Preparing your home before the painter arrives

What the occupant prepares, what the professional takes on

The rule is simple: the occupant clears and tidies, the professional protects and masks. You know your belongings better than anyone; the painter knows how to protect surfaces. This division avoids misunderstandings on the day of the work.

Occupant’s side	Painter’s side (Renovhome SA)
Take down frames, mirrors, curtain rails, removable light fittings	Protect the floors (card, dust sheets, protective fleece)
Empty shelves, bookcases and wall cupboards	Mask skirting boards, frames and switches
Clear around sockets and switches	Cover the furniture gathered in the centre
Gather the furniture in the middle of the room	Prepare the surfaces (filling, sanding, primer)
Remove fragile items, plants and sensitive textiles	Clean up and fold away the protections at the end of the work

If you are unsure about a particular element (radiator cover, wall light, blind), it is better to flag it beforehand than to take it down yourself.

Clearing the walls and the surfaces to be painted

The walls must be bare wherever the painting takes place. This is the step that sets up everything else.

• Take down frames, photos, mirrors, wall shelves, hooks and curtain rails.
• Remove anything fixed to the wall when it can be detached without special tools (light fixtures, adhesive hooks).
• Fill the holes or not? No need to deal with this yourself: filling plug holes and sanding are part of the surface preparation carried out by the painter.
• Empty the furniture standing against the walls (bookcases, dressers) so that it can be moved aside safely.
• Point out the plugs you wish to keep, as well as where frames should be put back afterwards.

A photo of the walls before taking things down helps put everything back in place after the work. Also note anything that must stay in place (alarm, detector, thermostat).

Freeing up access, keys and furniture

Access to the home and movement inside it matter just as much as the walls themselves.

Access and keys

• Agree in advance on the arrival times and how the keys will be handed over (by you, by the property management company or by the caretaker).
• Check access to the common areas: lift, goods lift, entry code, parking space for unloading equipment.
• If you are a tenant, inform the property management company of the date of the work.

Furniture and movement

• Gather the movable furniture in the centre of each room; the painter will cover it on site.
• Clear a passage between the entrance and the rooms to be painted for moving equipment.
• Dismantle anything that comes apart easily if the room is small (side table, chairs).
• Heavy furniture (wardrobe, piano, appliances) should be flagged: moving it is discussed before the work begins.

Fragile items, floors, electronics and ventilation

Some elements call for particular attention before the protections are put in place.

• Fragile and valuable items: crockery, ornaments, frames, portable electronics — to be stored away from the room, sheltered from sanding dust.
• Plants and animals: to be kept away from the work areas; paint smells and dust do not suit them.
• Textiles: curtains, rugs and cushions should be taken down and stored in a dry place.
• Floors: leave them clear. Their protection (card, fleece, dust sheets) is laid by the painter; you do not need to cover them yourself.
• Fixed electronics: wall-mounted TV, internet router, speakers — flag anything that stays plugged in so that masking or disconnection can be arranged.
• Ventilation: plan to be able to air the rooms; check that the windows open and that the air vents are accessible.

Your presence during the work

Should you stay on site while the painter works? It depends on the project and on your schedule — there is no single rule.

• At the start, a brief presence is useful: a walk through the room with the professional, a reminder of any particular points, confirmation of the colours and the areas involved.
• During the work, your continued presence is generally not needed if access and instructions are clear.
• At handover, set aside a moment to go through the room together under good lighting and note any touch-ups.

For an occupied home, the work can be organised room by room to keep liveable spaces available. For a between-tenancy repaint or an empty home, key access is often enough. At Renovhome SA, a dedicated contact follows you from measuring to handover, which simplifies the coordination of access and instructions.

The checklist to tick off before the day

To go through in the days leading up to the work:

Walls and surfaces

• Frames, mirrors, curtain rails and shelves taken down
• Wall shelves and cupboards emptied
• Around sockets and switches cleared

Furniture and access

• Movable furniture gathered in the centre of the rooms
• Passage free between the entrance and the rooms to be painted
• Heavy furniture and fixed elements flagged to the painter
• Access, keys and schedule agreed (and property manager informed if tenant)

Fragile and sensitive

• Fragile items, portable electronics and ornaments removed
• Plants, animals and textiles put out of harm’s way
• Ability to air the rooms checked

Floor protection, masking and covering of the furniture do not appear on this list: these are the professional’s tasks. If you are unsure about any point, it is best to raise it during the quote visit.