New mechanical and electrical work leaves visible marks on decoration if the sequence is wrong — cable routes chased after painting, ductwork fitted before its access panels are primed, or outlets installed before a wall's final coat. None of these are hard to avoid once the M&E programme is known.
Surface-mounted trunking, cable trays and any chased-in containment need to be complete before the wall behind them is finished, otherwise cutting a chase later damages the coating either side of it. We ask for confirmed containment routes at the pricing stage so we're not painting a wall that will be cut into the following week.
Exposed ductwork is often painted to match the ceiling before final fixing, which is far easier on the ground or on a bench than overhead once suspended. Access panels for M&E maintenance need masking or removable protection rather than being painted shut, since a stuck access panel becomes someone else's problem months later.
Switch plates, socket faceplates and light fittings go on after the final coat, not before, so paint can be cut cleanly to the wall box rather than around a live fitting. Where an M&E subcontractor needs test access to a box before final fix, we leave a clearly marked, unpainted surround rather than guessing where the fitting will land.
Before, wherever access allows — it's quicker and gives a cleaner finish than trying to spray or brush overhead ductwork once it's fixed in place.
We ask for confirmed containment routes before painting specifically to avoid this, but where it happens anyway we make good and recoat the affected run only.
Yes, masking gives a cleaner edge than freehand cutting and protects the grille finish from overspray.
Share the M&E installation drawings and we will mark up where our sequence needs to follow theirs.
Most M&E-related paint damage comes from the wrong order of operations, and that order is easy to agree in advance.
Speak to a Hampshire commercial decorating contractor that turns up, communicates clearly and delivers a finish that lasts.
