The short answer

Record the outgoing condition, agree on the repaint scope and colour schedule, then coordinate painting with other trades before the incoming tenant’s handover. Keep responsibility questions separate from the painting specification.

Start with a condition record

Photograph walls, doors, ceilings and shared areas before furniture and fixtures change. Identify what will stay, what will be removed and where removal may reveal repairs. Give each photo a room label rather than relying on a single folder of unlabeled images.

For a commercial suite in Saskatoon, your scope might include the reception, offices and corridor but exclude a tenant’s specialty installation. Write that boundary down. Responsibility for costs or lease obligations should be resolved by the authorized parties; this guide does not interpret a lease.

Put approvals ahead of the critical work

Ask the incoming tenant or owner to approve a finish schedule with room, surface, colour, sheen and sample status. Identify the person who can approve changes. A late colour decision can affect more than paint ordering if adjacent trades are already booked.

Use an illustrative gate sequence: condition record agreed; repairs identified; colours approved; preceding trades complete; painting; final inspection. The actual order depends on the site. Ask the contractor which activities must finish before each zone is released.

Make the closeout useful for the next turnover

Keep the final product and colour schedule, dated photos and deficiency list in the property file. Record which touch-ups remain and who owns them, rather than treating a verbal walkthrough as the only record.

Ask for product-specific care instructions before the tenant starts cleaning or installing wall fixtures. Benjamin Moore distinguishes drying from full cure in its product guidance; timing varies by product. Save the actual product data for the suite rather than adopting a universal waiting period.

Reference: Benjamin Moore: paint drying FAQ

Keep this for your project

Your planning checklist

  • Agree scope boundaries before quoting.
  • Set a deadline and approver for colour samples.
  • Confirm trade sequence and access windows.
  • Save final finish records and unresolved items.

Should painting happen before or after new flooring?

Agree the sequence with both trades. Installation methods, protection needs and remaining trim work can change the right order; do not assume one sequence fits every turnover.

A planning guide from PainterzRus, a commercial painting business in Saskatoon. Not a site-specific coating specification, safety assessment or price quotation. Confirm requirements for your property before work begins.