Painting & Decorating for Block Management Companies
Communal stairwells, corridors, lobbies, render and timber — done properly, in occupied buildings, by a crew that understands how blocks actually run. Section 20-ready tenders, insured, RAMS supplied, residents respected.
We work with block management companies, property managers, managing agents, resident management companies, landlords, estate managers and facilities managers across Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield, Solihull, Wolverhampton, Walsall and the wider West Midlands. Communal decoration is a significant share of what we do — both planned cyclical work and reactive insurance jobs.
The actual painting is the easy part. What sets a block contractor apart is everything around it: returning a quote when promised, sending RAMS before the start date, behaving properly on site with residents, leaving the building tidy at the end of every day, and reporting in without being chased.
Who we work with
- Block management companies
- Property management companies
- Managing agents
- Resident management companies (RMCs)
- Landlords and freeholders
- Estate managers
- Facilities managers
- Insurance-related property works
Internal communal decorating
- Communal stairwell redecoration
- Hallways, landings and corridors
- Entrance lobbies and reception areas
- Lift lobbies and lift-car interiors
- Doors, frames, skirting and architraves
- Handrails, balustrades and metalwork
- Ceilings, walls and panelling
- Stain blocking, water-damage make-good
- Bike, bin and pram store interiors
External communal decorating
- Smooth and textured render systems
- Masonry painting and breathable coatings
- Fascias, soffits and bargeboards
- External timber cladding and trim
- Railings, gates and bollards
- Communal entrance doors
- Cast-iron and aluminium rainwater goods
- External handrails and balustrades
How we run a block
- Phased programme — floor-by-floor or core-by-core
- Resident notices posted 5–7 days ahead
- Half-flight working on occupied stairs
- Low-odour, fast-recoat trade materials
- RAMS supplied before mobilisation
- Out-of-hours working when needed
- Daily clear-down — corridors stay usable
- Weekly photo updates to the agent
- Snag walk with the agent before final invoice
Quotations suitable for Section 20 consultation
For qualifying major works — where any single leaseholder's contribution exceeds £250 — block managers are legally required to consult under Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. We support managing agents through that process with clearly scoped tender information.
We provide fully itemised, fixed-price quotations formatted so they can be distributed to leaseholders, and work to your statutory notice and observation timelines. Variations are confirmed in writing where unforeseen work is identified.
- Fully itemised, leaseholder-readable tenders
- Fixed-price quotes — no variation surprises
- Scope written against your specification
- Tender timelines worked to your S20 schedule
- Sample boards and product data sheets supplied
- References from completed cyclical works
Resident liaison protocol
We handle all resident relations on site so the agent doesn't field the calls. Residents know who we are, what's happening on their floor, and what to expect each day.
- Notice-board warnings posted 5–7 days ahead
- Letterbox drops detailing the working schedule
- High-visibility safety signage and wet-paint notices
- Fire exits and means of escape kept clear at all times
- Uniformed, DBS-checked crew on request
- Site foreman as single point of contact for residents
- Daily clear-down — corridors and stairs stay usable
- Complaints log shared weekly with the agent
Specification — built for high-traffic durability
Block corridors take a kicking — bikes, prams, suitcases, removal boxes, muddy shoes. We specify scrubbable, washable commercial trade systems chosen to survive that traffic, not the cheapest litre on the shelf.
Walls: Johnstone's Acrylic Durable Matt, Dulux Trade Diamond Matt or Tikkurila Optiva — Class 1 scrub rating, repeatedly washable without burnishing.
Woodwork (doors, frames, skirting, handrails): Tikkurila Helmi or Johnstone's Aqua Guard water-based satin/eggshell — non-yellowing, quick recoat, hard-wearing finish.
Metalwork (railings, balustrades, gates): Zinc-rich primer plus a two-pack or alkyd topcoat depending on exposure.
External render and masonry: Breathable mineral or pliolite-based systems matched to substrate.
Properly specified and applied, a communal redecoration of this standard pushes the next cyclical cycle out to 5–7 years — protecting the reserve fund and reducing how often residents pay for scaffolding to go up.
Compliance, insurance & accreditation
- Public liability £5,000,000
- Employers' liability £10,000,000
- RAMS supplied per instruction, before mobilisation
- COSHH assessments and product data sheets on file
- PASMA-trained operatives for mobile-tower access
- Working-at-height policy and dust-management procedure
- GDPR, equal opportunities and environmental policies on file
- PQQ-ready — full document pack returned promptly, usually within a few working days
We're happy to complete your compliance team's PQQ, sit on your Approved Contractor List, and supply references from current block clients. If you require a specific third-party accreditation (CHAS, SafeContractor, Constructionline, SMAS) for a particular tender, please confirm at enquiry stage — we'll let you know the current status before quoting.
Why block managers choose us
Experience in occupied buildings. Most of our communal work is on blocks where residents stay in place. We plan around that, not against it.
One contractor for interior and exterior. Same crew, same foreman, same programme. Colours and finishes coordinated rather than fought over a year later.
Clear communication. One point of contact for the agent, weekly progress emails, anything that needs a decision flagged the same day.
Proper preparation. Substrate first, finish second. Cheap to do once, expensive to skip and redo in 18 months.
Durable finishes for high-traffic communal areas. Scrubbable trade matt on walls, water-based satin on woodwork — chosen for actual use, not the cheapest litre.
Commercial insurance and compliance. PL £5m, EL £10m, RAMS per instruction, on several managing-agent approved-contractor lists already.
76 Google reviews at 4.9★ and 129+ Checkatrade reviews at 9.97/10. References available from current block clients.
Frequently asked
Do you work directly with block management companies?+
Yes — block management, property management, managing agents, RMCs and landlords. Most of our communal work comes through repeat-instructing agents.
Are you familiar with the Section 20 consultation process?+
Yes. For qualifying major works (where any single leaseholder's contribution exceeds £250) we provide fully itemised, fixed-price tenders formatted for distribution to leaseholders, and we work to your statutory notice and observation timelines so the consultation stays compliant.
Can you quote from a scope of works or tender pack?+
Yes. Send the scope, drawings, tender pack or photos and we'll come back with a fixed, itemised price — typically within 3 working days for standard scopes, longer for full Section 20 packs. For anything complex we'll arrange a short site visit first.
Can you complete a PQQ or join an Approved Contractor List?+
Yes — we routinely complete PQQs and supply insurance, references, method statements, sample specs and policies (H&S, environmental, equal opportunities, GDPR) to compliance teams. Happy to be added to your ACL.
Can you work in occupied communal areas?+
Yes — that's most of what we do. Phased working, half-flight scheduling on stairs, low-odour materials, resident notices posted 5–7 days ahead, letterbox drops with the working schedule, and on-site high-vis signage.
Do you provide RAMS?+
Yes — RAMS supplied per instruction before mobilisation, plus PL £5m and EL £10m certificates on request.
Are you insured for commercial and communal decorating work?+
Yes — public liability £5m, employers' liability £10m, professional indemnity available. Insurance certificates available on request, usually the same working day.
What products do you specify for high-traffic communal areas?+
Scrubbable, washable trade systems chosen for durability rather than price — Johnstone's Acrylic Durable Matt, Dulux Trade Diamond Matt, Tikkurila Optiva, and water-based satin or eggshell on woodwork (Tikkurila Helmi, Johnstone's Aqua Guard). Properly specified and applied, these push the next cyclical redecoration cycle out to 5–7 years and protect the reserve fund.
How do you handle resident liaison?+
We handle resident relations on site so the agent doesn't field the calls — notice-board warnings, letterbox drops detailing the work schedule, high-visibility safety signage, and a polite uniformed crew. Fire exits and means of escape are kept clear at all times.
Can you complete internal and external decorating?+
Yes. One crew, one foreman, one programme — internals and externals coordinated rather than treated as separate jobs.
Can works be phased to reduce disruption?+
Yes — floor-by-floor, core-by-core, or wing-by-wing depending on the block. We programme around resident routines.
Can you deal with water damage and stain blocking?+
Yes — moisture-meter checked before painting, correct primer for the type of stain, repaint matched to existing scheme. Itemised invoice for insurance claims.
What areas do you cover?+
All of the West Midlands — Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield, Solihull, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley, Lichfield, Tamworth and surrounding areas.
Specific scopes we handle for block managers.
Inside a completed communal stairwell.
A walk-through of one of four stairwell redecorations recently completed in an occupied apartment complex in Lichfield for Primis Property Management — phased to keep residents moving and finished in durable, scrubbable trade systems.
- —4 stairwells delivered across an occupied apartment complex.
- —Phased programming, fire exits kept clear throughout.
- —Durable, scrubbable communal-grade specification.
Lichfield · Primis Property Management · Communal stairwell redecoration
Block management decorating across the West Midlands.
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