Painting & Decorating across North West London

Why does preparation matter?

Washing down, filling and sanding, caulking gaps at skirtings and architraves, stain-blocking water marks and nicotine, sealing new plaster with a mist coat, and priming bare timber and metal. On older properties this also means dealing with flaking distemper, previously papered walls and the results of past bad decorating.

Interiors

Walls, ceilings, woodwork, doors, staircases and cupboards. Quoted per room against a written specification stating the number of coats, the products and what is and is not included, so "two coats" means two coats rather than one and a hopeful look.

Exteriors

Render, masonry, fascias, soffits, windows and doors. Exterior work is weather-dependent and season-dependent and we will tell you honestly if the time of year is wrong for it. Painting exterior masonry in November is a way of paying twice.

Void and end-of-tenancy decorating

The most common decorating we do is turning a property around between tenancies, usually to a tight deadline. A typical two-bedroom flat is a two to four day job depending on condition. We will tell you which rooms genuinely need full redecoration and which only need touching in, because doing everything is rarely the best use of the budget.

Wallpaper

Hanging and, more often, removing. Stripping is charged separately because it varies enormously. Some paper comes off in sheets, some takes a steamer and a day, and some has been hung directly onto unsealed plaster and takes the surface with it. We will tell you which you have before quoting the decoration.

Who is this for?

Landlords turning a property around to a move-in date, homeowners redecorating, and agents managing voids.

Which mistakes do we see most often?

Choosing on price without comparing what preparation is included. Two quotes for the same room can differ widely, and the difference is almost always filling, sanding, caulking and priming: the part you cannot see and the part that decides whether it still looks right in five years. The other is painting exterior masonry in the wrong season and paying twice.

Why people trust us

• Electrical or plumbing items on the list go to a registered electrician or one of our plumbers, on the same visit where we can
• A walk-in office on Kenton Lane, not a serviced address
• A written specification, so you know what is included and what would count as an extra
• A time slot rather than a morning-or-afternoon window
• Work photographed before and after, and reported
• We tell you when you do not need something we sell

We are building a review profile under this name and would rather show you none than borrow someone else's. Ask us for references from landlords and we will put you in touch.