Painting & Decorating FAQs

We're based in Sutton Coldfield and work across the wider West Midlands — Four Oaks, Mere Green, Little Aston, Boldmere, Streetly, Lichfield, Edgbaston, Solihull, Tamworth, Aldridge, Walsall and Birmingham. Larger projects further afield are considered on request.

Yes — most of our work is on period homes and detached family properties across Sutton Coldfield, Four Oaks, Mere Green, Little Aston and Lichfield, alongside modern apartment developments and commercial buildings in Edgbaston, Solihull and Birmingham.

We've been delivering residential and commercial decorating across Sutton Coldfield and the surrounding areas since 2009.

Yes. We carry £5m public liability insurance as standard and can provide our certificate of insurance on request.

DBS-checked decorators are available where required — useful when we're working in occupied family homes or alongside other trades on residential sites. Just let us know at quotation stage.

Yes — we're Checkatrade approved with verified customer reviews. We're happy to share references on request.

Every project is completed by experienced, trusted decorators working to Four Oaks Painting & Decorating standards. We control the standard from quote to sign-off.

Either request a quote through our website, send photographs of the project, or arrange a site visit. For larger projects we strongly recommend an on-site survey so we can fully scope preparation, materials and timeline.

Yes. For smaller projects, well-lit photos and approximate measurements are usually enough for us to provide an indicative quotation. We'll confirm the figure with a site visit before any work begins.

Yes. All quotations are free, written and provided with no obligation.

Each quote sets out the scope of work room by room or elevation by elevation, the preparation included, the paint specification and the projected timeline.

Lead times vary by season — exterior work in summer and full house redecorations book up earliest. We'd recommend enquiring four to eight weeks ahead where possible.

Yes. We regularly work alongside interior designers, architects and developers, working to detailed schedules of finishes and specification documents.

Typically two to four weeks depending on size, condition and the level of detail. We'll provide a clear schedule with your written quotation.

Yes. We're frequently in occupied homes — we work cleanly room by room with full floor protection, dust sheets and daily tidy-down at the end of each shift.

We work principally with Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, Mylands, Tikkurila, Dulux Trade and Johnstone's Trade — selecting the right system for the substrate and the brief.

Modern water-based trim paints have largely overtaken oil-based for woodwork — they hold colour, dry hard and don't yellow. We'll specify the right system based on the substrate, condition and finish required.

Yes. We can colour-match almost any existing finish using professional spectrophotometer matching at our trade suppliers.

We handle filling, caulking, minor patch repairs and skim work as part of preparation. For larger plastering or replastering, we coordinate with a trusted plasterer before our decoration begins.

We use professional Graco airless and HVLP spray systems, selected based on the surface, the environment and the required finish. Different surfaces and locations call for different equipment.

Yes. We build full containment with masking film, dust sheets and floor protection, and use HVLP equipment for fine on-site work to control overspray. Most clients are surprised at how clean the process is.

Most kitchens are completed within three to five working days, depending on the number of doors, drawers and panels.

Doors and drawer fronts are typically removed, sprayed off-site or in a dedicated area, and refitted. Carcasses and end panels are sprayed in place under containment.

Hardwearing two-pack or specialist water-based cabinet systems depending on the substrate. These are designed to perform in a working kitchen environment.

With the right preparation — degreasing, sanding, priming — and the right product system, a sprayed kitchen will perform like a factory finish for many years.

Yes. Sprayed staircases, spindles, handrails and panelling are a regular part of our work. The finish is sharp, consistent and far closer to fitted furniture than brushwork.

Both. We have a dedicated spray facility for joinery, doors and furniture, and we spray on site for fitted kitchens, wardrobes, panelling and staircases under full containment.

April through October typically gives the most reliable weather window. We monitor conditions daily and don't paint in unsuitable temperature, humidity or rain.

Yes. We arrange and manage scaffolding, towers or access equipment as part of the project where required.

Yes. We carry out splicing, full timber replacement and pre-paint joinery repairs to fascias, soffits, sash windows, doors and bargeboards.

We use weathershield-grade masonry coatings and breathable systems where appropriate — selected based on the substrate, exposure and condition of the property.

Yes. Sash and casement window restoration — including burning off, splicing, draught-proofing where needed and full repaint — is a regular part of our exterior work.

Yes. We strip back, treat for corrosion, prime with the correct metal primer and finish in a hardwearing system suited to exterior metalwork.

Yes. We design panel proportions to suit the room — picture-rail height, skirting depth, ceiling cornice — and install in MDF before priming, filling and finishing on site or with a sprayed coat.

We hang everything from standard pasted papers to premium hand-printed and grass-cloth papers — Cole & Son, de Gournay, Zoffany, Sanderson and similar.

Either. Many clients order their own paper directly. We're happy to advise on quantity and supplier, and can order on your behalf where preferred.

Yes. Walls are filled, sanded and lined where required before any premium paper is hung. Preparation is critical to a clean, seamless finish.

Very. We use professional dustless sanding systems, full floor and furniture protection, daily tidy-down and a final clean before sign-off.

Dustless sanding uses sanders connected directly to high-extraction vacuums, capturing the vast majority of dust at source. It's a far cleaner alternative to traditional sanding in occupied homes.

We work room by room with full protection, communicating clearly each day. Most clients carry on with normal life while we're on site.

For commercial clients, yes — we regularly work evenings, weekends and out-of-hours to minimise disruption to operations.

Yes. Hard floors are sheeted and taped, carpets are protected with breathable carpet film, and furniture is covered or moved as required.

Always. The site is left clean, vacuumed and inspected with the client before we sign off.

Yes. We work with offices, hospitality, retail, healthcare, education and developer clients across the West Midlands.

Yes. Out-of-hours, evening and weekend working is standard on our commercial contracts.

Yes. We provide risk assessments and method statements for commercial sites as standard.

Yes. We work directly with house builders, developers and main contractors on new builds, show homes and refurbishments.

Yes — coordinating with kitchen fitters, electricians, joiners, flooring contractors and site managers is a regular part of how we work.

Yes. Our work is guaranteed against defects in workmanship. Specific manufacturer guarantees on coatings depend on the system used and we'll set this out in your quotation.

We walk every project at completion to identify any final detail. If something needs attention afterwards, we return to address it.

Yes. We leave clearly labelled paint where requested so you can carry out small touch-ups in future, or we can return to handle it.

Yes. You can upload photos of rooms, exteriors, stairwells, offices or communal areas through our quote form or WhatsApp. Photos help us understand the scope faster and often let us give initial guidance without a site visit.

Wide shots of each room or elevation, close-ups of any cracks, damaged plaster, rotten timber or previous flaky paint, plus rough dimensions if you have them. For exteriors, a photo of each side of the property is ideal.

Yes. We're happy to quote from a schedule of works, drawings, dilapidations report or Section 20 pack. Send anything you have and we'll come back with clear next steps.

Yes. We regularly quote for landlords, estate agents and managing agents from photos alone. Where a site visit is needed we'll arrange access with the tenant, agent or on-site contact.

For larger redecorations, full property refurbishments, exterior work and complex commercial projects, a survey lets us scope preparation, access and materials properly before quoting.

Yes. We regularly decorate rental properties, HMOs and homes being prepared for sale — including collecting keys from estate agents, sending WhatsApp updates and coordinating with tenants where required.

Yes. Empty-property redecorations are one of the fastest, cleanest jobs we do. We can turn a full flat or house around in days rather than weeks, ready for photos, viewings or the next tenant.

Yes. We've completed full property redecorations for clients living abroad or elsewhere in the UK — communicating by phone and WhatsApp with photo updates at each stage, and coordinating with local trades where needed.

Yes. We understand the durability and turnaround requirements for HMO decoration — hardwearing wall and trim systems, quick drying times and clean working around tenants.

Yes. We work with managing agents and block management companies including Castle Estates and Primis on communal stairwells, corridors, lobbies and shared residential areas across Birmingham and the West Midlands.

We phase work floor by floor, keep at least one route clear at all times, post resident notices in advance, use low-odour paint systems and clean down every day so common areas stay usable.

Yes. RAMS are available for suitable commercial and block management work, and we hold £5m public liability insurance. Certificates can be provided at quotation stage.

Yes. We quote in the format managing agents need for Section 20 consultation — clear scope, specification and pricing that can be shared with leaseholders.

High-traffic communal areas need scrubbable, hardwearing wall paints and durable trim systems. We specify trade-grade emulsions and satin or eggshell finishes designed for shared residential use.

Yes. Sutton Coldfield and Four Oaks are our home patch — including Mere Green, Boldmere, Wylde Green, Streetly, Little Aston and Walmley. Most local projects can be visited within a few days.

Yes. We work across Birmingham including Edgbaston, Harborne, Moseley and central Birmingham, and throughout Solihull including Knowle and Dorridge — residential, commercial and block management work.

Yes. We regularly work across Lichfield, Tamworth, Walsall and the surrounding Staffordshire and Black Country postcodes — including managed properties, homes and communal areas.

Yes. Recent Wolverhampton projects include a 10-stairwell block management redecoration for Castle Estates. We cover the wider West Midlands for larger commercial, block management and full-property residential work.

Yes. We carry £5m public liability insurance as standard, with certificates available on request for domestic, commercial and block management clients.

Yes. Risk assessments and method statements are prepared for suitable commercial and communal projects — covering access, materials, safe systems of work and resident considerations.

Professional Graco airless and HVLP spray systems, dustless sanding equipment and premium trade paint systems from Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, Mylands, Tikkurila, Dulux Trade and Johnstone's Trade — selected for the substrate and environment.

Real customer feedback is on our Google Business profile and Checkatrade page. Recent projects — from period homes and media walls to communal stairwells — are on our case studies and gallery pages.