New home painting, done at the pace fresh plaster needs.
New walls are not ready to paint just because they look dry. Fresh plaster is alkaline and holds moisture, and rushing it is the most common reason a new home's paint fails within a year.
- Free site inspection
- Written, itemised quote
- 1-year workmanship warranty
- Same-day callback
At a glance
How is painting a new home different?
Fresh plaster holds construction moisture and is chemically alkaline, both of which attack a coating applied too early. It needs time to cure, a full putty and levelling stage because new surfaces are rarely true, and an alkali-resistant primer. Skipping any of that causes patchy finish, discolouration or peeling later.
When this is the answer, and when it is not.
Sending you to the wrong service wastes your money and our time. This is how to tell.
This is likely right if
- The property is newly built or newly plastered and has never been painted
- You are taking handover of a new flat or house and want it finished before moving in
- Walls have been replastered after alterations
- You want the job done before furniture and flooring arrive
Something else comes first if
- Plaster is still visibly damp or was applied very recently
- Wet trades, plumbing, tiling, civil work, are still running in the same rooms
- The floor finish is going in after painting, which risks damaging fresh coats
What the service includes.
Moisture and cure check
We assess whether the plaster is ready. If it is not, we say so rather than painting to your schedule.
Full putty and levelling
New plaster is rarely flat. Putty, applied and sanded back, is what makes the finished wall look true.
Alkali-resistant primer
New plaster is alkaline. The primer is chosen to handle that, not simply to seal.
Finish coats
Applied once the surface is properly prepared, to the agreed product and coat count.
Protection of new fittings
New flooring, fittings and joinery masked and covered.
Handover-ready finish
Cleaned and inspected so you can move in rather than clean up after us.
Not included, or quoted separately
- Plastering and civil finishing itself
- Waterproofing of terraces and wet areas
- Deep cleaning of the property before handover
- Modular furniture, false ceiling and joinery installation
- Rectifying builder defects in the plaster, unless quoted
The sequence.
Assess readiness
We check the plaster's condition and whether it has cured enough to take a coating.
Written scope
Including whether full putty is needed on every wall or only some.
Level the surfaces
Putty applied and sanded until the wall reads flat under raking light.
Prime
An alkali-resistant primer suited to new plaster.
Apply the coats
To specification, protecting new floors and fittings throughout.
Clean and hand over
So the home is ready to occupy, not ready to be cleaned.
What moves the price on this job.
We do not publish a rate, because it would change once someone measured your property. These are the variables that decide it.
- Whether full putty is needed across all surfaces, on new plaster it usually is
- Measured wall and ceiling area
- How true the plaster is, and how much levelling that demands
- Emulsion grade and finish chosen
- Whether ceilings and joinery are in scope
- Coordination with other trades still working in the property
New Home Painting — your questions.
How long should we wait before painting a new house?
Long enough for the plaster to cure, which depends on how thick it is, the weather and how well the property ventilates. We assess it rather than quoting a fixed number, because painting too early is the single most common cause of failure in new homes.
Does new plaster really need full putty?
Almost always. New surfaces are rarely flat enough to take a finish without it, and the difference is obvious under raking light. It's the largest single line in a new-home quotation and we itemise it rather than hiding it.
Should we paint before or after the flooring goes in?
Generally paint first and floor afterwards where the sequence allows, so fresh coats are not damaged. Where flooring is already down, we protect it thoroughly. Tell us the build sequence and we'll advise.
The builder has already painted it. Is that enough?
Builder finishes vary. Often it's a thin coat over unlevelled plaster to make handover look complete. We'll tell you honestly whether it's a sound base to work over or whether it needs taking back.
Let us look at your walls first.
Tell us about the property and we will set up a free colour and wall inspection. You get a written, itemised quotation afterwards, with no obligation to go ahead.
- We call you back the same day to get a picture of the property and the surfaces.
- We agree a time and come out for the free inspection.
- You get the written scope and itemised quotation.
- Nothing starts until you approve it.