Congratulations! You just bought a new house and are anxiously waiting for the big moving day to arrive. Like many homeowners, you are probably trying to decide if you should paint the house before or after moving in. Both options have pros and cons, so there is no right or wrong answer. It’s more about personal preference – doing it now and getting it out of the way or waiting until you have had more time to think about it.
Painting Before You Move In
If you’re struggling to decide whether to paint the house before you move in, it may help to consider these advantages:
An empty house is more accessible and less time consuming to paint
When the previous owner vacates the house, it’s like a blank canvas. With no pictures to remove from the walls and no furniture to move around, it’s easier and less time consuming to paint the house.
Since you’re not living there yet, you don’t have to worry about paint fumes or leaving the house until the paint is dry.
Enjoy the fresh appearance of a newly painted home sooner
A freshly painted house allows you to enjoy the fresh like-new appearance of a newly painted home sooner. You can concentrate on unpacking all of those boxes, arranging your furniture, and hanging your favorite pictures on the wall that will make your new home feel like home.
One less project to do after you move in
Moving can be a stressful event, and there are so many things you have to do, like hiring the movers or a moving truck, transferring the utilities, and enrolling the kids in school, for starters. Painting your house before you move in also means one less project to do later.
Painting After Moving In
On the other hand, some homeowners prefer to wait until after they move in to paint their house for some of the following reasons:
Paint colors may clash with your furniture
You might find that after you move in and arrange your furnishings, the paint colors in the bedroom, kitchen, or living room do not provide the cohesive appearance you intended. It can sometimes be challenging to imagine how colors will blend with everything in a space.
May not like the paint color after you move in
The lighting in the room can change the way you see paint colors. The color you saw on the swatch may look differently on the walls in a lighter or darker room. Brighter colors may get washed out in a brightly lit room, while darker colors can make dark interior spaces look smaller. It also gives you a chance to understand your home’s lighting conditions, which may make a difference in your color choices.
Need more time to decide on paint colors and other interior design elements
Perhaps, you simply need more time to decide on your color palette or plan to make other home improvements like updating the flooring, installing new kitchen cabinets and other interior decorating choices. It will also give you more time to think about incorporating accent colors and different painting designs to create a more custom interior appearance. Whether you decide to paint before you move in or afterwards, we can help make house painting easier. Give us a call for a free estimate and we will be ready when you are.
Frank Campanelli, the esteemed founder of Franklin Painting LLC, has been leading the company since 1986. He takes immense pride in the stellar reputation his dedicated team has built by consistently delivering top-notch service to each customer.
