By Total Site Solutions · Published October 24, 2026
Here's how to plan turnover painting so it doesn't become the step that holds up the unit.
Touch-up or full repaint?
Touch-up is usually enough when:
- The walls are the same color you'd choose again
- The finish is in good shape apart from nail holes, scuffs and small dings
- You have the exact paint (brand, color and sheen) on file, so touch-ups blend
A full repaint makes sense when:
- Touch-ups would flash, meaning they show as shiny or dull patches, usually because the sheen or batch doesn't match
- The previous tenant painted an accent wall or a non-standard color
- There's smoke staining, heavy scuffing or widespread patching
- It has been several turnovers since the last full repaint and the walls look tired
Many managers split the difference: repaint the high-wear areas (entry, hallway, kitchen and bathroom walls, doors and trim) and touch up bedrooms and living areas.
Keep a building paint standard
Nothing slows a turn like guessing the color. For each property, keep a simple sheet:
- Wall color, brand and sheen (eggshell or matte is common on walls)
- Trim and door color and sheen (semi-gloss is common for durability)
- Ceiling color and finish
- Kitchen and bathroom wall finish, if it's different
- The date of the last full repaint in each unit
With a standard on file, any painter can match the finish and touch-ups blend.
Older Chicago buildings and lead-safe rules
Much of Chicago's rental housing, including two-flats, three-flats, courtyard buildings and older walk-ups, was built before 1978, when lead-based paint was banned for residential use. Under the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule, paid work that disturbs painted surfaces in pre-1978 housing has to be done by an EPA Lead-Safe Certified firm using lead-safe practices once it goes past the rule's minimum area. The rule also requires giving occupants the EPA's Renovate Right pamphlet before work starts.
For turnover painting, that means:
- Know the year each building was built and tell your painter up front
- Sanding, scraping and wall repair are what disturb old paint. Simply painting over intact surfaces is different from prep work that creates dust.
- Ask any painting contractor whether they are certified for RRP work before hiring them for prep on older surfaces
When you request an estimate from us, tell us the building's age so the job can be scoped correctly.
Painting and the security deposit
Under Chicago's Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO), deductions from a security deposit are limited to damage beyond normal wear and tear, and they have to be itemized. Routine repainting after a normal tenancy is generally treated as wear and tear. Repairing holes from wall-mounted TVs, or repainting over unapproved colors, may be a different matter. Take dated photos at move-in and move-out, and talk to your attorney about specific deductions. Tenants can see our Chicago move-out cleaning checklist for the cleaning side.
The right order for a unit turn
The order matters more than the speed of any one trade:
- Walk the unit and photograph it the day the tenant leaves
- Haul out anything left behind: furniture, trash, bulk items. See junk removal and hauling.
- Repairs: drywall patches, fixtures, hardware, anything that creates dust
- Paint: patch, prime spots, then touch-up or full repaint
- Flooring work, if any
- Move-out clean: a full top-to-bottom clean after paint and repairs. See move-in and move-out cleaning.
- Final walk and photos for your file
Cleaning before paint is the most common mistake. Paint and patching create dust, drips and tape residue, so the unit gets cleaned twice. Our guide to apartment turnover in Chicago covers the full process.
Painting in a Chicago winter
Interior painting works year-round, but winter turnovers need a little planning:
- Keep the heat on in vacant units. Paint needs the surface and air within the manufacturer's application temperature range to cure properly.
- Plan ventilation, since windows usually stay closed. Low-odor, low-VOC paints help.
- Allow drying time before the cleaning crew and new tenant arrive, especially in cold, humid units.
How Total Site Solutions helps property managers
We do interior turnover painting with drywall patching and repair, then hand the unit straight to our cleaning crew for the move-out clean, so there's one schedule and no waiting between trades. We can keep your building standard colors on file, quote per unit for portfolios, and bundle haul, paint and clean in a Unit Turn Package. See how we work with property managers across Chicago and Cook County.