How to Prepare Your London Property Before the Decorator Arrives

Why client preparation matters more than people expect

Most decorating disruption is unavoidable — paint smell, plastic sheeting, the sound of sanding through a closed door. Some of it, however, is entirely avoidable, and the difference usually comes down to how well the client has prepared before day one. Good preparation reduces the time your decorator spends on non-decorating tasks, reduces the risk of damage to your belongings, and allows the project to run to programme.

Here is what to do — and what not to do — before your decorator arrives.

Clearing furniture and belongings

The general rule is: the room should be as empty as you can practically make it. For most London properties this means:

• Small furniture and lightweight pieces: remove entirely. A spare bedroom, hallway, or garage works well as temporary storage.
• Large furniture: move to the centre of the room. Your decorator will protect it with dust sheets, but it should be away from all walls, skirting boards, and built-in features.
• Soft furnishings: remove cushions, throws, and pillows entirely. Fabric absorbs paint vapour and fine dust.
• Art and mirrors: take down from all walls being painted. Even a sheet of dust can mark a canvas permanently.
• Books and objects on shelving: box them and move them out. Shelving units need to be clear before they can be moved or protected.

Do not leave this to the decorator's first morning. Every hour spent shifting belongings is an hour not spent on preparation — and you are paying for it either way.

Protecting floors

Your decorator should supply and lay their own protection, and a professional firm will use appropriate materials for the surface:

• Carpet: heavyweight dust sheets (not lightweight polythene, which slides and allows bleed-through) taped at the edges
• Hardwood and engineered floors: ram board or corrugated protection board, particularly in high-traffic areas around doorways and on staircases
• Stone and tile: dust sheets or ram board, with particular care around grout lines where paint can be difficult to remove

You can help by identifying any areas of existing floor damage and pointing these out before work begins — it removes any ambiguity about what was pre-existing.

Access requirements

In London, access logistics can be as complex as the work itself. Think through:

Key holding. Decide in advance whether you will be present each day or whether the decorator will hold a key. If keys are being held, agree the arrangements in writing — who holds them, what hours the site is accessible, and what to do in an emergency.

Parking and deliveries. Materials need to arrive. Confirm whether there is a loading bay, residents' parking provision, or a permit the decorator can use. In streets with CPZ restrictions, a temporary dispensation from the council may be needed for a larger delivery vehicle.

Access to utilities. The decorator will need access to water (for washing tools and mixing) and power (for lighting, sanding equipment, and compressors on spray projects). Confirm which points are available and whether any areas are off-limits.

Neighbours. In a terrace, mansion block, or mews, noise from preparation — particularly power sanding and compressors — travels. A brief note to immediate neighbours showing courtesy about start times can prevent complaints that interrupt the work.

Pets and children

Paint products — even low-VOC water-based formulations — are not safe for prolonged exposure for children or animals. If you are having multiple rooms worked on simultaneously, plan where children and pets will be during working hours. Oil-based products, solvent-based primers like Zinsser BIN (shellac-based), and any two-part epoxy coatings produce vapour that requires ventilation and distance.

What to leave for the decorator

There is a boundary between client preparation and decorator preparation, and it is not always where people assume. Do not attempt to:

• Fill cracks yourself: amateur filling with the wrong product, or filling without proper sanding, can create more work. Let the decorator assess and address all surface defects.
• Sand paintwork: preparation sanding requires the right paper grades, proper technique, and dust control. Surface scratched by coarse paper at the wrong angle is harder to finish smoothly than an unprepared surface.
• Apply any paint: even an undercoat applied in good faith can cause adhesion problems if the wrong primer is used, or if it is applied to a surface that has not been correctly prepared first.

What you can usefully do: wipe down kitchen cabinet doors and any greasy or marked surfaces with a sugar soap solution. This is straightforward, saves the decorator time, and requires no specialist knowledge.

Agree the brief before day one

The day the decorator arrives is too late to be deciding on colours, finishes, or the scope of any additional rooms. Every decision that still needs making is a delay. Have confirmed before they start:

• All paint colours and finishes, with colour reference numbers
• Which areas are and are not included in the scope
• The programme and any fixed constraints (rooms that must be completed before a specific date)
• Your preferred method of communication for daily updates

We handle the rest

If you are working with Belgravia Painters, we will walk through all of this with you at the pre-start visit. Get in touch or request a quote to discuss your project.