These are the questions that do not fit on our other guide pages: whether to do it yourself, why a paint job went wrong, and what to do when a painter lets you down.
Price ranges on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. Local labor, paint prices and the condition of your own walls, wood and brick move the number up or down. Last checked October 2026.
Should I paint myself or hire a painter?
Paint it yourself if the job is small, at ground level and you have the time. Hire a painter for high work, heavy prep, old plaster repair, cabinets and anything in a pre-1978 home that means disturbing old paint.
A bedroom with sound walls is a fair weekend job. A stairwell, a full exterior or a kitchen of cabinets is where most home jobs go wrong.
How much would I save painting myself?
You would save the labor, which is 70% to 85% of an interior painting bill by the national figures. You still pay for paint, primer and tools, and you spend your own time.
The saving shrinks if the result has to be redone. Fixing a poor job costs more than doing it once.
Is a two-story exterior too dangerous to DIY?
For most people, yes. Ladder falls are the main risk in house painting. A two-story St. Louis house often means a long extension ladder set in a narrow gangway, on uneven ground, next to a neighbor's wall.
Add scraping old paint that may contain lead, and it is a job for a crew with the right equipment and insurance.
Is renting a sprayer worth it?
A sprayer is worth renting for big, open, simple surfaces: a long fence, an empty garage, bare new walls. It is not worth it for one or two furnished rooms. Masking takes longer than rolling, and overspray travels.
Sprayers also take practice. Runs and thin patches are common on a first try.
My DIY paint job looks bad. Can a pro fix it?
Yes. A pro can fix a bad paint job in most cases. Drips and ridges are sanded out, bare patches primed and the surface recoated properly. If the paint was put over grease, gloss or oil with no primer, it may have to come off first.
When is a job too big to do myself?
A job is too big when it needs equipment you do not own, skills you would be learning on your own house, or more free days than you have. Whole exteriors, tall stairwells, cabinets, plaster repair and lead-safe work are the usual limits.
Why is new paint peeling after a few months?
New paint that peels after a few months did not bond. The common causes are a dirty, glossy or damp surface, no primer over bare wood or patches, latex over old oil paint, or moisture coming through from behind.
Look at the back of a peeled chip. If old paint came off with it, the old layer was the weak one. If the back is clean, the new paint never gripped.
Why does new paint look streaky, show roller marks or let the old color show?
Streaks and roller marks come from paint spread too thin, a cheap roller, or going back over paint that had started to dry. You can still see the old color when one coat was used where two were needed, or when a strong color was not primed.
The fix is a proper second coat, applied wet edge to wet edge, from one corner of the wall to the other.
Why does the wall look splotchy in side light?
A wall looks splotchy or uneven in side light when the surface absorbs paint unevenly. Unprimed patches, heavy and light roller areas and differences in texture all show when light rakes across from a window.
Priming repairs, using a lower sheen and rolling a full, even coat cure most of it. Old plaster with many past repairs is the usual place this shows.
Why do touch-ups not match?
Touch-ups do not match because the wall has aged and the new paint has not. Sheen, fading, a different batch and a brush used where a roller was used before all make the spot stand out.
Use the same can, the same tool and a thin feathered coat. On shinier paints, repaint the whole wall to the corners.
Why did paint peel off with the painter's tape?
Paint comes off with tape when the tape bonds to the paint better than the paint bonds to the wall. That happens over poor prep, on paint that has not cured, or when tape is left on too long.
Use low-tack tape, score the edge with a blade and pull it back slowly at an angle.
Should a painter come back to fix missed spots, and what if the painter will not come back?
Yes. A painter should come back to fix missed spots, thin areas and drips. That is what the final walk-through is for, and it is why the last payment is held until then.
If the painter will not come back or answer, write down the problems with photos and dates, send a written request, and keep the unpaid balance if you still hold one. After that your options are a complaint to the Missouri Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-392-8222, or small claims court. This is general information, not legal advice.
The painter left paint on my floors and windows. What now?
Tell the painter right away and ask for it to be cleaned. Fresh latex drips on floors and windows come off with water and a cloth. Dried paint on glass comes off with a razor scraper. Paint on carpet, stone or unfinished wood is harder and may need a specialist.
Cleaning up spills is the painter's job. Take photos before anyone tries to remove it.
The final invoice is higher than the written estimate. What now?
Ask for a written breakdown of the difference. An invoice should only be higher than the estimate when extra work was found and you agreed to it before it was done. If you signed no change order, say so and ask for the bill to match the agreed price.
Who pays to fix paint that failed early?
It depends on why it failed. If the cause was the prep or the application, the painter should fix it, and a written workmanship warranty makes that clear. If the paint itself was faulty, the maker may cover the product. If the cause was a leak, rot or moisture in the house, the owner pays.
Do you give free estimates?
Yes. We give a free estimate and a written quote. Call, text or use the form on this site.
We serve St. Louis, Clayton, University City, Webster Groves, Kirkwood, Maplewood, Richmond Heights, Florissant, Ferguson, Affton, Ladue, Chesterfield and Ballwin. The number is (314) 742-3507.