Unfortunately, there is no industry nor standard definition of “paint ready’ in residential home/ building and it is often left open to a lot of interpretation and debate.
Therefore, Homeowners should know, that usually, “paint ready” means that the builder has completed minimum preparation such as major drywall patching, some sanding, hole filling, and minor caulking.
In other words, “paint ready” means that the mechanicals are done, the walls are ready for a final preparation and trim is complete.
As a specialty trade, professional painters repair/fix small areas that they know will show up in their finished product.
Thinking that “paint ready” is walking in with a brush & a roller is unrealistic.
Since the quality of a paint job is only as good as its preparation, the best painters do not want to follow somebody else’s preparation.
