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Painters in Fishtown

If you just bought or are settling into a Fishtown rowhome, a fresh coat of paint — inside or out — is one of the fastest ways to make it feel like yours. Below is what a newcomer should know before hiring, especially in the neighborhood's older housing stock.

What to know in Fishtown

  • Renting? Get your landlord’s written OK before painting anything — most leases require it, and repainting without permission can cost you your security deposit.
  • Plaster walls are common in Fishtown’s older rowhomes, and they take paint differently than drywall — worth mentioning when you call around for quotes.
  • Lead paint is a real consideration in older housing. If your rowhome was built before 1978, any painter disturbing existing paint is legally required to follow EPA’s lead-safe work practices — see the FAQ below for what that means for hiring.

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Common questions

What's the difference between a painter and a general contractor?

A painter's main work is painting — surface prep, priming, and finish coats, interior or exterior. If the job also involves drywall repair, carpentry, or other structural work, you're usually better served by a general contractor (see Contractors & Renovation) rather than a painter alone.

My rowhome was built before 1978 — does that change anything?

Yes. EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule requires that anyone paid to do work disturbing painted surfaces in homes built before 1978 be an EPA-certified firm with lead-safe-trained employees. Ask any painter you're considering whether they're RRP-certified before hiring them for a pre-1978 Fishtown rowhome. (Source: EPA, epa.gov/lead/renovation-repair-and-painting-program)

I'm renting — can I just have a painter repaint my apartment?

Get your landlord's OK first, in writing, before you paint anything you don't own. Most leases require it, and repainting without permission can cost you your security deposit. Separately, if your building was built before 1978, Philadelphia's Lead Paint Disclosure and Certification Law already required your landlord to provide a lead-safe or lead-free certification to sign or renew your lease. (Source: City of Philadelphia, phila.gov/documents/lead-paint-regulations/)

Do I need a permit to paint my house in Philadelphia?

For interior painting, no — the City's own permit guidance lists painting, papering, and similar wall and ceiling finishes as interior work that doesn't require a building permit. (Source: City of Philadelphia, phila.gov building-permit guidance)