Condo Painting in Toronto & the GTA

What does your building need before painters arrive?

Most condo buildings ask for four things: notice to management, a booked service elevator, work inside set contractor hours, and a certificate of insurance from the painter. Painting inside your own unit rarely needs the board's approval, but the building decides how contractors come and go.

Buildings differ, so treat those four as a starting list. Some also ask for floor protection in the corridor, a deposit against damage to the elevator, or the contractor's name at the concierge desk.

Ask management for its contractor forms about 2 weeks before you want to start. We arrange the elevator booking with your building and keep the work within its quiet hours. Toronto condo painting rules covers each requirement in turn.

Can you stay in your condo while it is painted?

Usually, yes. A condo is painted a room or two at a time, so there is somewhere to be while each space is worked on. Furniture is moved and covered, and the work area is cleaned up at the end of every day.

Three things make staying easier:

• Decide which room you will live in first, and have it painted last or first.
• Take pictures, mirrors and shelves down before the first day.
• Plan for pets. Open doors, wet trim and drop sheets are no place for a cat.

Waterborne interior paints have far less odour than the oil paints many people remember. Towers often have small window openings, so expect a fan to run for a few hours after each coat.

What can't you paint without the building's permission?

Anything that belongs to the building and not to your unit. In most Ontario condos that includes the hallway side of your suite door, the balcony, and the outside of window frames. These are common elements, or common elements set aside for your use.

Your declaration says where your unit ends. If you are unsure about a surface, ask management before it is painted. Inside the unit, walls, ceilings, trim and the inner face of the suite door are normally yours to paint.

What should you ask about a condo quote?

Ask what the price covers beyond the paint. A condo job has costs a house does not: the elevator booking, the walk from the loading area, and protecting hallway floors on the way in. Our condo prices include arranging the elevator booking and working within your building's hours.

Size sets the starting point, from a studio to a 3-bedroom. Condition and colour change move a unit within its range, the same as in a house. The interior painting cost guide shows how ceilings and trim change a total, and how long it takes to paint a house interior gives a rough guide to timing.