MMA ConstructionConstruction & Remodeling
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Interior painting

Interior painting for walls, ceilings, trim and doors

We paint the inside of New York homes: walls, ceilings, trim, doors and stair parts, in occupied houses and apartments as well as empty ones. Our project lead sets the prep, the sheen and the room order in writing, and in homes built before 1978 the work follows EPA lead-safe practices from the first scrape.

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Living room in a house with a stacked-stone fireplace, a timber mantel, a white staircase and wide-plank floors

Scope

What the work can include

Every project is scoped individually. This is what is typically part of the work, not a package.

  • Walls and ceilings, including patch, sand and prime before color
  • Baseboards, casings, crown molding and window stools
  • Interior doors, frames and stair balusters and railings
  • Sheen and color schedule recorded room by room
  • Lead-safe preparation of painted surfaces in pre-1978 homes
  • Furniture moved and covered, floors protected, rooms returned clean

New York homes

What is different here

  1. Pre-1978 paint is the norm, not the exception

    By EPA's estimate, roughly three in four U.S. homes from before 1978 still have some lead-based paint. Anyone paid to disturb paint in those homes must be certified, and the firm's renovators must be certified and follow EPA's work practices. For us, that means containment, low-dust prep methods and a cleanup that is verified before you move back into a room.

  2. Rental units and Local Law 1

    If you own a rental unit in a New York City building built before 1960, Local Law 1 of 2004 requires you, as owner, to presume lead-based paint is present. That matters when an apartment is repainted between tenants or a two-family owner refreshes the rental floor. We plan those jobs with lead-safe prep from the start; what the law asks of you as an owner is a question for HPD or your attorney.

  3. Painting around the people who live there

    Most New York painting happens with the household at home, often in a few rooms. We paint in zones: the work room is sealed, a buffer area holds tools and covered furniture, and the rest of the home stays clean. Children's bedrooms are scheduled so they are finished and cleaned first, because EPA identifies young children as the most vulnerable to lead dust.

Room-by-room logistics

How a painting job runs in an occupied home

  1. Walk-through and color schedule: every surface, sheen and color is listed by room before work starts.
  2. Set-up: furniture is moved and covered, floors protected, and plastic sheeting or temporary walls close off the work area; vents in that area are covered.
  3. Preparation: patching, sanding and priming, with lead-safe methods on pre-1978 surfaces.
  4. Painting: ceilings first, then walls, then trim and doors.
  5. Cleanup and handover: EPA lead-safe practice calls for thorough cleanup followed by a verification step before the area is reopened.
Lead dust that has settled can get stirred back into the air by vacuuming, sweeping or simply walking through, which is why cleanup and verification are part of the price and not an afterthought. See living at home during a renovation.

Process

How a project runs

Written scope, written proposal, permits identified up front, and one project lead from start to finish.

  1. Conversation

    You describe the home and what you want to change. We ask about budget range and timing so expectations are clear early.

  2. Site visit and scope

    We look at the space, the structure of the house and any HOA, co-op or condo rules that apply, then write a scope of work.

  3. Design and selections

    Layout, materials and fixtures are agreed in writing before work is priced in full.

  4. Written proposal

    A written price and schedule for the agreed scope. Permits and any approvals are identified at this stage.

  5. Build

    One project lead coordinates the trades and keeps you updated. Some regulated work may require appropriately licensed specialty contractors.

  6. Walkthrough

    We review the finished work with you and resolve anything outstanding.

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Design inspiration

Styles and materials to talk through

Bright living room in an older house with tall windows, a white mantel fireplace, a curved sofa and a jute rug
Living room with tall windows, a black marble fireplace, mouldings and white sofas
Hand holding a fan of paint colour swatches over plans and an open notebook

Questions

Common questions

Which paint sheen should I use in each room?
Flatter sheens hide surface flaws; glossier ones clean more easily but show every ridge and patch. We usually suggest flat or matte for most ceilings, eggshell or satin for living areas and bedrooms, and a harder semi-gloss for trim, doors and bathrooms. If you want a glossier wall, the drywall needs a higher finish level, which the [drywall](/drywall/) page explains.
Will you give me lead information before the job starts?
Yes. In homes built before 1978, EPA requires firms to give owners and occupants its Renovate Right pamphlet within the 60 days before renovation starts. If you rent the home to someone else, an adult occupant receives a copy too. We give you the pamphlet with the proposal, so it is in hand before any scraping is scheduled.
Do you paint doors and trim in place or take them off?
Both, depending on condition. Doors with many old coats, sticking edges or failing paint often come off their hinges and get prepped on a covered bench, while good trim is painted in place. In older homes either approach is paint disturbance, so lead-safe practices apply to both.
Is painting my own house covered by the lead rules?
EPA's renovation rule generally does not cover homeowners working on their own homes. It applies to anyone paid to disturb paint in a pre-1978 home, which includes us. Lead dust is a hazard either way, so EPA's Renovate Right pamphlet is worth reading before a do-it-yourself project too.
How many rooms can be painted while we keep living here?
That depends on how the home is laid out and which rooms you need each day. We usually work in two or three rooms at a time, keep one clear route through the home and agree each evening which rooms are back in use.

Planning guides

Read before you plan

Service areas

Where we work

MMA Construction & Remodeling works in Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island and Suffolk County.

Start with the room

Planning something else?

Pick a room to see how that project is planned.

Ready to talk about your project?

Call or email us to talk it through and arrange a consultation.

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