When to repaint versus when to repair

There is a difference between a wall that has faded and chalked, and a wall that is failing. The first is a repaint. The second is a repair, and then a repaint. Painting over an active problem does not fix the problem, it just delays the moment you have to face it.

Look for hairline cracks that re-open every year, damp patches that reappear after each rain, blistering paint, mould that returns within weeks of a clean, and rising damp lines low on interior walls. These are repair conversations first.

When we find something that is not a paint problem, we say so. We describe what we think is happening, what we can address inside a normal painting scope, and what needs a different trade or a further investigation. That written honesty is part of what our clients are paying for.