Table of Contents
- Building paperwork, such as work agreements and insurance certificates, is the first and slowest item on any NYC painting checklist.
- Clear closets, shelves, wall art and small objects; painters usually handle large furniture and floor protection.
- Lock in colors, sheens and extras in writing before the crew arrives, since mid-job changes add coats and days.
- Plan for pets, children, medications and ventilation, especially in older homes with possible lead paint.
- Do not patch walls yourself right before painters arrive unless asked; mismatched repairs can need rework.
Painters are most efficient when a home is ready and most expensive when it is not. A crew that arrives to find closets full, art on the walls, a cat in the hallway and no elevator reservation can lose half a day before the first brush touches a wall. That time ends up on your bill or your calendar.
This is a practical checklist, organized from the day you hire painters to the morning they arrive and the days right after. It is written for New York homes: co-ops with alteration agreements, walk-ups with narrow stairs, coastal houses with flood and humidity concerns, and older buildings where lead paint is a real possibility. Prices are typical planning ranges as of October 2026, and a written itemized quote governs.
1. Your Checklist at a Glance
Print it, copy it, or keep it on your phone. The sections after this table explain each line.
| When | Task | Who | Done? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2–4 weeks before | Ask the managing agent for work rules and insurance requirements | You | [ ] |
| 2–4 weeks before | Book freight elevator or loading access | You or painter | [ ] |
| 1–2 weeks before | Finalize colors, sheens and extras in writing | You and painter | [ ] |
| 1 week before | Photograph walls, floors and furniture for records | You | [ ] |
| 3–5 days before | Clear closets, shelves and wall hangings | You | [ ] |
| 2 days before | Arrange pets, children, medications and valuables | You | [ ] |
| 1 day before | Empty drawers, remove small decor, clear a path | You | [ ] |
| Morning of | Be present or arrange access, confirm parking and elevator | You | [ ] |
| During the job | Stay reachable for decisions and leave the crew a clear workspace | You | [ ] |
| After the job | Walk-through, touch-up list, ventilate | You and painter | [ ] |
2. Paperwork and Building Rules (Start Here)
In NYC the building often controls the calendar more than the painter does.
Co-ops and condos
Ask your managing agent or building office for the renovation or alteration package. Painting is cosmetic and generally does not need a DOB permit, but boards often require a work agreement, a certificate of insurance naming the building and managing agent, and a list of the contractor's workers. Some require approved hours, usually weekdays, often around 9 AM to 5 PM. Many ask for floor protection in hallways and elevators.
Rentals
Check your lease and talk to the landlord before repainting. In NYC, owners of multiple dwellings generally must repaint apartments every three years and between tenancies under the Housing Maintenance Code; the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development explains the rules. If your landlord is doing the painting, your prep list still applies.
Houses
One- and two-family houses do not usually need board approval, but a painter will still want to know about parking, water access, alarm codes and any neighbors affected by exterior work. Interior painting generally does not need a permit; if your project grows to include structural, plumbing or electrical work, ask us about filing requirements.
What the painter will ask you for
- Building name, managing agent contact and loading dock or elevator rules
- Certificate of insurance requirements and sample wording
- Work hours, quiet hours and protection requirements for common areas
- Whether your building has a house painter, approved vendor list or product restrictions
If you are unsure whether your project needs more than painting, see do you need a permit to paint in NYC and the general permit overview.
3. Decisions to Lock In Before the Crew Arrives
Changes made once the crew has started cost coats, days and sometimes premium for rush orders. Settle these in writing.
- Colors and sheens by room. Use sample patches and label each room with the color name and finish.
- Ceilings. Same white, tinted or untouched.
- Trim, doors and baseboards. Matching or contrast, and what sheen.
- Closets and shelves. Do they get painted inside?
- Radiators, windows and built-ins. Heat-rated paint and careful brushwork cost more.
- Repairs. Which cracks, stains or holes need more than standard patching.
- Odor preferences. Ask for low-VOC or low-odor products if anyone in the home is sensitive.
You can size your gallons with the Paint Quantity Calculator to see how many gallons your rooms need, and get a feel for budget with the NYC Paint Cost Estimator.
4. Clearing the Space Room by Room
Painters will cover and move large furniture, but they should not be handling your dishes, laptops or family photos.
Walls
- Take down art, mirrors, shelves, curtains, rods and TV mounts unless the painter agrees to remove them.
- Put nails, screws and hardware in labeled bags and tape them to the back of each piece.
- Leave small nail holes; the crew will fill them.
Closets and storage
Empty closets that will be painted, or pack them into the center of the closet and tell the crew. Clothes in closets pick up paint odor and dust, so bag or box them.
Floors and furniture
- Clear a path from the front door to every room.
- Remove rugs, runners and floor lamps.
- Move small tables, plants and lighter furniture out of the room or into a room that will be painted last.
- Leave heavy furniture where it is and tell the crew what is fragile.
Kitchens and bathrooms
- Empty the counters of small appliances, dishes and toiletries.
- Remove soap dispensers, toothbrush holders and towel bars if they will be painted behind.
- Cover or remove food items near walls.
Electronics and valuables
Unplug and relocate computers, game consoles and stereo equipment. Put jewelry, medications, passports and personal documents in a locked drawer or take them with you.
5. Pets, Children, Health and Ventilation
Pets
Dogs, cats and birds should be out of the home or in a sealed room away from work and fumes. Open doors are a safety risk, and wet paint on paws or fur is hard to remove. Birds are especially sensitive to fumes; talk to a veterinarian about relocation.
Children and infants
Keep children out of work areas. Fresh paint is not for touching, and tools and ladders are hazards. For babies and pregnant family members, choose low-VOC products and consider staying elsewhere for a night. The EPA's indoor air quality resources offer general guidance on ventilating after painting.
Medications and health supplies
Move medications, inhalers and medical equipment to a stable, accessible place. If anyone has respiratory conditions, tell the crew so we can plan product and ventilation.
Ventilation
Open windows when weather allows and use fans pointing outward. In winter, plan a short ventilation window each afternoon.
6. Lead, Asbestos and Older-Building Cautions
Many NYC homes were built before 1978, and older paint may contain lead. Disturbing it by sanding or scraping creates dust. Contractors who are paid to disturb paint in pre-1978 homes must be EPA-certified and follow lead-safe work practices; see the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Program for details. NYC also has its own lead rules for older buildings, especially pre-1960.
What this means for your prep:
- Do not sand, scrape or wash old paint yourself before painters arrive.
- Keep children and pregnant family members away from work areas.
- Tell the contractor about peeling paint, chalky walls or known lead tests.
- Expect containment: plastic sheeting, taped doors, wet methods and HEPA vacuuming.
Asbestos can occur in some older materials such as certain ceiling textures, floor tiles and pipe wrap. Routine painting does not normally disturb these, but scraping popcorn ceilings or sanding old tiles can. If you suspect asbestos, stop and have a survey done before work proceeds.
7. What Painters Normally Handle, and What They Should Not
Know the division of labor so you do not duplicate or leave gaps.
| Task | Painter normally does | You should do |
|---|---|---|
| Moving large furniture | Yes, to the center and covered | Tell them what is fragile |
| Covering floors and trim | Yes | Clear small items |
| Removing switch plates and outlet covers | Yes | Nothing |
| Taking down curtains and rods | Sometimes, if agreed | Do it beforehand if possible |
| Taking down art and mirrors | Rarely | Do it |
| Cleaning walls | Yes, as prep | Avoid scrubbing yourself |
| Filling cracks and holes | Yes | Point out major problems |
| Moving computers and valuables | No | Do it |
| Protecting building common areas | Yes, as required | Share building rules |
| Final cleanup | Yes | Walk through with the crew |
If you want to understand what professional prep includes, read how professionals prep walls for flawless paint. For a DIY comparison, see our guides on painting a room in a weekend and painting a room as a beginner.
8. Neighborhoods and ZIP Codes We Serve
Prep needs change with the building. Here are six areas and the ZIPs we serve.
- Lower East Side (Manhattan), ZIP 10002. Tenements, walk-ups and newer condos. Narrow stairs mean everything has to be carried, so clear paths and bag small items. Landings should be free of strollers and bikes. Elevator buildings often need advance booking.
- Bensonhurst (Brooklyn), ZIPs 11204, 11214. Brick row houses, attached homes and multifamily buildings. Basement and garden-level units often need moisture checks, and shared stairs and hallways need protection.
- Rockaway Beach (Queens), ZIPs 11693, 11694. Coastal homes and bungalows with flood-zone elevation rules and salt-air humidity. Keep windows open during drying where possible, and expect mildew-resistant products in baths and lower levels.
- Mariners Harbor (Staten Island), ZIP 10303. Two-family and attached homes. Coordinating with tenants on the other floor and clearing shared basement access saves time.
- Long Beach (Nassau County, Long Island), ZIP 11561. Barrier-island homes and condos, with flood-zone elevation rules and humid conditions. Condo associations may require insurance certificates and quiet hours.
- Union (Union County, NJ), ZIP 07083. Capes, ranches and colonials. Houses are easy to access, but check with the local construction office if the project grows beyond painting.
9. Why Painters Who Plan Beat Painters Who Improvise
A checklist helps because painting is a sequence, and a good crew follows it. N.Y. Renovation Services runs interior painting as part of an in-house design-and-build team, so prep, repairs and finish are handled by one accountable company instead of a patchwork of vendors.
What we do before day one
- Walkthrough and itemized quote. Rooms, surfaces, repairs and sheens are written down, not guessed.
- Building coordination. We help with work agreements, certificates of insurance and elevator booking, and we work within your building's hours.
- Product and color confirmation. We confirm products, color codes and sheens in writing before ordering.
- Lead-safe planning. If your home predates 1978, we plan containment and cleanup under the EPA rule.
What we handle on the day
Our crew covers floors and furniture, protects hallways and elevators where required, removes hardware, and keeps the work area orderly. We prepare surfaces before painting: cleaning, scraping, patching, sanding, priming and caulking. We do the cutting-in and rolling in a controlled order, and we finish with a walkthrough so you can flag touch-ups.
Why not hire a handyman or do it yourself
A handyman may paint a room quickly, but may not carry commercial insurance for a co-op, may not know lead-safe practices, and often does not handle surface prep to a professional standard. DIY prep is cheaper in cash but costs time, and mistakes in prep can show under the final coat for years. Patches that are not primed flash through; caulk that is skipped opens gaps; and tape left on too long pulls paint. A licensed, insured crew with a written scope removes those risks.
When the checklist uncovers bigger work
Prep sometimes reveals what a repaint cannot cover: a ceiling stain from a slow leak upstairs, a bathroom wall that is soft behind the paint, or floors that need refinishing before the walls are touched. Because our in-house team also handles plaster, drywall, tile and flooring, we can price those repairs inside the same quote and sequence them correctly, rather than leaving you to find another contractor midstream. If you would rather see all of it up front, request a walkthrough estimate and we will list every repair separately so you can approve what you want.
Pricing and values
Typical planning ranges as of October 2026, prep included, are roughly $1,500–$3,000 for a studio, $2,500–$5,000 for a one-bedroom, $4,000–$8,000 for a two-bedroom and $6,000–$12,000 for a three-bedroom. Skim coating adds about $2–$5 per square foot, and kitchen cabinet painting is about $3,500–$9,000. Building rules, access, hazmat and finishes move prices. Our pricing is transparent, with detailed contracts and no hidden fees, and 5% of total project cost is donated to a nonprofit of your choice.
10. What to Expect on Painting Day and After
Morning
Crews usually arrive at the building's start time. They check in with the doorman or super, load materials, protect common areas and walk the apartment with you. This is the time to point out fragile items, stains and areas of concern.
During the day
Expect ladders, drop cloths and some noise from sanders if heavy prep is needed. Painters will keep doors open for ventilation and try to finish a room at a time. Stay reachable for decisions, but avoid hovering; a crew in a small apartment needs space to work.
End of day
The crew cleans tools, closes paint cans, and removes trash. A good crew will not leave wet paint on door handles, but be careful with rooms in progress.
After the job
- Walk through with the crew in good light and note touch-ups.
- Ventilate for a day or two.
- Delay hanging heavy art or pushing furniture against walls for a few days.
- Keep labels of paint colors and sheens for future touch-ups.
- Save the paperwork, including product data and the quote.
For outdoor areas such as patios and walkways, prep differs; see our guide to painting concrete pavers.
11. Next Steps: Get Your Free Estimate
You can follow every item above and still be glad you hired people who do this daily. Tell us your rooms, building type and timeline through our online quote request, or call (347) 455-1741, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. We accept texts too.
We will walk through prep, building rules and finishes with you, confirm what your co-op or condo requires, and return an itemized written quote. For deeper reading, the Interior Painting in NYC guide covers costs and prep, the NYC renovation cost guide for 2026 covers larger projects, and the Home Painter Handbook collects our painting advice in one place.
Safety Note: All work follows OSHA 30 safety and EPA Lead-Safe practices for pre-1978 homes. Check local permit requirements before starting.
James - Lead Renovation Editor. With over 20 years in renovation and construction, James writes and edits our guides. More about James