Expert Painters

Commercial Painting Checklist: How to Prepare Your Business and Minimise Downtime

17 Sep

A commercial repaint can lift your brand, protect your building and make a better first impression on customers. It can also disrupt trading if it isn’t planned well. Staff need somewhere to work, customers still need to get in, and equipment and stock need protecting.

This commercial painting checklist walks you through what to do before, during and after the job, so your repaint runs smoothly and your business keeps moving.

Office painting project in Melbourne

Why businesses need a painting checklist

Painting a business is different from painting a home. You have staff, customers, stock, equipment, trading hours, and often a landlord or owners corporation to consider. Without a plan, a simple repaint can lead to unexpected closures, unhappy customers or work that has to be redone. A checklist keeps everyone on the same page and helps you spot problems before they cost you money.

6–8 weeks before: plan the project

  • Define the scope. List every area and surface to be painted, including walls, ceilings, doors, trims, exterior walls and signage areas. Note any brand colours that need to be matched.
  • Check approvals. If you lease your premises, check your lease and get landlord approval. Strata buildings may need owners corporation approval. For exterior colour changes, check with your council if the building is in a heritage overlay.
  • Get detailed written quotes. Compare the preparation, products, number of coats and timeline, not just the price.
  • Ask about scheduling. Ask whether the work can be done in stages or outside your trading hours, so parts of the business can keep running.
  • Choose the right products. High-traffic areas need durable, washable finishes. Occupied spaces benefit from low-odour, low-VOC paints. Kitchens, bathrooms and damp areas may need mould-resistant products.
  • Confirm insurance and safety documents. Ask for proof of public liability insurance. Where the job involves high-risk work, such as working at height, ask for a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS).

2–4 weeks before: tell the right people

  • Staff: share the schedule, which areas will be affected, and where people will work while painting is under way.
  • Customers and tenants: use signage, your website and social media to explain what’s happening and whether any entrances will change.
  • Building management: book lifts and loading docks, arrange after-hours access, and sort out keys and alarm codes.
  • Access and parking: arrange space for the painting team’s vehicles and equipment. If scaffolding or equipment needs to go on a footpath, your council may require a permit.
Commercial showroom painting in Melbourne

The week before: prepare the space

  • Take down signage, artwork, whiteboards, noticeboards and wall-mounted screens.
  • Move furniture, stock and equipment away from walls, or agree with your painters which items they will cover.
  • Back up computers, and protect IT equipment and server rooms from dust.
  • Identify sensitive areas such as kitchens, food preparation areas, medical rooms and storerooms, and agree how they will be handled.
  • Clearly mark anything that must not be moved.
  • Plan for ventilation, especially in areas that stay open during the work.
  • Agree daily start and finish times, and name one contact person from your business for the painters.

During the job: keep things on track

  • Have a short daily check-in with the painting supervisor.
  • Keep staff and customers out of work zones, and make sure wet paint signs are in place.
  • Check progress against the agreed scope, and raise any concerns early rather than at the end.
  • Make sure work areas are tidied each day so the business can keep trading.

After the job: inspect and record

  • Do a final walk-through in good light and check edges, coverage and finish quality.
  • Make a list of any touch-ups and agree when they will be done.
  • Confirm clean-up is complete before reinstalling signage and equipment.
  • Ask for the paint brands, colours and sheen levels used, and keep them in your maintenance records.
  • Keep leftover paint labelled for future touch-ups.
  • Plan regular maintenance, such as touching up high-traffic areas and washing exterior walls.
Commercial building painting in Melbourne

Quick commercial painting checklist

  1. Scope, surfaces and brand colours confirmed
  2. Landlord, strata or council approvals checked
  3. Written, itemised quotes compared
  4. Staged or out-of-hours schedule agreed
  5. Durable, low-odour products chosen
  6. Insurance and safety documents received
  7. Staff, customers and building management notified
  8. Lifts, loading docks, access and parking booked
  9. Walls cleared, and furniture, stock and IT protected
  10. Daily contact person and check-ins arranged
  11. Final walk-through and touch-ups completed
  12. Paint details recorded for future maintenance

How Expert Painting and Renovation helps Melbourne businesses

Expert Painting and Renovation is a family-run, Aussie-local company based in Richmond, with more than 9 years of experience in residential and commercial painting. We work with offices, shops and other commercial properties, and plan each project around the way your business operates.

Our commercial painting Melbourne service covers interior and exterior work. We also handle plastering and rendering repairs, so surfaces are properly prepared before painting starts. You can see examples of our work in our portfolio, and check the suburbs we cover on our service areas page.

Dulux Australia — Exterior Render Systems https://www.dulux.com.au

Haymes Paint — Texture Coating Solutions https://www.haymespaint.com.au (haymespaint.com.au in Bing)

Safe Work Australia — Rendering Safety Guidelines https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au

Floor Protect – https://floor-protect.com.au/

Laser Clean Pro – https://www.lasercleanpro.com.au/

FAQ

Can commercial painting be done while my business is open?
Often, yes. With good planning, painting can be done in stages or outside trading hours so your business keeps operating. Discuss your trading hours with your painting company when you get a quote.

How long does commercial painting take?
It depends on the size of the property, the surfaces and the preparation needed. A small office may take a few days, while larger buildings can take several weeks.

Do I need my landlord’s permission to paint?
If you lease your premises, you usually do. Check your lease and get written approval before work starts, especially for exterior or colour changes.

How often should a commercial building be repainted?
High-traffic interior areas may need touch-ups every few years. Exterior paint typically lasts 7–10 years, depending on the surface, the products used and exposure to sun and weather.

Planning a repaint for your business? Contact Expert Painting and Renovation to discuss your project.

About Expert Painting & Renovation

Expert Painting and Renovation is an Aussie-local, family-run company based in Richmond, Melbourne, with more than 9 years of experience in residential and commercial painting and renovation. Our specialists deliver premium workmanship, timely service and durable finishes designed for Melbourne homes.

Whether you need maintenance advice, a single-room refresh or a full home makeover, our team is just a call away.

📍 Our Service Areas Across Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula, Surf Coast & Phillip Island

Melbourne & Bayside

Phillip Island & Bass Coast

Surf Coast & Bellarine Peninsula

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