Prep and protection
Prep is where most painters cut corners. It is also the step that earns the 2-year warranty, so we do it in full on every job — and we protect everything we are not painting before we touch anything we are.
Surface prep, in order
The sequence is the same on every job:
- Pre-clean — dust, grease, and chalking come off every surface we're painting.
- Scrape and sand — failing paint comes off and edges are feathered smooth.
- Patch and fill — nail holes, dents, and drywall damage filled and sanded.
- Caulk — gaps at trim and joints closed for a clean line.
- Prime — repairs spot-primed, full priming where the surface needs it.
What's included, and what gets priced separately
Standard preparation — clean, fill minor holes, light sand, spot-prime — is included in every fixed quote. Bigger repairs like plaster work or water and smoke damage get flagged at the walkthrough and priced in writing before we start.
Floors, fixtures, and furniture
Drop cloths go down on the floors. Fixtures and hardware are masked or removed. Furniture is moved and covered. In condos we protect the route in as well — floor protection through shared spaces, elevator bookings handled, noise-hour rules respected.
The site gets a tidy-up at the end of every working day, not just at the end of the job.
Heritage detail is cut by hand
Toronto's older homes have original trim, plaster mouldings, and sometimes painted artwork that tape can damage. We do not tape over them. We hand-cut those edges with a sash brush worked against the original surface, and mask hardline edges with film where film is safe.
That is how the palm mural at Chubby's came through a full exterior repaint untouched: every edge against the artwork was cut by hand. Where heritage detail demands it, we work brush-only — no sprayed shortcuts.
Site protection is its own line on your quote
Site protection is not folded into an hourly rate where you cannot see it. It appears as its own line item on every BITR quote, alongside materials, prep, and painting — so you can see exactly what is covered before we start.
Common questions
- What does standard prep include?
- Cleaning, filling minor holes, light sanding, and spot-priming, plus protection of floors and fixtures and a daily tidy-up. It is included in every fixed quote unless your quote states otherwise.
- How do you protect floors and furniture while painting?
- Drop cloths on the floors, fixtures and hardware masked or removed, and furniture moved and covered. In condos we also run floor protection through shared spaces and handle elevator bookings.
- How do you paint around original trim or a mural?
- By hand. We hand-cut edges with a sash brush rather than taping over original surfaces, and we mask hardline edges with film only where film is safe. Where heritage detail demands it, we work brush-only.
- Is site protection an extra charge?
- It is part of the quote, and it is visible: site protection appears as its own line item on every BITR quote alongside materials, prep, and painting, so you can see what is covered before work starts.
— Brightest In The Room
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