How to read a painting quote in Athens, Greece

Floor area is not paintable area

A 70 m² apartment does not have just 70 m² of walls. Room layout, ceiling height, openings, included ceilings and excluded surfaces affect the scope. Ask what measurement the price uses and whether an initial figure is provisional until inspection.

Send a room-by-room brief with wide photographs. List doors, frames, cupboards and metalwork separately; they are not automatically included in wall painting. Your agent can help identify access and condition, but a property listing’s floor area is not a substitute for a decorating survey.

Suppose two contractors quote for the same two-bedroom Athens apartment. One includes walls only; the other includes ceilings and door frames. The totals do not yet describe the same job. Send both contractors the same room list and ask them to mark included and excluded surfaces. This is particularly useful when you are comparing documents from London and cannot point to the wall yourself.

Read the preparation before the price

Look for local filling versus full skim work, treatment of unstable areas, any specified primer and the finish system. Identify ceilings and planned coats. Ask which visible defects need further assessment and which underlying repairs are excluded. “Preparation included” leaves too much room for different assumptions.

Protection, furniture moving, access equipment and waste arrangements should be clear. For a change discovered during work, request its scope, cost and effect on timing before approval. Keep the revised version so you and the person holding the keys are following the same agreement.

A useful scope line names the room, the recorded defects, local filling or full skim coating, the proposed primer and the finish coats. It should distinguish what is priced from what still needs inspection. Ask your agent for a wide room photograph and a close view of each disputed area. Those images give everyone a shared reference; they do not replace a site assessment where the wall condition is uncertain.

Occupied and empty flats need different plans

An occupied home needs decisions about belongings, room sequence and spaces still in use. An empty flat still needs floor protection, utilities, access and coordination with deliveries. Tell the contractor when cleaners, furniture or another trade are expected.

Separate the person who opens the door from the person who approves spending. Name one decision-maker and agree how questions reach them. We provide English communication and written English quotes; agent key coordination is available. Your requested date is a planning input until the scope and schedule are agreed.

Give your agent a short handover note: who releases and receives the keys, which rooms are included, who approves changes and when you can answer questions in your time zone. Agree the start date, room sequence and handover checks separately. Daily photo/video updates help you follow the work; approval of an extra item still needs an explicit decision. Record lift access and building arrangements before deliveries arrive.

Check “materials included” with this list

Ask for product, colour, finish and the proposed application system, rather than a brand name alone. Record who supplies materials and which references you receive for future maintenance. Clarify the total, applicable tax treatment, invoice details and payment stages directly with the provider.