Some have simple answers. Others depend entirely on the house in front of us.
This is where I answer them as plainly as I can, based on the work we actually do, the surfaces we see and the products we use.
Quite often, yes. If the existing paint is sound, clean and properly bonded, there is usually no reason to remove it simply because it is old. If it is flaking, chalky, bubbling or loose, that needs to be dealt with first. Another coat will not make a weak surface stronger. We look at what is underneath before deciding what goes on top.
No. Most previously painted walls do not need stripping back. Loose material should come off, repairs need to be dealt with and glossy surfaces may need sanding or priming, but a sound coating can normally stay. Removing good paint just for the sake of removing it usually creates more work, not a better finish.
The bigger problem is normally contrast. Going from a very dark colour to something light can take more work, and bright reds, yellows and oranges can also have weaker hiding power because of the pigments used. Sometimes an appropriate primer or undercoat saves a lot of unnecessary topcoats.
Four coats of paint are not always better than preparing the colour change properly first. Colortrend Paints or Dulux makes the same point in its technical guidance: strong contrast and some bright pigments can require extra coats or a suitable primer.
There is no useful single price without knowing what is included. Current Irish pricing guides put internal painting for a typical two- to three-bedroom house broadly around €2,600–€5,300, but that can move considerably once ceilings, doors, skirting, repairs, sanding, occupied rooms and higher-specification paints are included
In Dublin, I would much rather see the property and give a clear scope than throw out a figure that means very little.
Two three-bedroom houses can be completely different jobs.
You will see day rates quoted online, but I do not think they are the best way for a homeowner to compare painters. Current Irish guides mention roughly €170-–€230+ per day, with Dublin commonly higher. They also report that most painters on their platform prefer to quote the complete job rather than work from a daily rate. That makes more sense to me.
A cheap day is not cheap if the job takes twice as long or the preparation is missed.
For a straightforward small room, current guides generally start around €400–€650. But the room itself only tells us part of the story. Ceiling? Doors? Skirting? Cracks? Furniture? Dark colour change? New plaster? Those details are usually what change the price.
It depends on what you mean by paint the house. Walls only in an empty property can move quickly. Add ceilings, doors, skirting, repairs, sanding and a lived-in house, and it becomes a completely different programme.
For a proper full repaint, I normally think in days or weeks rather than trying to promise an unrealistic number of hours before seeing it.
I would be careful with any absolute answer here. Colour is personal, and buyer preferences change. Interestingly, Zillow’s 2026 research found buyers responding well to warmer, earthy colours and sage green, while colours such as ochre yellow and Millennial pink performed less favourably in its survey.
If someone is painting specifically to sell, I normally lean towards colours that make the property feel bright, settled and easy for the next person to imagine living in.
You do not have to make the whole house white.
Look beyond the photographs. Check recent reviews, insurance, how clearly the quotation is written and whether the painter can explain the preparation and products being specified.
A good painter should be able to tell you why a surface needs a particular system, not just what colour is going on it.
And if the quotation is vague before the job begins, it rarely becomes clearer once the work starts.
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If it is something homeowners keep asking us, I may add it to this page.
