How much painting a new build costs and what drives the price
Fresh developer walls are usually already prepared for paint, so most often they charge for primer and two coats — cheaper than painting older stock with prep. If you want different colours per room or accent walls, there’s extra work to separate them. Paint is billed separately, while film and fixings are part of the labour. Rates are in the table below.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Covering furniture, doors, windows and floors | 20–25 zł/m² |
| Wall cleaning before painting | 15–25 zł/m² |
| Filling holes and damage | 20–35 zł/m² |
| Priming before painting | 8–14 zł/m² |
| Gypsum skim coating | 55–90 zł/m² |
| Walls and ceilings, one colour (2 coats) | 30–50 zł/m² |
Indicative prices. Ranges for a typical scope. Fixings included, materials separate. Minimum order 300 zł.
If you’re moving furniture in or another install is running at the same time, tell the painter: they will plan the order so nothing gets painted into dust.
What it costs and how to book: wall painting in Warsaw.
How the job goes on site: step by step
- Inspecting the developer’s walls: they check the skim is even, with no dips or runs.
- Protecting the floor, windows and sills with film, in a new build they’re already finished.
- De-dusting and priming the whole area: fresh skim pulls paint hard without primer.
- Local touch-ups of small flaws with filler if the developer left unevenness.
- Two coats: ceiling, then walls; checking under side light.
- Clean-up: they remove film and tape and take away the waste.
Common new-build mistakes (and how to avoid them)
- Painting without primer. Fresh skim absorbs unevenly: without primer you get patches and overuse.
- One coat on light colours. Even white over grey skim shows through in one coat.
- Not protecting new windows and floor. Splashes on glazing and sills are hard to remove.
- Rushing while the block has construction dust. Dust from neighbours’ renovations settles on fresh paint.
- Tricky colours without a test patch. On a large wall a shade looks different from the catalogue.
- Ignoring shrinkage cracks. New blocks can have fine cracks: better to tape them.
If the flat comes straight from the developer, walk through it with a new-build defect checklist first. Defects are easier to report before anyone paints over them.
What to prepare before the pro arrives
- Decide on the colour (and different colours per room if you want).
- Clear the rooms if furniture is already in.
- Say so in the order which surfaces are finished (floor, windows, doors).
- Provide access to water and electricity.
- Say whether other work is running at the same time.
- Check the walls are dry (some time has passed since handover).
- Have the bought paint ready if you already have it.
- Confirm the lift and parking: often an issue in new blocks.
A case from practice in Warsaw
A couple got a developer flat in Bielany in “ready-to-finish” state: walls prepared, but with a couple of skim runs and a shrinkage crack by the window. They wanted a warm white in the rooms and a soft grey-green in the bedroom. Tradespeople sanded the runs, taped and filled the crack and primed everything. Tradespeople painted two coats, the bedroom as an accent. Tradespeople covered the floor and windows with film and stained nothing. Tradespeople finished in two days. The clients moved furniture in a day later, into a clean painted flat. The takeaway: a new build is faster than older stock, but priming and protecting finished surfaces are just as essential.
Frequently asked questions
Do new-build walls need priming?
Definitely. A developer’s fresh skim absorbs unevenly; without primer the paint goes on patchy.
Can you paint right after getting the keys?
Yes, if the walls are dry and prepared. If there are runs and cracks, a light touch-up comes first.
How long does it take to paint a new flat?
A small one in one or two days: there’s no old paint, so it goes faster.
Are different colours per room more expensive?
A little: there’s separation work and more paint changes, but it doesn’t fundamentally change the quote.
Will the tradesperson help choose the colour?
Yes, they suggest neutral and accent options and do a test patch on the wall.
What about shrinkage cracks?
Tradespeople tape and fill the fine ones before painting: otherwise they show through.
Will the tradesperson protect the new floor and windows?
Yes, they cover and mask with film — it’s part of the prep.
Does the painter buy the paint?
Whatever is easier. Tradespeople work with yours or advise what to get. Materials are separate.
Will the tradesperson clean up afterwards?
Yes, they remove film and tape and take away the waste.
Do tradespeople cover my district?
Tradespeople work across all of Warsaw: Wola, Wilanów, Bielany, Ursynów and others. Leave a request.
Who does the work and how
The work is done by painters on the platform. In a new build they help with the colour, protect the finished floor and windows, prime and paint evenly. The scope and price are agreed at the inspection. Post a request in the HandyMan24 app: painters will send their offers, and you fit the timing to your move.
Order in the app
Describe the job, add photos and the address. Tradespeople send their own prices and dates, and you pick one of the offers.
Open the app
