Most paint jobs that fail were doomed at the prep stage. We take prep seriously, use the right primer for the substrate, and leave straight lines that don't need a second look.
The service
A decorator's reputation lives or dies on cut-lines and prep. We sand, fill, caulk, prime and sheet-up properly before the first coat goes on - which is why our work still looks fresh five years later, not flaking or grinning through.
What happens if you wait
Painting looks like the simplest trade in property - until you have to put it right. Hairline cracks left unfilled, glossy doors painted without de-glossing, kitchen ceilings rolled without a stain block: every shortcut shows up within months.
Masonry painted in the wrong weather, over old flaking paint, with the wrong product, will lift and peel inside two winters - turning a fresh house front back into a tired one.
Old water stains, nicotine and tannins from knots bleed straight through emulsion. Without the correct stain block primer, they reappear within hours.
Cut-ins done with a rushed brush, rollers used with a worn sleeve, walls not feathered properly - the room looks 'almost right' and never feels finished.
Our process
We walk each room with you, agree colour and finish, identify any prep work needed and give a fixed written quote.
Dust sheets on every floor and large item, plastic over what stays, sockets and switches taped, edges masked.
Fill cracks and nail holes, caulk gaps, sand woodwork, de-gloss where needed, sugar-soap and prime stains. This is half the job.
Mist coat on fresh plaster. Then two top coats of the agreed product - minimum - applied with the right brush, roller and technique for each surface.
We walk the room with you in daylight and put right anything that's not crisp before we pack down. Touch-up paint left labelled.
Why homeowners choose us
Proper prep + proper paint = a finish that still looks new five years on, not a re-paint in 18 months.
Cut-ins to ceiling, skirting and architrave are done by hand to a clean, straight line - no wavy edges.
Sheets down, floors hoovered, sockets re-fitted, paint cans removed. Room handed back fully usable.
Bathroom-grade in bathrooms, scrubbable matt in family rooms, eggshell on woodwork, proper masonry paint outside.
End-of-tenancy refreshes priced fairly per room - get the property re-let, not stuck.
Plastering, joinery, damp work and painting from one team means the room is signed off as one project.
Deep detail
Paint isn't paint. The product depends on the substrate, the room's use and the look you want.
Registered in England & Wales — Company No. 16298499. £5 million public liability cover on every job, plus a 12-month workmanship guarantee across every trade.
Talk to GaryFresh plaster: a watered-down mist coat (typically 70:30 emulsion to water) to seal the surface before two coats of finish. Old painted walls: sugar-soaped and lightly sanded, with caulk run into wall-to-wall and wall-to-ceiling lines before the top coats. We use trade-grade emulsions (Dulux Trade, Johnstone's, Crown Trade) in matt or scrubbable finishes for living areas, bathroom-grade emulsion in bathrooms and kitchens.
Modern water-based satinwoods (e.g. Dulux Diamond Satinwood, Johnstone's Aqua Guard) are now the standard - non-yellowing, low-odour, fast-recoat, and far more durable than the old solvent-based glosses. Surfaces are de-glossed, filled, primed where needed and brushed in two coats with proper laying-off for a smooth flat finish.
Lining paper for older lath-and-plaster walls, full paste-the-wall and paste-the-paper hanging for designer wallpaper, and feature walls colour-matched to the rest of the room. We pattern-match every drop and double-cut seams where needed.
Exterior coatings have to handle UV, driving rain and frost cycles. We use breathable masonry paints (Sandtex, Dulux Weathershield, Bedec MSP) over properly cleaned, repaired and stabilised substrates. Loose paint scraped back, render cracks raked out and filled, biocide treatment where moss or algae is present, stabilising primer on chalky surfaces, then two coats of masonry paint applied in suitable weather (not below 8°C, not on a wet wall). Soffits, fascias, gutters, window frames and doors are degreased, sanded, primed and painted with exterior-grade satin or eggshell. We don't paint exteriors in the wrong weather - it's a guaranteed call-back.
Nicotine and water-stain rescue work uses oil-based stain blockers (Zinsser Cover Stain, BIN) under the emulsion so stains don't bleed back through. Anti-mould treatment uses fungicidal wash followed by mould-resistant paint, paired with the ventilation upgrades from our damp service. Period properties get traditional finishes - limewash, eggshell, breathable systems - to suit the building.
FAQ
Still unsure? Send us a message or call 07966 442128.
A standard bedroom (walls and ceiling, two coats over existing colour with normal prep) typically falls in the low hundreds. Adding woodwork or changing dramatically from dark to light adds a coat. You get a fixed per-room quote after a free walk-round - no day-rate creep.
Fresh plaster should be uniformly pale pink before painting - usually 4–7 days for walls and 7–14 days for ceilings depending on temperature and ventilation. First coat should be a watered-down mist coat to seal the surface.
Trade-grade emulsions (Dulux Trade, Johnstone's Trade, Crown Trade) for walls and ceilings. Modern water-based satinwoods on woodwork. Sandtex or Dulux Weathershield masonry paint outside. We don't use cheap own-brand paint - it doesn't cover and doesn't last.
No. Floors and furniture are sheeted, sockets and switches taped, edges masked. We clean up daily and hand the room back fully usable when signed off.
Sometimes - if it's intact, well-stuck and a smooth pattern. Usually it's better and quicker to strip it and either re-line or paint direct. We'll tell you straight which is the right call for your room.
Only when the weather allows - above 8°C, dry surface, no rain forecast for the drying window. We don't paint exteriors in the wrong conditions because the finish won't last. We'll book exterior work for the right weather slot.
Yes. We sequence rooms so you always have a usable kitchen, bathroom and one living space. Most full-house re-decorations are completed without you needing to move out.
Yes - quick-turn, per-room pricing to get the property re-let. We can liaise directly with the letting agent.
Yes. Every trade is backed by our 12-month workmanship guarantee — if anything works loose, drips or needs adjusting within 12 months, we return and fix it free of charge.
Yes. Painting and decorating across the whole of Teesside - Middlesbrough, Stockton, Thornaby, Ingleby Barwick, Redcar, Marske, Saltburn, Hartlepool and Darlington.
We answer every call. Honest advice, fair pricing, work that lasts.
Locksmith line: 24/7 · Other trades: by appointment· £5m public liability · Co. No. 16298499
