In my experience, painting sits in the top three defects in new homes, alongside waterproofing and plasterboard. Two of those are mostly about looks. Waterproofing affects health and liveability. But a bad paint job is still the thing you stare at every day, and it's expensive to redo once you've moved your furniture in.
I wish fixing it were as simple as "just paint better". It isn't, because paint quality depends heavily on the plasterboard underneath. Poor joints and sanding marks show straight through the best topcoat. Both have to be right.
This post is about painting quality assurance: the records that show your paintwork was done properly, what you can realistically ask for on a house, and how those records help you later. For checking the work itself on site, use my C15 Painting Inspection Checklist.
C15 - Painting Inspection Checklist
$59.00 AUD
Last updated 28 Oct 2026 · Revision 4 · Free updates for life
Checklist Type: Minor
Form Factor: Fillable, print-ready PDF (A4, 22 pages)
When to use: Painting stage: from specification through to the final finish inspection
A 63-point painting checklist. Check your paint selections, the walk after the sealer coat and the finished paint inside and out, in line with AS/NZS 2311.
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Quality assurance versus quality control
These two get mixed up, so quickly:
- Quality assurance (QA) is the record. What products went on, how many coats, when, and in what conditions.
- Quality control (QC) is the inspection. Walking the house with a light and a checklist to find faults and get them fixed.
You want both. The record proves what was done. The inspection proves it was done well.
Which standards apply to house painting?
You'll sometimes see industrial coating standards quoted for house painting. They don't really apply. The AS 3894 series covers site testing of protective coatings on things like structural steel, and abrasive blasting standards are for steelwork too. Nobody is blasting your plasterboard.
For houses, the relevant references are:
- AS/NZS 2311 Guide to the painting of buildings, which covers surface preparation, paint systems and application for buildings.
- AS/NZS 2589 for plasterboard installation and finishing, which sets the finish levels. Level 4 is the usual standard for painted walls in a home, and Level 5 is used where strong light hits the wall at a low angle.
- The paint manufacturer's specification for each product: the sealer or undercoat, the number of topcoats, recoat times, and the conditions it can be applied in.
- Your contract and specification, which say what brand, product, sheen and colour you're getting.
In practice, the manufacturer's spec is the one that matters most. If the painter doesn't follow it, the product warranty may not stand.
What records a house painter can realistically give you
Industrial painting uses formal coating inspection reports with film thickness gauges, equipment calibration logs and dew point readings taken three times a day. That's appropriate on a bridge. It's overkill on a house, and no residential painter is going to do it.
What you can reasonably ask your builder or painter for:
- The paint system: brand and product name for each surface (ceilings, walls, trims, doors, wet areas, exterior), including sealer or undercoat.
- Colours and sheen levels for each area, matched to your selections.
- Number of coats applied, and that it matches the specification. Typically a sealer or undercoat plus two topcoats.
- Batch numbers from the tins, so touch-ups match and any product fault can be traced.
- Dates and conditions for exterior painting, noting it wasn't done in rain, high humidity, or on surfaces that were too hot or wet.
- Any warranty registration with the paint manufacturer, and the warranty terms and exclusions.
That's a page or two, not a binder. A good painter will have most of it from their own job sheets anyway.
What to check at each stage
Before painting: surface preparation
Poor preparation is the most common cause of paint failure. Before any paint goes on, check:
- Plasterboard joints are flush and sanded smooth, with no visible tape, ridges or fastener heads.
- Cornices and corners are clean and straight.
- Surfaces are free of dust, grease and plaster splatter.
- Timber trims and doors are filled, sanded and dusted.
- Exterior surfaces are clean and dry.
Shine a torch along the wall at a low angle. If you can see joints now, you'll see them more clearly once the paint is on.
During painting: the right product, the right coats
- Check the brand, product and colour on the tins match your selections.
- Check the sealer or undercoat goes on before the topcoats, especially on new plasterboard.
- Check wet areas get the right product, usually a mould-resistant one.
- Check the recoat times on the tin are being respected. Rushing coats is a common shortcut.
After painting: the finish
- Look for even colour and sheen with no patchiness or roller marks.
- Check for runs, sags, brush marks, missed spots and paint on fittings, tiles or hinges.
- Check cut-in lines are straight at ceilings, trims and between colours.
- Check the paint is properly dry and cured before anyone hangs pictures or tapes things.
- Look at walls in morning and afternoon light. Defects show at different times of day.
Who keeps the records
- The painter records what they used and did.
- The site supervisor should check the work and the records before signing the stage off.
- An independent inspector, if you hire one, gives you an unbiased view of the finish before handover.
- You ask for the records at handover and keep them.
Why the records matter to you
- Warranty claims. Paint manufacturer warranties usually depend on the product being applied to their specification. Records showing the system, coats and conditions back up your claim.
- Defect disputes. If paint peels or blisters, the records show whether the right product went on the right surface.
- Touch-ups and repainting. Knowing the exact product, colour and sheen saves guesswork years later.
- Your defects period. Under the QBCC standard contract you have 12 months from practical completion to notify defects, and QBCC home warranty covers non-structural defects that appear within 6 months. Clear records make it easier to show what's a defect and what isn't.
Tips for homeowners
- Ask before you sign. Ask your builder what paint system they use and whether you'll get a paint schedule and records at handover.
- Get the paint schedule in your contract. Brand, product, colour and sheen for each area, plus the number of coats.
- Inspect before handover. Use a torch and a checklist, and go room by room.
- Ask for the records at handover. Paint schedule, batch numbers and warranty details.
- Keep everything. Store the records with your other handover documents, and keep a labelled tin of each colour for touch-ups.
Paperwork and site photos are the gift that keeps on giving. They cost almost nothing to collect during the build and can save you a lot of argument later.
Further reading
Anthony Painter
Anthony Painter
For the site inspection side, get the C15 Painting Inspection Checklist, or see all my checklists.
