Ceiling painting: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering ceiling painting

Ceiling jobs are judged on stains, lap marks and clean edges, and the customer will see every flaw in raking light. Win the job by finding stain sources, naming your primer and planning the light for the final walk-through.

What customers ask

  • Will the water stain come back after you paint it?
  • How do you avoid lap marks on a flat ceiling?
  • Do you take down the light fixtures, and how do you protect them?
  • What is the right sheen for a ceiling in a room with moisture?
  • Can you paint the ceiling and the walls in the same visit?

How to win the job

  • Look at each water stain on the first visit, check the source above it and note in the proposal whether the leak has been repaired.
  • Put the stain-blocking primer in the quote for each stain and name the product, so the customer knows the stain will not bleed through.
  • Explain the lap-mark prevention method in the proposal, including the roller type and the wet edge you keep during the job.
  • Check the ceiling in raking light at the walk-through, and show the customer what the light reveals before you start.
  • Quote the power shutoff and the fixture removal as a line item, so the customer knows who handles the electrical side.
  • Name the sheen for the ceiling and the walls, with the reasons, and show the samples on the ceiling in the room.
  • Schedule the ceiling before the walls so drips do not land on finished walls, and state that order in the quote.

What to put on your profile

  • Before and after photos of ceilings with stains, showing the primer and the final finish
  • Photos of raking light checks that show the ceiling is smooth and free of lap marks
  • A photo of the protection plan on a room before the work starts
  • A short list of primers you use for water and smoke stains

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • A check visit after the first heating and cooling season to look at the stains and the seams
  • A touch-up kit with the ceiling paint, labeled with the room and sheen
  • A quote for a leak repair or drywall patch, offered only if the customer asks

Licenses and permits

Ceiling painting is commonly done without a license in many places, but leak repair and drywall structural work may require additional credentials. Confirm your business registration and insurance in your state and locality, and refer electrical work to a licensed electrician.

Questions

Should I warranty a ceiling stain?

Warranty the primer and the workmanship for a stain you have treated, and state that the warranty ends if the leak returns. A leak repair is a separate job and should be quoted that way.

Do I need to remove smoke residue before painting?

Yes, in most cases. Wash the ceiling and use a stain-blocking primer that is rated for smoke. Ask the customer about the source of the smoke, because cooking and fireplace residue need different treatments.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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