Developer Paint Specifications for London New Builds: Standard, Mid and Premium

How Developer Decoration Specifications Work

Every residential development in London — whether a converted Victorian warehouse in Bermondsey or a purpose-built tower in Nine Elms — is handed over to buyers and tenants in a decorated state. The specification of that decoration is determined by the developer and delivered by their appointed painting contractor. Understanding what those specifications contain, and what they leave out, is useful both for developers setting them and for buyers or occupiers who inherit them.

Developer specifications typically exist at three levels: standard handover, mid-range and premium. The distinctions between them affect every aspect of the finish — the products used, the number of coats applied, the preparation undertaken and the tolerances accepted at snagging.

Standard Handover Specification

A standard developer handover specification is designed to pass inspection and meet minimum contractual obligations. It is not designed to produce a finish that will look good in five years, or that a discerning buyer will be satisfied with on close inspection.

The typical standard specification involves:

• Walls: One mist coat plus one topcoat of a budget trade emulsion (often own-label or entry-level Dulux Trade, Crown Trade or equivalent). The finish is typically a standard vinyl matt.
• Ceilings: Ceiling white emulsion, one coat. Frequently applied by roller without cutting in properly at junctions.
• Woodwork: One coat of a water-based primer-undercoat followed by one coat of water-based satinwood or eggshell. On MDF joinery, edge priming is often insufficient at this level.
• Preparation: Minimal — plasterboard nail heads filled, major defects in skim plaster addressed, but minor surface irregularities left.

The result is a flat that looks acceptable at handover and on viewing but shows wear and imperfections relatively quickly. Snagging inspections at this level often reveal drips, missed cut-in lines, holidays (missed patches) and roller stipple texture on woodwork.

Mid-Range Specification

A mid-range developer specification is appropriate for developments targeting the mainstream owner-occupier or professional renter market. It adds meaningful quality to each stage of the process without approaching premium territory.

The key differences from standard include:

• Walls: Two full coats of a durable mid-grade emulsion such as Dulux Trade Diamond Matt or Johnstone's Washable Matt. These products have higher scrub resistance and cover better, meaning fewer holidays and more consistent finish across large areas.
• Woodwork: A proper two-coat oil or water-based system with a dedicated primer, undercoat and topcoat applied separately. Cut edges on MDF are sealed before priming. Woodwork is lightly abraded between coats.
• Preparation: Plasterboard joints checked and filled; any cracking in skim plaster addressed; all substrates primed appropriately. Masking tape used at critical junctions.
• Quality control: A dedicated QC inspection before handover rather than relying on the painting contractor's self-assessment.

At this level the finish is significantly better and holds up to occupation considerably longer. The cost premium over standard is typically 20–35% but is often recovered in reduced snagging liability and faster unit sales.

Premium Specification

Premium developer specifications are used in high-end developments in prime central London — Mayfair, Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Chelsea — where buyers are paying several million pounds per unit and have direct experience of high-quality decoration. A substandard finish at this price point creates reputational damage and snagging costs that far exceed the cost of doing it properly in the first instance.

Premium specification characteristics:

• Products: Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, Paint & Paper Library or equivalent premium paint brands. Alternatively, bespoke tinted trade paints matched to premium British Standard or RAL colours.
• Coats: Three full coats on walls (mist, intermediate and topcoat), two on ceilings, three on woodwork (primer, undercoat, topcoat) with full abrasion between each coat.
• Woodwork finish: Full oil-based or premium water-based eggshell, applied by brush with bristle marks fully flattened. Edges are crisp; cut-in lines are true.
• Ceilings: Cut in with a brush to clean lines at every cornice, beam or light fitting. No overspray or stipple texture visible on close inspection.
• Preparation: Full skim plaster repairs; coving and cornice repairs; all surfaces checked with a torch in raking light and defects addressed before any topcoat is applied.
• Specialist finishes: Feature walls in wallpaper, limewash or specialist paint effects where the development's interior design brief requires it.

The QA process at premium level typically involves a formal snagging walkthrough under raking light with a senior decorator, a site manager and often the client's interior designer.

Upgrade Options for Buyers

Developers increasingly offer decoration upgrade packages to buyers during the off-plan period. These are worth scrutinising carefully. A common offering is "colour choice from our premium range" — which may simply mean choosing from a selection of Farrow & Ball colours applied to the same standard specification with the same number of coats. The colour upgrade adds cost but not quality.

A genuine upgrade package should specify the paint brand, the number of coats, the preparation standard and the QA process. If a developer cannot provide this detail, the upgrade's value is unclear.

To discuss commercial decoration for a London development, contact us here. For a specification and tender price, request a free quote.