Our House Painting Process from Survey to Handover

How many steps are there in the house painting process?

The house painting process at Phuket Pro Painters has four steps, and the steps are the same for every job, from a single room to a whole building:

1. Site survey and measurement
2. Written quotation
3. Surface preparation and painting
4. Inspection and handover

This order means the customer knows the area, the scope and the price before a painter opens a tin, and has the chance to inspect the work with the painter before accepting it.

Step 1: What happens during the site survey and measurement?

The site survey starts with an appointment to visit the property. The painter measures the real area in square metres, checks the condition of the wall surfaces and asks what the customer wants. There is no charge for this step.

The painter looks at four things during the survey:

• Area. Walls, ceilings, woodwork and metalwork, each measured separately, with doors and windows taken off.
• Surface condition. Whether the old paint is firmly attached or flaking, and whether there are algae, mould or damp walls.
• Height and access. The number of storeys, space for scaffolding, the way in, and the rules of the estate or building.
• Requirements. The parts to be painted, the colours, the hiring option and the timing.

If the painter finds a problem that painting cannot solve, the customer is told at this step. Phuket Pro Painters does not take on waterproofing, structural crack repair or leak repair work. A specialist should finish those repairs first, and the painting is booked afterwards.

Step 2: What is in the written quotation?

The quotation turns the survey findings into a document. The quotation lists the areas, the work items, the hiring option, the price and the warranty terms, for the customer to check and agree before work starts.

There are two hiring options to choose from in the document. One is labour only, where the customer buys the paint and we calculate the quantity. The other is labour and paint together. Surface preparation and scaffolding or work at height are shown as separate lines under both options.

The customer can ask questions or ask for the scope to be adjusted before agreeing. Work starts only once the customer has agreed to the quotation. The first two steps are described in detail on the page about the free site survey and painting quotation.

Step 3: In what order are surface preparation and painting done?

Surface preparation and painting take the most time of the four steps. The painters work in this order:

1. Cover floors and furniture, along with door and window frames, switches and anything else that must stay free of paint.
2. Clean the surface. Dust, stains and algae are washed off and the wall is left to dry.
3. Scrape loose old paint down to a layer that is firmly attached, then sand smooth.
4. Fill hairline marks, nail holes and fine surface lines, then sand flush with the wall.
5. Prime with a primer that matches the type of surface.
6. Apply the top coats, in the number agreed. The default is two, with each coat left to dry for the time the paint manufacturer states on the label.

How much preparation is needed depends on the wall condition found at the survey. The levels and the scope are explained on the page about surface preparation before painting and what it costs.

How does Phuket's weather affect the painting step?

Exterior work in Phuket depends on the sky, above all during the south-west monsoon from roughly May to October. Paint must go onto a dry wall and needs time to dry before rain arrives. On wet days the painters stop exterior work or switch to interior work. Interior painting can be done in any season, but paint dries more slowly when humidity is high. Opening windows or running fans helps the air move.

Can I stay in the house while the painters work?

Customers can stay in the house during the job. The team agrees the order of the rooms with the customer, so that some living space is always usable. For rental villas, resorts and offices, the order and the working hours are arranged around how the property is used, for example between guest bookings.

Owners who are abroad do not need to be present. A house manager can open the property, and the team can report progress in English by message.

Step 4: How do inspection and handover work?

Inspection and handover begin when the final coat is dry. The painter walks through the work with the customer, area by area. Anything that is not right, such as an edge that is not crisp, a patchy spot or a missed place, is touched up first. The painters then remove the coverings, clean the site and hand the work over.

Things worth looking at during the walk-through:

• how even the colour is in natural light;
• the lines where walls meet ceilings, mouldings and door frames;
• the areas behind doors, in corners and around switches;
• floors, furniture and glass, to confirm that no paint has been left on them.

If the owner cannot attend, a property manager can do the walk-through and send photographs.

What happens after handover?

After handover, the work is covered by the Phuket Pro Painters workmanship warranty. The period and terms are the ones stated in the quotation for that job. The general scope and how to report a problem are on the page about the warranty after handover.

How do I start the first step?

The first step starts with booking a site survey. Send the details through the page to request a quotation and a free site survey, or call 063-004-0115. Our painters have more than 10 years of experience and the team speaks English, so foreign homeowners and property managers can deal with us directly.