Painter & Decorator in Sai Kung

Homes painted before the late 1970s-1980s (exact cutoff varies by country) may have lead-based layers under newer paint. The danger is sanding or scraping it into dust. If your home predates the local cutoff, ask the painter how they test for and handle lead — wet sanding, containment, or encapsulation rather than dry-sanding. Several countries legally require certified lead-safe practices for pre-cutoff homes.

In writing: which rooms and surfaces (walls, ceilings, woodwork), prep level, number of coats, paint brand and line (and who supplies it), protection of floors and furniture, cleanup and waste disposal, timeline, total price with tax status, and payment terms. For exteriors, add access equipment (ladders vs scaffold) and weather-delay terms. Missing detail is where disputes start.

Yes — it's the normal mode for occupied homes. Agree the sequence, confirm low-VOC or quick-dry paints if fumes are a concern, and expect each room out of action for 1-2 days. Whole-house jobs go 20-30% faster in an empty house, which is why many people schedule painting between moving out and moving in.

Look for painters in Sai Kung with recent reviewed jobs similar to yours, ask two or three for itemised written quotes on the same scope, and compare the scopes rather than the bottom line. Local paint stores are an underrated source — staff know which professionals buy quality materials regularly. A painter who measures up in person and asks about prep will almost always outperform one who prices sight-unseen.

Painters quote one of four ways: per room (most common for interiors), per square metre or square foot of wall area, a day rate for open-ended work, or a fixed price for a defined whole-house scope. A fixed quote against a written scope — rooms, surfaces, prep level, number of coats, and who supplies paint — protects you best. Day rates suit only small punch-list jobs where the scope genuinely can't be pinned down.

Per saleable square foot — typically HK$3-HK$8 per sq ft for standard two-coat wall painting, so a 400 sq ft flat lands around HK$4,000-HK$11,000 and larger flats scale up. Wall repair (skimming flaked or damp-damaged areas) is quoted on top and is often the variable that doubles a quote.

Usually moisture — condensation on concrete walls, seepage from the flat above, or failed window seals. Painting over it fails within months; the fix is treating the source, scraping back, sealing, then repainting, which can add 30-100% to a basic painting quote. Ask the painter to diagnose the moisture path before quoting.