Should I Paint Before Replacing Carpet, Or After?
 
Replacing carpet and painting are the two largest aesthetically impressive changes that you can make when remodeling the interior of your home. Some choose to do both at the same time. It is difficult to decide which to do first and why. You will find some interior house painters that will have a preference either way. Generally carpet guys want to get their work done first. At the end of the day some of it is about your expectations, your pocketbook and your contractors flexibility. Just remember that you want to keep your contractors happy so they give you the best work. Likewise, you also want to make sure that their laziness won’t prevent you from achieving the results that are expected. Don’t let one or the other sell you on the wrong decision. Discuss the consequences of your decision with each contractor.

Replacing Carpet First

Advantages/Disadvantages For The Carpet Guys – Carpet guys will almost ALWAYS want to do their work first. This is is simply because they don’t want to have to worry about doing paint touch ups, working with another trade to complete touch ups or having an unhappy customer.
Advantages/Disadvantage For The Painter – Replacing the carpet first makes the job more difficult for the painter. The only advantage is that there is no chance for damage to the newly painted walls. The extra work of protecting the carpet could drive the cost for painting up considerably depending on the work being completed.

Painting Before Changing Carpet

Advantages/Disadvantages For The Carpet Guys - Carpet guys may not be willing to promise “no damage” and generally do not have the skills to fix any damage that they may cause.

Advantages/Disadvantage For The Painter - The painter will have much less work, especially if trim and ceilings are being painted. This could greatly decrease the interior house painting costs. Painting results may actually come out much better as different/better techniques are possible.

How The New Home Builders Do It

New home builders all use about the same process. If the painter is willing to adhere to this schedule without much cost to you, then this is the best option. Don’t hire a painter that only does new homes. They generally don’t have the skills for a full custom paint job.

The painters will come in before carpet, kitchen cabinets, other floorings and other trades.
They paint ceilings, doors(if installed), Trim and then single coat the walls.
All other trades finish including carpet and other flooring.
Then painters come in and basically patch any damage and roll out the walls with a final coat.

Our Recommendations

Our recommendations come from good, bad and the ugly of what happens when a customer makes a poor choice. Although as they say, stuff happens sometimes.

If you are painting ceiling or trim always let the painter get those first. This allows for no start and stop marks on the ceiling as the painter moves drops and prevents drips on the carpet(especially darker carpet). Trim then also can be sprayed out much easier leaving a beautiful finish.

If you are just painting walls, it will usually run smoother painting the walls after the carpet is laid.

If the carpet being replaced is a higher pile carpet then the trim may be able to be sprayed with the old carpet in. This keeps dirt from under the carpet from getting in the wet trim paint.

High grade paint and higher glossed paints will stand up much better to carpet being replaced after the paint is completed
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Most of the time the entire wall can be just rolled out without cutting in to renew a freshly painted look. This will usually be the most economical way if you choose to do this yourself. Make it clear to the painter that everything will be super easy with no touch ups and to price the job as such.
Last but not least, remember that New Star Painting is an Washington Painter that can take care of your interior painting needs. Click here for our home page.
Communicate with your contractors in a way that projects your need for a smoothly running project that is within budget instead of being “some guy trying to save a buck on the contractors back”. I'ts all in the way you present yourself and can make a huge difference in attitudes.