This page covers doing it yourself, and what to do when a paint job goes wrong. For prices, lead rules and choosing a painter, see our other guides.
Price ranges on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. Local labor, paint prices and the condition of your own walls move the number up or down. Last checked October 2026.
Should I paint myself or hire a painter?
Paint it yourself if the job is small, the walls are in good shape and you have the time. Hire a painter for high work, heavy prep, cabinets, exteriors and any job that disturbs old paint in a house built before 1978. A bedroom with smooth walls is a fair weekend project. A stair hall with cracked plaster is not.
How much would I save painting myself?
You would save the labor, which is 70% to 85% of an interior painting price by the national figures. You still pay for paint, primer, brushes, rollers, drop cloths, filler and ladders. You also spend your own time, and a first-time painter is much slower than a crew.
Is a two-story exterior too dangerous to DIY?
For most people, yes. Work from a tall ladder is where serious falls happen, and scraping and painting mean reaching and leaning for hours. Many Providence houses are three stories, on sloped or narrow side yards where a ladder is hard to set safely. On a pre-1978 house, exterior scraping also spreads lead dust unless it is contained.
Is renting a sprayer worth it?
Renting a sprayer is worth it only for large empty spaces, fences or bare new walls. A sprayer is fast, but the masking takes longer than the spraying, and a beginner gets runs and overspray. In a furnished room, a roller is quicker overall. On tight city lots, overspray can drift onto a neighbor's car or house.
My DIY paint job looks bad. Can a pro fix it?
Yes. A painter can fix a bad paint job in most cases. Drips and ridges are sanded flat, patches are primed and the wall is recoated. If the paint is peeling because of what is under it, the loose layer has to come off first. Tell us what products were used and in what order.
When is a job too big to do myself?
A job is too big when it needs staging, takes more weekends than you have, or involves lead paint, rotten wood or a whole exterior. Half-finished exteriors left open to a New England winter end up costing more than hiring would have.
Why is new paint peeling after a few months?
New paint that peels within a few months did not bond. The cause is usually paint over a damp, dirty, glossy or chalky surface, latex put straight over oil-based paint, or no primer on bare wood. Water getting behind the paint does the same. Adding another coat does not help. The loose paint must come off and the cause must be dealt with.
Why does new paint look streaky or show roller marks?
Streaks and roller marks come from paint spread too thin, from going back over paint that has started to dry, or from a poor roller. Hot, dry rooms make it worse. A second full coat, kept wet from one edge to the other, usually cures it.
Why can I still see the old color?
You can see the old color because the new paint has not covered yet. One coat rarely hides a strong color. A primer coat or a second finish coat is needed.
Why does the wall look splotchy in side light?
A splotchy or uneven look in side light is called flashing. It happens when patches were not primed, when paint went on at different thicknesses, or when the sheen is too high for a rough wall. Priming the repairs and recoating the whole wall evens it out. A flatter sheen helps on old plaster.
Why do touch-ups not match?
Touch-ups stand out because paint on the wall has aged and the new paint has not. Even from the same can, a touch-up can dry to a slightly different color and sheen, and a brush leaves a different texture than a roller. The cleaner fix is to repaint the whole wall from corner to corner.
Why did paint peel off with the painter's tape?
Paint comes off with the tape when it has not bonded to the layer below, or when the tape stayed on too long. Fresh paint also forms a skin across the tape edge. Pull the tape slowly at a low angle, and score the edge with a blade first if the paint has dried hard. If whole strips of paint come away, the layer underneath was the problem.
Should a painter come back to fix missed spots?
Yes. A painter should come back for missed spots and thin areas. The final walk-through exists to find them before the last payment. Walk the job in daylight, mark each spot with a piece of tape and agree on a list.
The painter left paint on my floors and windows. What now?
Ask the painter to clean it up. Drips on floors and paint on window glass are the painter's to remove, and careless scraping can scratch glass or a floor finish. Take photos and raise it before you make the final payment.
The painter will not come back. What are my options?
Put your request in writing with photos and a fair deadline. If the painter still does not return or answer, and the contractor is registered in Rhode Island, you can file a complaint with the Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board. Small claims court is another route. This is general information. A lawyer can advise on your case.
The final invoice is higher than the written estimate. What now?
Ask for a written breakdown of the difference. An invoice should only be higher than the estimate if you agreed to extra work or to a change. Check your contract for how changes were to be approved. If nothing was agreed, say so in writing and pay the agreed amount while the rest is sorted out.
Who pays to fix paint that failed early?
Who pays depends on why the paint failed. If the cause was poor prep or the wrong product, a painter who stands behind the work should fix it, and a written warranty makes that clear. If the cause was a leak, rotted wood or damp that the painter pointed out and you chose not to fix, the cost is usually yours. Keep your contract and photos.
Do you give free estimates?
Yes. We give a free estimate with a written quote. Call, text or use the form on this site. We walk the job, measure and list the prep, paint and price in writing.
We serve Providence, Cranston, Pawtucket, East Providence, Warwick, North Providence, Johnston, Central Falls, Lincoln, Smithfield, Barrington, Cumberland and West Warwick. The number is (401) 414-4566.