slowest part of the job. Each baluster or spindle has four or more faces and needs careful brushing. Turned spindles take longer than square ones. The handrail must be smooth and fully cured before people use it again. Ask whether the railing is included, and how long the stairs will be off limits.
If the handrail is stained wood and the balusters are painted, the line between them takes extra care.
Walls and scuffs
Stair and hall walls collect hand marks, scrapes from carried furniture, and dents. Each needs filling, sanding and spot-priming. Walls with years of patches may need a full primer coat to avoid flashing.
Trim and doors
Upstairs halls often have several doors in a short length: bedrooms, a bathroom, a linen closet. Each door and its casing adds brushing time. Stair skirt boards and baseboards along the steps are fiddly, and they take scuffs from shoes.
Choosing a finish that lasts
These walls get touched more than most, so a more washable finish is common: eggshell, satin or a scrubbable matte. Trim, handrails and doors usually take a semi-gloss. Our paint sheens guide explains the trade-offs.
Light and color
Stairwells are often lit from one window or a single fixture, so the same color can look quite different at the top and bottom of the stairs. Try a sample on the tall wall and look at it in the evening as well as during the day. Light colors brighten a dim hall; very dark colors show every scuff and hand mark. If the stairwell connects two floors painted in different colors, decide where one color stops and the next starts before the painter arrives, usually at an inside corner or a natural break in the trim.
Keeping the stairs usable
Most households can't give up the stairs for long. Ask the painter:
- whether they'll work one side of the stairs at a time;
- how long the steps will be covered;
- when the handrail can be used;
- how they'll keep paths clear at night.
Older paint
EPA runs its Renovation, Repair and Painting program in states it has not authorized; Connecticut isn't among the states EPA lists as running their own EPA-authorized programs. If old paint could contain lead, ask the painter how they'll contain sanding dust on the stairs and landings. EPA's program page explains the rule.
Comparing quotes
Check that each quote states:
- how the stairwell will be reached, and with what equipment;
- whether the stairwell ceiling is included;
- railings, balusters and newel posts, painted or not;
- walls, trim, skirt boards and doors in the hall;
- patching and priming;
- products, sheens and number of coats;
- how long the stairs will be off limits.
Our interior painting page, the drywall repair and surface preparation guide and the pricing guide explain the rest.