Interior painting in Manhattan is apartment work, and much of it is in buildings from before World War II. Plaster walls, high ceilings and trim under many coats of old paint need repair, skim coating and the right primer before color goes on. We also work to your building's rules: insurance certificate, work hours and service elevator.
Most interior painting we do in Manhattan happens inside an apartment, with neighbors on every side and a building staff that wants to know the plan. Before the first drop cloth goes down we ask for your building's alteration or decorating rules. Co-ops and condos commonly want a certificate of insurance, fixed work hours and a booked service elevator. We cover hallway floors on the way in, keep ladders and cans out of common areas, and leave the apartment usable each evening where the job allows.
Pre-war walls are plaster, and plaster tells you its history. You see hairline cracks along the ceiling, ridges where old patches meet, alligatored paint on window casings and soft spots under a radiator leak. We scrape what is loose, fill and tape the cracks, skim coat walls that are too rough to hide, sand, and prime with a product matched to the surface. Stains from old leaks get a stain-blocking primer first. Only then do two finish coats go on walls, ceilings and trim.
Expect us to ask about lead before we sand. Paint in buildings from before 1978 may contain it, and in those homes we use lead-safe work methods that hold dust down and keep it out of the rest of the apartment. You should also expect a written quote that lists rooms, surfaces, repairs, primer and number of coats. Painting needs no Department of Buildings permit. At the end we walk every room with you in daylight and touch up what you point out.
Interior painting in New York: common questions
Does my co-op board have to approve an interior paint job?
Each building sets its own rule. Many treat painting as decorating and only ask for the contractor's certificate of insurance and a start date. Others want a short form signed. Ask your managing agent, then send us what they need and we will supply it.
Can I stay in my Manhattan apartment while it is painted?
Usually yes. We work room by room, move and cover furniture, and use low-odor paints on request. In a studio or a one bedroom, it is tighter, so we plan the order with you and keep the bed and the kitchen reachable each night.
Why does paint keep peeling near my windows and radiators?
Heat, steam and condensation work on old paint layers there, and a past leak may have left the plaster damp or chalky. New paint over that fails again. We remove the loose layers, let the wall dry, repair the plaster and prime before repainting.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We walk the job and measure.
- Written quote: Prep, paint and price in writing.
- Prep & protect: We cover floors and furniture, repair and prime surfaces.
- Paint & walk-through: Two coats, clean lines, full clean-up and a final walk-through.