You have the keys to your new-build home and want to turn it into a home as soon as possible. The walls are often handed over ready for wallpaper or ready for spraying, but that does not mean you can put paint on them straight away. New plaster is still damp, the surface is very absorbent and small imperfections only show once there is colour on them. In this article you will read how to paint a new-build home so you can enjoy it for years.
New-build homes are usually handed over with walls at a certain level of finish. Ready for wallpaper means the wall is flat enough for wallpaper, but not necessarily smooth enough for paint. Small holes, joints and imperfections suddenly show after a coat of latex. Ready for spraying or ready for painting is a higher finish, although some filling and sanding is often still needed.
So check carefully in your purchase and construction contract what was agreed. In many new-build homes the ceilings already have a sprayed finish. If you want them smoother or in a different colour, read what is possible on the page about spraying a ceiling.
A new-build home contains a lot of construction moisture at first, in concrete, plaster and floors. That moisture needs time over the first months to escape. So ventilate well, in winter too, and do not turn the heating up to full straight away. Drying too fast can cause hairline cracks in the plaster.
If painting is done too early, the moisture can make the paint flake or stain from within. A skilled painter therefore measures the moisture in the walls before starting and applies a primer sealer first. That ensures the highly absorbent surface takes up the paint evenly, without rings or shiny patches.
An empty new-build home is ideally suited to spraying. There is no furniture yet, little needs covering and all walls and ceilings can be finished in a short time. Spraying gives a crisp, even result, ideal for the large, light rooms you see in many new-builds. A national market indication can be read under what spraying walls costs. Oranje Kwast charges €17 per m² for walls and €20.65 per m² for ceilings, excluding VAT, with a minimum of €300 per job.
If you would rather work room by room or adjust colours after moving in, rolling is a fine choice. The trade-off between the two methods is set out in detail in spraying or rolling latex. Whichever method you choose, the preparation determines the end result:
For a home older than two years, the reduced VAT rate of 9% generally applies to the painter's labour. As a rule, a new-build home does not qualify in the first two years after it is first occupied, so the standard rate usually applies then. If you postpone certain jobs, such as a colour change or lacquering woodwork, that can therefore make a difference.
How it works exactly can be read under VAT on painting work. If in doubt, always check it on belastingdienst.nl, because your personal situation may differ.
If you want painting done straight after the key handover, plan it early, so the painter can start as soon as the home is yours and the plaster is dry enough. In newer neighbourhoods, such as Purmerend-Weidevenne, painters often receive several requests at once as soon as a new street is completed. More about painting work in that area can be found under painter in Purmerend.
Also consider what happens if something does turn out to be wrong later. Oranje Kwast is a member of De Betere Schilder and Koninklijke OnderhoudNL and gives a guarantee on all work. What that means for you is explained under guarantee on painting work.
In practice this topic belongs with interior painting and exterior painting. There you can read about the approach and the options, or request a free, no-obligation quote straight away.
Further reading: Painting while you live at home: how does it work?, A painter near you in Amsterdam and the area, What does interior painting cost?.
If in doubt, always ask for a no-obligation consultation. Half an hour on site tells you more than ten brochures, and you are not committed to anything.
Only if the plaster is dry enough. A painter measures the moisture and applies a primer sealer first before the paint goes on.
Not always. Walls finished for wallpaper often still have small imperfections that show after painting, so filling and sanding are usually needed.
Usually not in the first two years after first occupation. The reduced 9% rate on labour generally applies to homes older than two years. Check it on belastingdienst.nl.
Ask your question or arrange a no-obligation consultation straight away. You will receive a personal reply within 24 hours.
Request a quote Get in touchOur painter visits without obligation to discuss your wishes. You receive a clear quote with no surprises afterwards.
Request a free quote Call 06-18923233