BeginnerAbout 30 min
Learn to assess a room, identify the surfaces, check existing paint and plan the work before you start.
What you'll achieve
A written plan for a room: what each surface is made of, its condition, what preparation it needs, which products to use and roughly how much.
Suitable surfaces and conditions
Any interior room. The same thinking applies outside, with weather added (see Lesson 10).
Tools and materials
- Notebook or phone
- Tape measure
- Good torch
- Moisture meter (optional)
- Clean white cloth
Preparation checklist
- Agree with the customer exactly what is to be painted and in which colours and finishes.
- Ask how old the property is and whether any surfaces have been tested for asbestos or lead.
- Note furniture, flooring and fittings that need moving or protecting.
Safety precautions
- In buildings built before 2000, textured ceiling and wall coatings may contain asbestos — do not sand, scrape or drill them until tested.
- Paint applied before the 1960s–70s may contain lead — do not dry-sand or burn it off without assessment.
- Persistent damp or widespread mould needs its cause fixed first; note it and tell the customer.
Step by step
- Walk the room with the customer and write down every surface to be painted: ceiling, walls, skirting, architraves, doors, windows, radiators.
- Identify each substrate: plaster, plasterboard, wood, MDF, metal, previously painted.
- Inspect existing coatings in good light. Look for flaking, cracking, stains, damp patches and mould.
- Check whether woodwork is gloss or water-based: rub a small hidden area with a cloth dampened with methylated spirit — water-based paint usually softens, solvent-based gloss usually doesn't. Ventilate and only use a tiny amount.
- Measure each wall (height × width) and the ceiling (length × width). Note large openings.
- Decide the preparation each surface needs (Lesson 3) and whether primers are needed (Lesson 4).
- Work out paint quantities using the coverage figure on each product's data sheet.
- Plan the order of work: preparation first, then ceiling, walls, woodwork.
- Write it all down and confirm it with the customer before starting.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Starting work before agreeing the scope — leads to disputes.
- Guessing quantities instead of using the data sheet coverage.
- Ignoring stains or damp and painting straight over them.
Troubleshooting
- Surface type unclear? Test a small hidden area or ask an experienced painter before committing.
- Customer unsure of colours? Suggest sample pots painted on card and viewed in daylight and evening light.
Final quality check
- Every surface listed and identified
- Hazards noted and reported
- Products and quantities chosen
- Customer has agreed the plan
Always follow the manufacturer's instructions and technical data sheet — they take precedence over general guidance here. This is educational guidance only, not a qualification or certificate.