Painting and decorating, inside and out in Malta

Interior painting ranges from a quick refresh of sound walls to a full redecoration with cracks raked out, new lining paper and every door and skirting rubbed down. New plaster needs a mist coat before normal emulsion, and fresh plaster has to dry out first. Woodwork is slower than walls: old gloss often needs keying, knots may need sealing, and a proper finish on doors and frames takes several coats with drying time in between.

Wallpapering is a separate skill. Heavy or patterned papers need accurate pattern matching, walls that are sound and flat, and sometimes lining paper underneath. Removing old paper can reveal damaged plaster that needs repair before anything goes back up.

Decorative finishes such as polished plaster, limewash or specialist effects are usually done by a smaller number of decorators who specialise in them. Say so in your request if that is what you want.

Outside, the paint has to cope with rain, frost and sun. The job depends on the surface: masonry paint on render or pebbledash, microporous paint or stain on timber, and specialist systems on metal railings or gutters.

Access is often the largest cost. Ladders suit low work; anything higher usually needs a tower or scaffolding. Scaffolding must also be inspected before first use and regularly while it is up.

• which rooms or elevations, and the rough size of each
• walls, ceilings, woodwork, radiators, or everything
• the condition: cracks, stains, flaking paint, wallpaper to remove
• whether you will choose and buy the paint, or leave it to the decorator
• furniture: will rooms be empty or does the decorator move and cover things
• for exterior work: height, access for ladders or scaffolding, parking
• for businesses: working hours, whether work must happen out of hours, and site rules

A clear quote names the products and the number of coats, describes the preparation for each surface, and says whether the price includes filling, caulking, sanding, stain block, primer and undercoat. It should say who pays for materials and whether they are included at cost. For exterior work, it should cover access equipment and what happens if bad weather causes delays. Ask what the decorator will do about repairs discovered along the way, such as rotten timber in a window frame, and whether a joiner is involved.

Whether the work needs a development permit from the Planning Authority depends on what is built and where; in apartment blocks, the rules of the condominium also apply. Ask before you commit, and let the business tell you which documents it needs from you.

Electrical installation work is carried out by licensed electricians; ask to see the licence and the certificate for the finished installation. Maltese businesses are registered with the Malta Business Registry, so ask for the company registration and VAT numbers, and check whether the quote includes VAT.

Source: mbr.mt

You confirm your mobile number with a text code and your email address with a link. We then show the request to businesses in your area, without your name or contact details. Only one business can take it on; it pays Offrano for the request, and it costs you nothing.

Before that business sees your details, we email you its name, address and phone number. We check only that it is a registered business, for example through its Malta Business Registry entry or VAT number, not the quality of its work. We cannot promise that a business will respond; if nobody takes the request within 21 days, we withdraw it. Offrano is not a party to any contract for the work.