Turnkey apartment painting in Warsaw — price, timeline and scope
Turnkey apartment painting means the pro handles the whole cycle: covering furniture and floors, filling cracks and holes, priming, levelling walls with filler where needed and painting two coats. You do not buy rollers, hunt for protective film or scrub off splatter — you come back to a finished flat. It works both after a renovation and for a refresh before renting or selling. If the walls are even and you just need a colour refresh, we manage in a day or two; if the surface is in bad shape, we price the prep first.
How much turnkey apartment painting costs and what drives the price
The turnkey price depends on the area of walls and ceilings, the state of the surface and the number of coats. Even walls in a single colour are the cheapest option; filling holes, levelling after tile removal or applying gypsum filler are separate operations that raise the cost. Paint materials (paint, primer, filler) are billed separately, while protective film and small fixings are usually part of the labour. Current rates for each stage are in the table below.
| Service | min | max |
|---|---|---|
| Protection of furniture, doors, windows and floors with film | 10 zł/m² | 15 zł/m² |
| Cleaning and washing walls before painting | 15 zł/m² | 25 zł/m² |
| Filling holes and damages | 20 zł/m² | 35 zł/m² |
| Priming before painting | 15 zł/m² | 25 zł/m² |
| Gypsum putty application | 55 zł/m² | 90 zł/m² |
| Painting walls / ceilings in one color (2 coats) | 30 zł/m² | 45 zł/m² |
| Painting walls in different colors | 35 zł/m² | 55 zł/m² |
Carrying materials up without a lift and removing construction waste are counted separately — let us know in advance so the pro can budget the time.
How the job goes on site — step by step
- Inspection and measuring. The pro checks the walls in daylight and side light, marks cracks, stains and unevenness, measures the area and sets the scope.
- Covering. Furniture is moved to the centre and covered with film, the floor is protected, sockets and skirting are masked with painter’s tape.
- Surface prep. Flaking paint is removed, holes and cracks are opened up and filled, filler is applied and sanded where needed.
- Priming. Without primer the paint goes on patchy and peels sooner — we prime the whole area and let it dry.
- First coat. We paint the ceiling, then the walls; corners and edges are cut in with a brush, flat areas rolled.
- Second coat and check. Once dry, we apply the second coat and check under side light so no thin spots or streaks remain.
- Clean-up. We remove film and tape, move the furniture back and take away the waste from our work.
Common client mistakes (and how to avoid them)
- Painting over a dirty or greasy wall. Kitchen film and dust stop the paint bonding — the wall must be washed and primed.
- Skipping primer. Without primer you use more paint and the finish is patchy. Primer is cheaper than an extra coat of paint.
- One coat to save time. A rich or dark colour in one coat almost always shows through. Plan for two.
- Cheap paint for wet rooms. Kitchens and bathrooms need washable or moisture-resistant paint, otherwise stains and mould appear within months.
- Not testing the colour on the wall. A shade looks different on a small swatch and a large wall — do a test patch.
- Painting over a crack without opening it. Just covering it makes the crack return. It has to be opened, taped and filled.
- Rushing the second coat. Over an undried first coat the paint drags and leaves roller marks.
What to prepare before the pro arrives
- Clear access to the walls, move light furniture away from the perimeter.
- Take pictures, shelves, mirrors, curtains and rails off the walls.
- Clear windowsills and surfaces of anything loose.
- Decide on the colour and type of paint (matt, washable, for wet rooms).
- If the paint is already bought, have it ready and estimate the area.
- Find a spot to temporarily move large furniture.
- Roll up rugs or be ready to have the floor covered.
- Provide access to water and electricity.
- Keep pets in another room.
- Tell us if there is no lift and materials need carrying up.
- Check parking near the building — it saves time on site.
A case from practice in Warsaw
In Wola, clients were moving into a flat left by previous tenants: streaked walls, felt-tip drawings in the kids’ room, a yellow film above the hob in the kitchen and a couple of cracks by the window. They wanted to “just repaint it white in a day”. We showed that white would bleed through the marker and the film, so we did it differently: we sealed the problem spots, washed and primed the kitchen, opened and filled the cracks. We primed and painted the whole flat (58 m²) in two coats — bedrooms in a warm white, the kitchen in washable paint. We finished in two days including clean-up. A week later the clients rented the flat to new tenants with no touch-ups. The takeaway: a “one-day” paint job is only realistic on even, clean walls; where there are stains and defects, it is more honest to budget the prep than to redo it later.
Frequently asked questions
How long does turnkey apartment painting take?
A small flat with even walls — one or two days. If filling, levelling and drying between coats are needed, it takes longer; we can be precise after an inspection.
Do I have to move all the furniture out?
No. Large furniture is moved to the centre of the room and covered with film. You only need to clear access to the walls and windowsills.
Do you buy the paint or do I?
Whatever is easier. We can work with your paint or advise what to buy for your job. Materials are billed separately from labour.
Is priming included in painting?
Priming is a separate stage, but we almost always include it: without primer the paint goes on worse and you use more of it.
Can you paint over old paint?
If the old layer holds firmly and is compatible with the new paint — yes, after washing and priming. Flaking areas are scraped off.
What paint for the kitchen and bathroom?
Moisture-resistant or washable paint. Ordinary matt paint gets dirty quickly in these rooms and can stain.
Will you clean up after yourselves?
Yes. We remove film and tape, put the furniture back and take away the waste from our work. Construction-waste removal is by arrangement.
Does the paint smell strongly and when can I live there?
Modern water-based paints are almost odourless and air out within hours. You can usually sleep in a painted room the same day.
Will you cover cracks and holes from wall plugs?
Yes, that is part of the prep: we open, fill, sand and only then paint. We do not offer to just “cover it” — it would show through.
Do you cover my district of Warsaw?
We work across all of Warsaw — Mokotów, Śródmieście, Praga, Ursynów and other districts. Leave a request with your address and we’ll arrange a convenient time.
Who does the work and how
The painting is done by working pros from the handyman service, not random subcontractors. We arrive with our own tools, protective film and painter’s tape — all we need from you is access and a decision on the colour. We work carefully: we protect furniture and floors, and we agree the scope and limits during the inspection before we start, so there are no surprises on volume or price. Leave a request and we’ll advise on the scope and arrange a visit in your district.