Pars moves the larger furniture and covers it with plastic, with access and handling agreed beforehand, so plan how you will use the remaining space and check building access arrangements before work starts.
The short answer
An occupied apartment needs a practical room-by-room plan. A spare room, a home office and the only bedroom create different constraints. Explain how you use the home when you request the quote so the work sequence can be discussed early.
What should you move yourself?
Pack loose items into labelled boxes and keep them somewhere outside the agreed work zone. Clear shelves and furniture that will need moving. Put valuables, documents, jewellery and fragile objects somewhere secure.
You do not need to guess how to dismantle a fitting. Tell the painter what is in the way and agree who will handle it. Electrical work and specialised disconnection need an appropriately qualified person.
Before the painter arrives, check:
- Wall art, ornaments and loose items are removed from the agreed surfaces.
- Chargers, loose cables and small electronics are clear of the work area.
- Clothes, bedding and daily essentials remain accessible in a separate space.
- You have discussed any fittings, curtains or blinds that may need removing.
- Children and pets have a plan that keeps them away from the work zone.
What happens to the larger furniture?
Pars moves the larger furniture and covers it with plastic. Tell Kian about very heavy, delicate, fixed or unusually sized items before the job is agreed. An ordinary sofa and a built-in cabinet are not the same handling task.
Photograph a crowded room from the doorway and the opposite side. This helps show the available working space. Agree where furniture can go, which items stay in place and whether anything needs a specialist mover. Do not move heavy pieces into a corridor or emergency exit to make room.
Also ask how the floors and access route will be protected. Furniture covering and floor protection are separate parts of planning the work.
Check the building arrangements
Ask the building manager or owners corporation about contractor access, permitted work hours, lift bookings, loading space and protection of shared areas. These are questions to resolve for your building, not a claim that every Melbourne apartment has the same rules.
If the work involves common property, clarify authorisation before booking. Consumer Affairs Victoria explains owners corporation responsibilities and restrictions on lot owners undertaking common-property repairs. An interior repaint does not give permission to include a shared hallway or other common surface.
Keep any written access instructions with the scope. A painter arriving with the correct materials still needs a practical route to the apartment.
Consumer Affairs Victoria on common-property repairs
Can you stay home while it is being painted?
Discuss this for the actual rooms, products and ventilation. A staged repaint may be easier to organise when there is a separate space to use, but do not assume every apartment can remain occupied throughout the work.
Explain if you work from home, have only one bedroom or need continuous access to a particular room. Ask when each area can be used again and what product instructions apply. Neither a touch-dry surface nor a low-odour label establishes a universal safe return time.
Allow for curing when moving items back. Dulux's paint-care guidance distinguishes the care of a fresh coating from normal later cleaning. Ask for the instructions relevant to the paint actually used, particularly before washing walls or placing furniture against them.
A useful message to send for a quote
"I'd like the bedroom walls and ceiling painted. The apartment is occupied. I can pack the small items, but the bed and wardrobe are staying. I've attached wide room photos and close-ups of the damaged areas. The building uses a booked lift. Can you confirm the proposed scope, furniture arrangements and whether photos are enough to quote?"
Adapt that example to your home. Include your suburb, the rooms and surfaces involved, access information and any known damage. Kian can quote small, clearly scoped jobs from photos; larger or unclear scopes are assessed case by case.
Common questions
Do I need to empty the whole apartment?
Not automatically. Clear personal and small items from the work areas, then agree furniture locations and access with Pars. The amount of free space needed depends on the job.
Will Pars move and cover the furniture?
Yes, Pars moves larger furniture and covers it with plastic, with handling and access agreed beforehand. Flag fixed, delicate or unusually heavy items when discussing the scope.
Should I pack everything the morning painting starts?
Have the agreed work areas ready before the scheduled arrival. Keep essential belongings accessible elsewhere and confirm any remaining preparation tasks in advance.
See apartment painting in Melbourne, and contact Kian to discuss your rooms and access.