Prep Interior - Painting Company in Nanaimo BC and Vancouver Island

Our Interior Painting Process
Introduction
Thanks for inviting us in.
Letting a crew into your home is an act of trust, and we respect that.
A bit about how we do things:
We listen before we paint.
You know what you like. Our job is to help you get it — not talk you into something you don’t want.
We show up when we say we will.
And if something changes, you'll hear it from us in advance.
We keep it open and honest.
No vague line items, no quiet add-ons. If we have to step outside of scope of work we discuss it with you first.
We've been at this since 2000, we're covered by WorkSafeBC, and we carry liability insurance — so you and our team are both protected.
This estimate is here to help you make a good decision, not push you into one. Read it, ask us anything. And if something's outside your budget, tell us — we'd rather find a way.
Terms and Conditions
Our estimate. We hold our pricing as long as we can. The only thing that moves it is costs outside our control — materials, fuel, wages, and the like. If anything changes before you approve, we'll tell you.
No deposit. We don't ask for money up front. You have every right to change your mind, and we'd never hold a deposit over you.
If you need to cancel or reschedule, just give us as much notice as you can. We hold time for your job and keep a crew employed --a little warning lets us fill the gap and keeps everyone working.
Reviewing the work. When we're finished, we'll let you know and ask you to look everything over. If something isn't right, tell us within a couple of days and we'll make it right. If we don't hear from you, we'll send the invoice.
Payment. Invoices are due within 7 days of the invoice date, unless we've made other arrangements with you. We accept e‑transfer or cheque. Prefer credit card? We can run it through PayPal, though it carries a small processing fee. Balances unpaid after 30 days carry 2% monthly interest, unless a payment plan has been arranged.
Changes to the job. If you ask for work beyond the original estimate, or we uncover something hidden once we start, we'll talk it through and agree on any change before we carry on.
What to Expect with Interior Painting.
At Sonshine Girls Painting, we believe a beautiful interior paint job starts with clear expectations, thoughtful preparation, good product choices, and the right colours for your home.
Every home is different. Our preparation, product recommendations, and painting process are based on the condition of the surfaces being painted and the scope listed in your estimate.
Colour Consultations
Choosing colour can be one of the hardest parts of a painting project. We want our clients to feel confident before the paint goes on the wall, so many interior painting projects include a colour consultation as part of the estimate.
During a colour consultation, we may look at:
The rooms or areas being painted
Existing flooring, counters, tile, cabinets, furniture, and fixed finishes
Lighting, both natural and artificial
Undertones that may affect how colours read in the space
The overall feeling or style you want for your home
How colours connect from one room to another
Paint sheen and product recommendations where appropriate
Our goal is to help narrow down the options and guide you toward colours that work with your home, not just colours that look good on a paint chip.
If you proceed with the painting project, the colour consultation is included at no additional charge as part of your estimate.
If the painting project is cancelled after the colour consultation has taken place, a colour consultation fee of will apply.
Final colour approval is the client’s responsibility. We always recommend viewing colour samples in the actual space before making a final decision, as colours can shift depending on lighting, surrounding finishes, time of day, and sheen.
What Interior Preparation Includes
Unless otherwise noted in your estimate, standard interior preparation may include:
Protection of floors and surrounding areas
Covering larger furniture or belongings that remain in the work area
Assistance moving larger furniture where needed and agreed upon
Removal of standard switch plates and outlet covers where appropriate
Minor filling of small wall imperfections where needed
Pole sanding walls before painting
A second pass of minor wall repairs after the first coat, where needed
Light sanding of patched areas
Spot-priming patched, repaired, stained, or bare areas where needed
Selective caulking where appropriate
Brush, roll, and spray application as appropriate for each surface
Paint application according to the surfaces and number of coats listed in your estimate
Daily tidying and cleanup upon completion
Preparation is based on the surfaces included in the estimate. Interior painting is not a full wall restoration or drywall repair service unless those items are specifically listed.
Furniture, Décor, and Personal Items
Before we arrive, please make the areas being painted as clear and empty as possible.
Please remove fragile items, valuables, artwork, small décor, electronics, lamps, bedding, clothing, counter top items, and personal belongings from the rooms or areas being painted.
We do not move small furniture, personal belongings, or breakable items as part of our standard painting service. We can help with larger or heavier furniture where needed, but we need to know in advance so we can plan for it.
If a client would like us to move a significant amount of furniture or belongings, that can usually be arranged, but it is not included in standard painting pricing and may be billed as an additional charge.
This helps protect your belongings and allows our painters to
work safely and efficiently.
Switch Plates, Outlet Covers, and Attached Fixtures
We remove standard switch plates and outlet covers where appropriate before painting.
Some items are not removed because they are attached by wires, cables, or other connections. This may include central vacuum plates, cable outlets, telephone outlets, security components, thermostats, specialty controls, or other wired fixtures.
When these items cannot be safely or sensibly removed, we paint carefully around them.
Wall Repairs and Surface Expectations
Our standard interior wall prep is designed to improve the overall finished appearance of the painted surfaces.
Our typical process is to fill visible minor wall imperfections, pole sand the walls, apply the first coat of paint, then do a second pass of minor wall repairs where needed before the finish coat. This second pass helps us catch imperfections that are more visible after the first coat of paint.
We aim to catch approximately 70–80% of standard minor wall imperfections. There is no such thing as a 100% perfect wall repair process in repaint work, and even new construction walls are not flawless. Lighting, sheen, wall texture, previous repairs, and the condition of the existing surface all affect what can be seen after painting.
Standard prep is intended to improve the walls and create a clean, professional painted finish. It is not intended to create a level-five drywall finish or remove every sign of previous damage, texture, nail pops, dents, old patch marks, or repairs.
If a client wants a higher level of surface restoration, such as extensive drywall repair, skim coating, texture removal, or major surface correction, that work would need to be quoted separately.
Nail Holes, Dents, and Drywall Repairs
Standard interior prep may include filling small nail holes and minor imperfections where needed.
Larger holes, drywall damage, corner bead repairs, water damage, cracked seams, failing tape, settlement cracks, texture matching, or major wall repairs are not included unless specifically listed in your estimate.
Where repairs are included, we do our best to make them blend with the surrounding surface. However, texture, lighting, sheen, and the condition of the existing wall can affect how invisible a repair appears after painting.
Paint, Colour, and Sheen
For most interior wall projects, our standard go-to paint is Sherwin Williams Opulence. It offers a strong balance of quality, coverage, finish, durability, and price point and a smooth, attractive finish for everyday living without pushing clients into a higher-cost product when unnecessary.
That said, paint selection may vary depending on the room, surface, colour, sheen, durability needs, moisture exposure, and the scope listed in your estimate.
Higher sheen reflects more light and can make surface imperfections more noticeable. Lower sheen tend to hide imperfections better but reflects less light.
Unless otherwise stated in your estimate, most interior projects are quoted as follows:
Walls: two coats
Ceilings: one coat on textured ceilings and two coats on smooth ones
Trim and doors: one coat
Ceilings, trim, and doors are often being refreshed in the same or similar colour. If there is a major colour change, staining, heavy wear, or a coverage issue, additional coats may be required. Smooth ceilings typically need two coats
Not all colours cover well as it is dependant on the type of tint and base used. This is especially common with reds, yellows, oranges, deep blues, deep greens, and some bright or highly pigmented colours and whites.
If additional coats are required beyond the quoted scope,
they may be added at an additional charge
Caulking and Filling
We use caulking and filling selectively and appropriately.
On interiors, caulking may be used where trim meets walls, around certain gaps, or where it will improve the finished look. We do not caulk every crack or joint by default, especially if movement, moisture, or surface condition makes caulking the wrong choice.
Our goal is a clean, professional finish without creating future problems.
Stains, Priming, and Problem Areas
Some stains, marks, water damage, tannin bleed, nicotine, marker, crayon, grease, knots, or previous colour bleed may require specialty primer or additional prep.
Standard painting does not guarantee that all stains or problem areas will be blocked unless stain-blocking primer or specialty preparation is included in the estimate.
If we discover areas during the project that need additional stain blocking or specialty treatment, we will bring them to your attention.
Spraying, Brushing, and Rolling
We use the application method that best suits the surface and the project.
Walls are typically rolled and brushed. Trim, doors, cabinets, built-ins, ceilings, or certain surfaces may be brushed, rolled, or sprayed depending on the scope, finish, product, and site conditions.
When spraying is used, we take care to mask and protect surrounding areas. Spraying is simply one method of applying paint. What matters is using the right process for the surface.
Dust and Lived-In Homes
We take care to keep work areas tidy, but painting and prep can create some dust and disruption.
Sanding, patching, scraping, moving items, masking, and painting all happen inside a lived-in space. We do our best to minimize mess and clean up our work areas, but fine dust can continue to settle after the work is complete.
Drywall and sanding dust can take up to two weeks to fully settle. We recommend waiting until the painting is
complete before doing a final deep clean.
Doors, Trim, and Previously Painted Surfaces
Previously painted doors, trim, baseboards, casings, and other surfaces may have existing dents, chips, brush marks, runs, caulking buildup, dust in old paint, or uneven previous coatings.
Standard repainting improves the appearance but does not fully remove old texture, damage, or previous paint buildup unless additional prep or restoration work is specifically included.
Protection and Cleanup
We take care to protect floors, fixtures, furniture, and areas that are not being painted. This may include drop sheets, tape, plastic, paper, masking, and careful setup.
Work areas will be kept tidy throughout the project, with cleanup completed at the end of the job.
Safety and Insurance
Sonshine Girls Painting is covered by WorkSafeBC and carries liability insurance.
We work with safety in mind for our crew, your home, and the surrounding property.
Please Note
Interior painting is not a renovation, cleaning, moving, colour design, or repair service unless those items are specifically included in your estimate.
Drywall repair, water damage repair, texture matching, wallpaper removal, skim coating, major sanding, trim repair, carpentry, mould remediation, smoke damage treatment, cabinet refinishing, specialty coatings, moving of belongings, additional colour consultations, and other restoration work may require a separate quote or may be billed hourly if agreed upon in advance.
Our goal is to provide clear expectations, thoughtful preparation, and a beautiful, durable finish.

Call Us

Contact

Our Interior Painting Process

Introduction

Thanks for inviting us in.

Letting a crew into your home is an act of trust, and we respect that.

A bit about how we do things:

We listen before we paint.

You know what you like. Our job is to help you get it — not talk you into something you don’t want.

We show up when we say we will.

And if something changes, you'll hear it from us in advance.

We keep it open and honest.

No vague line items, no quiet add-ons. If we have to step outside of scope of work we discuss it with you first.

We've been at this since 2000, we're covered by WorkSafeBC, and we carry liability insurance — so you and our team are both protected.

This estimate is here to help you make a good decision, not push you into one. Read it, ask us anything. And if something's outside your budget, tell us — we'd rather find a way.

Terms and Conditions

Our estimate. We hold our pricing as long as we can. The only thing that moves it is costs outside our control — materials, fuel, wages, and the like. If anything changes before you approve, we'll tell you.

No deposit. We don't ask for money up front. You have every right to change your mind, and we'd never hold a deposit over you.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, just give us as much notice as you can. We hold time for your job and keep a crew employed --a little warning lets us fill the gap and keeps everyone working.

Reviewing the work. When we're finished, we'll let you know and ask you to look everything over. If something isn't right, tell us within a couple of days and we'll make it right. If we don't hear from you, we'll send the invoice.

Changes to the job. If you ask for work beyond the original estimate, or we uncover something hidden once we start, we'll talk it through and agree on any change before we carry on.

What to Expect with Interior Painting.

At Sonshine Girls Painting, we believe a beautiful interior paint job starts with clear expectations, thoughtful preparation, good product choices, and the right colours for your home.

Every home is different. Our preparation, product recommendations, and painting process are based on the condition of the surfaces being painted and the scope listed in your estimate.

Colour Consultations

Choosing colour can be one of the hardest parts of a painting project. We want our clients to feel confident before the paint goes on the wall, so many interior painting projects include a colour consultation as part of the estimate.

During a colour consultation, we may look at:

Our goal is to help narrow down the options and guide you toward colours that work with your home, not just colours that look good on a paint chip.

If you proceed with the painting project, the colour consultation is included at no additional charge as part of your estimate.

If the painting project is cancelled after the colour consultation has taken place, a colour consultation fee of will apply.

Final colour approval is the client’s responsibility. We always recommend viewing colour samples in the actual space before making a final decision, as colours can shift depending on lighting, surrounding finishes, time of day, and sheen.

What Interior Preparation Includes

Unless otherwise noted in your estimate, standard interior preparation may include:

Preparation is based on the surfaces included in the estimate. Interior painting is not a full wall restoration or drywall repair service unless those items are specifically listed.

Furniture, Décor, and Personal Items

Before we arrive, please make the areas being painted as clear and empty as possible.

Please remove fragile items, valuables, artwork, small décor, electronics, lamps, bedding, clothing, counter top items, and personal belongings from the rooms or areas being painted.

We do not move small furniture, personal belongings, or breakable items as part of our standard painting service. We can help with larger or heavier furniture where needed, but we need to know in advance so we can plan for it.

If a client would like us to move a significant amount of furniture or belongings, that can usually be arranged, but it is not included in standard painting pricing and may be billed as an additional charge.

This helps protect your belongings and allows our painters to

work safely and efficiently.

Switch Plates, Outlet Covers, and Attached Fixtures

We remove standard switch plates and outlet covers where appropriate before painting.

Some items are not removed because they are attached by wires, cables, or other connections. This may include central vacuum plates, cable outlets, telephone outlets, security components, thermostats, specialty controls, or other wired fixtures.

When these items cannot be safely or sensibly removed, we paint carefully around them.

Wall Repairs and Surface Expectations

Our standard interior wall prep is designed to improve the overall finished appearance of the painted surfaces.

Our typical process is to fill visible minor wall imperfections, pole sand the walls, apply the first coat of paint, then do a second pass of minor wall repairs where needed before the finish coat. This second pass helps us catch imperfections that are more visible after the first coat of paint.

Standard prep is intended to improve the walls and create a clean, professional painted finish. It is not intended to create a level-five drywall finish or remove every sign of previous damage, texture, nail pops, dents, old patch marks, or repairs.

If a client wants a higher level of surface restoration, such as extensive drywall repair, skim coating, texture removal, or major surface correction, that work would need to be quoted separately.

Nail Holes, Dents, and Drywall Repairs

Standard interior prep may include filling small nail holes and minor imperfections where needed.

Larger holes, drywall damage, corner bead repairs, water damage, cracked seams, failing tape, settlement cracks, texture matching, or major wall repairs are not included unless specifically listed in your estimate.

Where repairs are included, we do our best to make them blend with the surrounding surface. However, texture, lighting, sheen, and the condition of the existing wall can affect how invisible a repair appears after painting.

Paint, Colour, and Sheen

For most interior wall projects, our standard go-to paint is Sherwin Williams Opulence. It offers a strong balance of quality, coverage, finish, durability, and price point and a smooth, attractive finish for everyday living without pushing clients into a higher-cost product when unnecessary.

That said, paint selection may vary depending on the room, surface, colour, sheen, durability needs, moisture exposure, and the scope listed in your estimate.

Higher sheen reflects more light and can make surface imperfections more noticeable. Lower sheen tend to hide imperfections better but reflects less light.

Unless otherwise stated in your estimate, most interior projects are quoted as follows:

Not all colours cover well as it is dependant on the type of tint and base used. This is especially common with reds, yellows, oranges, deep blues, deep greens, and some bright or highly pigmented colours and whites.

If additional coats are required beyond the quoted scope,

they may be added at an additional charge

Caulking and Filling

We use caulking and filling selectively and appropriately.

On interiors, caulking may be used where trim meets walls, around certain gaps, or where it will improve the finished look. We do not caulk every crack or joint by default, especially if movement, moisture, or surface condition makes caulking the wrong choice.

Our goal is a clean, professional finish without creating future problems.

Stains, Priming, and Problem Areas

Some stains, marks, water damage, tannin bleed, nicotine, marker, crayon, grease, knots, or previous colour bleed may require specialty primer or additional prep.

Standard painting does not guarantee that all stains or problem areas will be blocked unless stain-blocking primer or specialty preparation is included in the estimate.

If we discover areas during the project that need additional stain blocking or specialty treatment, we will bring them to your attention.

Spraying, Brushing, and Rolling

We use the application method that best suits the surface and the project.

Walls are typically rolled and brushed. Trim, doors, cabinets, built-ins, ceilings, or certain surfaces may be brushed, rolled, or sprayed depending on the scope, finish, product, and site conditions.

When spraying is used, we take care to mask and protect surrounding areas. Spraying is simply one method of applying paint. What matters is using the right process for the surface.

Dust and Lived-In Homes

We take care to keep work areas tidy, but painting and prep can create some dust and disruption.

Sanding, patching, scraping, moving items, masking, and painting all happen inside a lived-in space. We do our best to minimize mess and clean up our work areas, but fine dust can continue to settle after the work is complete.

Drywall and sanding dust can take up to two weeks to fully settle. We recommend waiting until the painting is

complete before doing a final deep clean.

Doors, Trim, and Previously Painted Surfaces

Previously painted doors, trim, baseboards, casings, and other surfaces may have existing dents, chips, brush marks, runs, caulking buildup, dust in old paint, or uneven previous coatings.

Standard repainting improves the appearance but does not fully remove old texture, damage, or previous paint buildup unless additional prep or restoration work is specifically included.