New construction painting for builders and owners

Primer through punch list for custom homes, additions and fit-outs, scheduled around the other trades.

Newly primed drywall in a custom home under construction in Bethesda, Maryland

Paint is one of the last trades in a new building, so it absorbs everyone else's delays. We work with custom builders on teardown rebuilds in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, with homeowners adding on in Silver Spring and Kensington, and on new homes around Urbana and Frederick. On the commercial side, that includes tenant fit-outs that feed into our office painting and commercial painting work.

We read the finish schedule before bidding, confirm what primer and sheen are specified, and agree on when painting happens relative to flooring, countertops and electrical trim. Garages and basements can be coated before move-in through our garage floor coating service, and built-in cabinetry can be finished on site alongside cabinet painting.

What we cover on new work

  • Drywall primer

    New drywall sealed with a proper primer so the finish coats look even.

  • Production spraying

    Walls and ceilings sprayed and back-rolled for speed and consistency.

  • Trim and doors

    Site-finished or pre-finished before installation, depending on the schedule.

  • Exterior finishes

    New siding, trim and doors primed and painted.

  • Punch list

    Touch-ups after flooring, cabinets and electrical trim are in.

  • Upgrades from builder grade

    Scrubbable finishes and extra coats where the spec allows.

Drywall finish levels, 0 to 5The industry levels from Gypsum Association GA-214. Naming the level up front settles how smooth a wall will be before it is painted.
Drywall finish levels, 0 to 5Six drywall finish levels. Level 0: no tape, for temporary work. Level 1: tape set in joint compound, for attics and areas above ceilings. Level 2: tape plus one thin coat, for garages and under tile. Level 3: two coats, for walls getting heavy texture. Level 4: three coats, the typical level for walls with flat or low-sheen paint. Level 5: level 4 plus a skim coat over the whole surface, for raking light, dark colors and glossier paint.Level 0No tape.Temporary workonly.Level 1Tape set incompound.Attics, aboveceilings.Level 2Tape plus athin coat.Garages, undertile.Level 3Two coats.Walls gettingheavy texture.TypicalLevel 4Three coats.Flat andlow-sheenpaint.Critical lightLevel 5Plus a fullskim coat.Raking light,dark or glossypaint.Joints can show through paintMost uniform surfaceDrywall finish levels, 0 to 5Six drywall finish levels. Level 0: no tape, for temporary work. Level 1: tape set in joint compound, for attics and areas above ceilings. Level 2: tape plus one thin coat, for garages and under tile. Level 3: two coats, for walls getting heavy texture. Level 4: three coats, the typical level for walls with flat or low-sheen paint. Level 5: level 4 plus a skim coat over the whole surface, for raking light, dark colors and glossier paint.Level 0No tape. Temporary work only.Level 1Tape set in compound. Attics,above ceilings.Level 2Tape plus a thin coat. Garages,under tile.Level 3Two coats. Walls getting heavytexture.Level 4Three coats. Flat and low-sheenpaint.TypicalLevel 5Plus a full skim coat. Rakinglight, dark or glossy paint.Critical lightJoints can show through paintMost uniform surface

Local insight: painting new buildings

New drywall needs a real primer

Bare drywall paper and joint compound absorb paint at different rates. Skip a proper primer and the seams show through as dull stripes. Builder-grade specs sometimes call for one coat of flat paint, which is why new homes around Urbana and Clarksburg often need repainting within a few years.

New houses hold a lot of moisture

Poured concrete, framing lumber and joint compound all release moisture as a new house dries out. Finish paint applied before the HVAC is running and the building has dried can show poor adhesion and slow cure. We ask for conditioned air before finish coats.

Tight lots need planned staging

Teardown rebuilds in Bethesda and Chevy Chase often sit on narrow lots with neighbors close on both sides. We agree on where equipment and materials go, and keep overspray and runoff on the job site.

How new construction runs

  1. Plan review

    Finish schedule, sheens and colors confirmed before bidding.

  2. Prime

    Drywall primed once finishing and sanding are done.

  3. Finish coats

    Ceilings, walls and trim finished in sequence with other trades.

  4. Punch and touch-up

    Final touch-ups after the last trades leave.

New construction painting questions

Do you work directly for homeowners during a build?

Yes. Many clients hire us directly and coordinate with their builder. We also work as a subcontractor to general contractors.

Can you provide a certificate of insurance?

Yes. We issue certificates of insurance naming your company or building as additional insured on request.

When should painting be scheduled?

Priming follows drywall finishing. Finish coats work best after flooring and cabinets are installed and protected, with a punch-list visit at the end.

Get a free new construction painting estimate

Tell us about the property and we will schedule a visit.