Begin with a room-by-room inspection
Walk the vacant unit in consistent lighting and photograph each wall, ceiling, door, frame, baseboard, closet, and painted fixture. Mark peeling, impact damage, holes, stains, failing sealant, previous patching, visible moisture, and surfaces that may need a different treatment. Do not assume every mark is a paint problem.
Record active leaks, persistent odours, suspected mould, loose material, or damaged substrates separately. Correct the source and define appropriate repair work before coating the surface. Painting over an unresolved condition creates a cleaner photograph, not a durable turnover.
Define exactly what will be painted
| Area | Scope decision | Inspection record |
|---|---|---|
| Walls | Spot repair, partial room, or full room | Colour, sheen, coat system and exceptions |
| Ceilings | Exclude, touch up, stain block, or full coat | Cause of stains and repaired areas |
| Doors and trim | Which faces, frames, baseboards, closets | Damage, hardware removal and adhesion |
| Kitchen and bath | Moisture-prone surfaces and sealant interfaces | Ventilation, cleaning and cure conditions |
List exclusions as clearly as inclusions. Note feature walls, wallpaper, unfinished closets, radiators, cabinets, balcony doors, textured ceilings, and resident-installed coatings. A simple annotated floor plan can prevent a missed room or disagreement.
Make preparation visible in the work order
Preparation may include removing approved fasteners, filling holes, sanding patches, correcting loose paint, cleaning contaminants, spot priming repairs, stain blocking, caulking selected gaps, and protecting floors, fixtures, appliances, and common access routes. The right process depends on the surface and coating; the scope should not promise a universal method.
Agree what level of wall repair is included. Small nail holes, broad damaged areas, previous poor patches, and impact-damaged drywall are different tasks. If extensive correction will be priced after inspection, state the unit rate or approval process before work begins.
Control colour and product information
Record manufacturer, product line, colour name and code, sheen, base, room or surface, and approved sample. Keep the final label information in the unit or building record. “Builder white” is not enough to reproduce a finish later, and the same colour may look different across product lines or sheens.
Confirm ventilation, temperature, recoat, and cure conditions from current product instructions. Coordinate cleaning, flooring, appliance work, and leasing photography so fresh finishes are not damaged by the next task.
Inspect in a repeatable order
- Confirm every scoped room and surface was completed.
- Review repaired areas, coverage, cut lines, drips, roller marks, overspray, and paint on adjacent finishes under normal lighting.
- Open doors and closets; check edges, frames, baseboards, hardware, switches, and receptacle covers.
- Confirm floors, counters, fixtures, appliances, windows, and common routes are clean and undamaged.
- Label deficiencies by room, photograph them, assign responsibility, and record completion.
- Save final product details and leftover-material instructions in the turnover record.
Copy this one-line painting scope
Unit · room · surface · current condition · repair level · cleaning/preparation · primer · product/colour/sheen · coat requirement · protection · exclusions · completion standard · photo record · deficiency owner.
Pair this with the turnover inspection checklist and turnover planning guide. JT coordinates rental-unit turnover work, repairs, painting, flooring, and documented handover across Toronto and the GTA.