Painting your home in Mexico – Yucatan Magazine

Furnishing and decorating your home in Mexico can be quite different than “back home.” Having assisted hundreds of clients in furnishing and decorating their homes over the past 10 years, I am always happy to share my learning.

Here are some tips and ideas you might want to keep in mind for one of the first things most people do when decorating their new home: paint!

In my experience, the average cost to paint a two-bedroom, two-bathroom home is $10,000 to $15,000 mxn. you can get the job done for less money and faster; you can get the job done for more money and slower. this is an average price based on hundreds of houses i have seen painted here in mexico. most painters and companies will include the cost of materials in their quotes. some don’t. Please be sure to get your quote in writing and in Spanish, so it is a valid legal contract. Remember that the documents in English are only a courtesy and are not legally binding in Mexico.

Whether you want to paint the whole house or just a splash of color on a few walls, save money and frustration by painting first before putting furniture into place. The last thing you need is an accidental drop of paint on your new sofa or sectional. most professional paint companies will provide drop cloths. however, that does not mean that the drop cloths will stay in place. Murphy’s Law means that a small drop of paint will always find its way onto your beautiful new upholstered item.

be careful who you hire to do the job. Just like anywhere, there are plenty of people who say they can paint their house. it doesn’t mean they can do the job well. When market demand is high, it’s not unusual for painters to recruit inexperienced family members. you can get a referral from a neighbor. does not mean that the shipper knows the quality of workmanship. they may just know someone who paints interiors and is a nice person. When possible, ask to see a house that has been painted by that company or person. look carefully at the lines along the corners and along the ceiling. Clean, straight lines are a telltale sign of a quality paint job.

There are strict liability laws in place when you hire someone to work directly for you and on your home. Although a company charges more, usually the company bears the burden in case something happens to their employee or worker. Before you hire workers in your home, it’s always a good idea to understand your responsibility. check with your attorney and insurance company to understand your risk.

I’ve noticed that the companies and people who do the best work usually set aside a few weeks. when I find out that someone is available the next day to do the job, it worries me. waiting a couple of weeks can mean the difference between a great job and a job that just gets done.

it is not uncommon in mexico for a contractor to be late or not to show up, even when you ask them to come and quote. it may not mean you shouldn’t hire them. ask anyone here, and they will tell you how dating in mexico works. rescheduling of meetings and appointments are constant. try to go with the flow. don’t be mad, it only makes it worse. remember that “tomorrow” doesn’t always mean tomorrow… it often means sometime in the future. When it comes to payment, whenever possible, the lower the deposit, the more likely you are to get a quicker response to complete the job.

Most of the interior painting here is done by roller and brush. When it comes to selecting your colors, you have many options, both in paint suppliers and in their shades. today, you can choose from many of the same companies as north of the border. One tip: If you like a specific color, give your painter a sample, and they’ll match it at the paint store.

Before any color is put on the walls, always verify that it is the color you ordered. You don’t want to come home at the end of the day to find your order was accidentally mixed up, and your living room is bright yellow when you wanted coral blue! When there are several colors in a house, I like to walk the house with the painter and have him touch each wall with a little bit of the color I want on each wall. that way, there’s a better chance of getting the right color on the right wall.

Not all painters remove plaques from walls or glue them down. Unless you want to spend time scraping off the paint, you may want to remove the plates yourself. light fixtures and ceiling fans are typically not covered when ceilings are painted—another reason to paint first.

When the job is done, ask the painter to give you a business card and on the back, put a touch of each paint color. Now not only do you have the refinishers information for when you need touch ups in the future, but you’ll also be able to use this card to color match for more paint, especially if it’s discontinued in the future.

contact furniture specialist sheryl novak at furniture@solutionsmexico.com.