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GuidePaint is the highest-impact, best-value upgrade in any home — nothing else transforms a space so completely for so little. But the difference between a paint job that looks amazing for a decade and one that peels in two years is almost entirely in the preparation and the pro. Here's how to get it right.
A great paint job is mostly what happens before the first coat: cleaning surfaces, filling and sanding holes and cracks, caulking gaps, priming bare or patched areas, and protecting floors and furniture. Rushed prep is why cheap paint jobs fail — paint over a dirty or damaged surface and it won't bond or last. When comparing quotes, ask exactly what prep is included.
Interior work is about clean lines, even coverage and the right finish for each room. Flat and matte hide wall imperfections and suit ceilings and low-traffic rooms; eggshell and satin wipe clean and suit living areas; semi-gloss handles kitchens, bathrooms, trim and doors where moisture and scrubbing happen. Two coats over primer is the standard for a uniform, durable finish.
Exterior paint fights sun, rain and freeze-thaw, so prep and timing matter even more. It needs dry, moderate weather, thorough surface prep (scraping, sanding, power-washing, priming), and quality exterior-grade paint. Done right, it protects siding and trim for years; done on a damp or freezing day or over poor prep, it fails fast.
Painting is usually priced per room or per project, driven by square footage, ceiling height, amount of prep, number of colors, and whether trim, doors and ceilings are included. Whole-home and exterior jobs are quoted. The cheapest quote often means the least prep — compare what's actually included, not just the bottom line.
Test colors on the actual walls and look at them in daylight and at night before committing — lighting changes everything. Keep whole-home palettes cohesive, use finish to match each room's wear and moisture, and remember that trim and ceiling choices affect how the wall color reads. A pro can advise, but the samples-on-the-wall step is worth the day it takes.
The recipe is simple: a vetted pro, proper prep written into the scope, quality paint, and two coats. On Genie, painters are vetted and insured, the scope and price are captured before work starts, any added work is approved by you, and payment is held until you've inspected the result — so you're paying for a finish you've actually seen and approved.
Every task in this guide is something you can book on Genie — vetted, insured pros at an upfront price:
Paint only lasts if it bonds to a clean, sound, primed surface. Cleaning, filling, sanding, caulking and priming are what separate a job that lasts a decade from one that peels in two years.
Interior painting is usually priced per room, driven by size, ceiling height, prep and whether trim and ceilings are included; whole-home and exterior work is quoted. Genie shows the price before you book.
Flat/matte for ceilings and low-traffic rooms, eggshell or satin for living areas, and semi-gloss for kitchens, bathrooms, trim and doors where you need to wipe and scrub.
