Boston's shops, offices and apartment buildings are often in older brick and wood buildings with tenants in place. We plan commercial work around your opening hours and the people in the building, protect floors and stock, and follow lead-safe rules where old paint is disturbed. Tell us your schedule when you ask for a quote.
Commercial painting in Boston is mostly work inside older buildings that are in use. A shop on a neighborhood main street, a restaurant on the ground floor of a brick block, an office on an upper floor, the stair halls of an apartment building: each has people coming and going while we work. We start by asking when the space is busy, where customers and tenants walk, and what cannot be moved, then set the order of work around that.
The surfaces vary more than in a house. One job can include old plaster, new drywall partitions, exposed brick, metal door frames, steel stairs and a painted concrete floor. Each needs its own primer and finish, and the wrong match is why paint peels off a metal frame or a block wall. High-traffic walls get a scrubbable finish. In buildings from before 1978, any sanding or scraping of old paint in common areas follows lead-safe work rules.
For a quote we walk the space with you or your property manager, measure, and note the access: a freight elevator, a loading zone, parking for a van, hours when noise or odor is a concern. The written quote lists areas, surfaces, coats and the schedule you asked for. If the building is in a historic district or the lease gives the landlord a say over the storefront, color approval should be settled before a date is set.
Commercial painting in Boston: common questions
Can my shop stay open while you paint?
Often, yes. We can work in sections so part of the floor stays open, and keep walkways clear. Tell us your hours and your slow days when you ask for the quote, and we will say what is possible.
Do you paint apartment hallways and stairwells with tenants living there?
Yes. One side of a stair or hall is done at a time so people can always pass, and wet areas are marked. We ask the owner or manager to notify tenants of the dates.
Does a storefront repaint in Boston need approval?
Painting needs no building permit. In a historic or landmark district, exterior changes are reviewed by the commission, and your lease may require the landlord's consent. Check both before choosing a color.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We walk the job and measure.
- Written quote: Prep, paint and price in writing.
- Prep & protect: We cover floors and furniture, repair and prime surfaces.
- Paint & walk-through: Two coats, clean lines, full clean-up and a final walk-through.