Do I need a permit to repaint the inside of a home in Western Switzerland?

Repainting interior walls does not usually require a building permit. The situation changes for a protected building, a facade or work that alters the exterior appearance. Always check with your municipality or the relevant cantonal department before starting.

What should I do if my flat was built before 1990?

Old coatings (paints, plasters, adhesives) may contain asbestos or lead. Before sanding or scraping, a survey will tell you whether they are present. Mention the age of the building in your request: the professional will adapt their method.

Do I have to repaint my flat when I leave a rented home?

Restoring the property at the end of a lease follows the rules on normal wear and tear: wear from ordinary use is not your responsibility, while damage beyond that is. If in doubt, reread your lease and talk to the agency or landlord before ordering any work.

How long does the warranty on paintwork last?

Under Art. 371 of the Code of Obligations (CO), the period is 5 years for work on immovable property and 2 years for work on movable property. If your contract refers to the SIA 118 standard, that standard supplements the contract. Defects must be reported to the company as soon as they are noticed.

Why do painting quotes differ so much from one company to another?

A quote depends on the condition of the surfaces, the number of coats, the planned preparation, the products chosen and how accessible the site is. Two offers are only comparable if they describe the same surfaces and the same preparation. Ask for a line-by-line breakdown.

Can I paint a rented home without the landlord's consent?

A tenant who wants to change colours or carry out substantial work must obtain the consent of the landlord or the agency, preferably in writing. State in your request that consent has been given or is being sought: this avoids surprises at the end of the lease.

Interior painting in Western Switzerland: a guide

A painter and decorator works on walls, ceilings, woodwork and sometimes facades. In interior painting, the success of a job depends as much on preparing the surfaces as on the visible finishing coat. This page explains what the trade covers in Western Switzerland, what to know before asking for a quote and the points that vary from one canton to another.

What interior painting covers in Western Switzerland

The painter’s trade is not limited to using a roller. An interior job usually involves several stages, some of which take more time than the painting itself:

protecting floors, furniture and frames;
preparing the surfaces: washing down, scraping off old coats, filling cracks and holes;
smoothing or patching plaster on damaged or uneven walls;
hanging wallpaper, renovation fabrics or wall coverings;
undercoats and finishing coats on walls, ceilings, doors, radiators and woodwork;
treating surface damp: stains, saltpetre, mould, once the cause of the damp has been identified and dealt with.

This last point deserves a clarification. Painting over a damp stain without looking for its origin gives a result that does not last. If the damp comes from a leak, condensation or a waterproofing fault, it must be dealt with first, possibly by another trade, and only then should the covering be redone.

The trade also covers exterior painting, which comes with other constraints (scaffolding, weather, municipal rules). This page concentrates on the interior, but the exterior is covered below for permit points.

When to call a painter rather than paint it yourself

Repainting a bedroom in good condition is within reach of many owners. A professional becomes useful in several situations:

damaged surfaces (cracks, blistering, plaster coming away);
large surfaces or high ceilings;
woodwork, staircases or kitchens that need a careful finish;
old wallpaper to strip or replace;
a deadline linked to a sale, a handover of keys or an exit inspection;
an older building where the nature of the old coats is uncertain.

In a co-ownership building, the common areas (stairwell, corridors) are decided by the owners collectively, not by a single owner. For a small business refreshing its premises, the question is different: the main task is organising the work to limit disruption to activity.

Training and the Swiss framework: the painter’s CFC

In Switzerland, the trade is learned through initial vocational training and leads to the Federal Certificate of Capacity (CFC) for painters. Asking the company that will carry out the work what training its staff hold is a legitimate question. The CFC certifies recognised training; it does not replace a precise quote or a clear contract.

The legal framework of the job rests on the contract for work under the Code of Obligations (CO). This contract may refer to the SIA 118 standard (issued by the Swiss society of engineers and architects), which sets general conditions for construction work. If the company offers to apply this standard, read the mention in the quote or contract and ask them to explain it before signing.

Building from before 1990: asbestos, lead and older buildings

In a building constructed before 1990, old coatings may contain asbestos or lead. This applies to paints, plasters, roughcasts or adhesives under wallpaper. The danger arises when these materials are disturbed: sanding, scraping, drilling, demolition.

The rule of caution is simple: if in doubt about the age or composition of the coats, have a survey done before sanding. Do not dry-sand, do not scrape, and do not ask anyone to do so before you know the result. State the year of construction in your quote request: the company will know it must plan a checking stage, and the price will be adjusted if special precautions are needed.

In older buildings, other features come into play: uneven walls, old lime plasters, woodwork repainted many times, moulded ceilings. Some surfaces need breathable products rather than paints that block the pores. An experienced professional will tell you after seeing the premises.

Painting in a rented home: lease and restoration

In a rented home, restoration at the end of the lease follows the rules on normal wear and tear. In practice, wear resulting from ordinary use of the home is not the tenant’s responsibility; damage beyond that use may be. Letting agencies, very present in rental buildings, rely on these principles during the exit inspection.

A few habits avoid disputes:

ask the landlord or agency for consent before changing colours or carrying out major work, preferably in writing;
keep the invoices and the references of the products used;
reread the lease and the entry inspection report before ordering anything;
tell the painter that it is a rented home, so that they target only what is useful.

If the disagreement persists, seek advice from the tenants’ associations in your canton.

By canton: permits, energy, heritage

Interior painting of a flat does not usually require a permit. Questions arise for facades, shutters, elements visible from outside and protected buildings. In all cases, check with your municipality or the relevant cantonal department.

Geneva: building permits are issued by the canton (Office des autorisations de construire). The cantonal energy law (LEn) and the cantonal energy office (OCEN) govern subsidies under the Buildings Programme. Rental buildings are often managed by agencies, and the old town as well as certain districts are protected. See the page on the canton of Geneva.
Vaud: the permit is issued by the municipality, with the file going through the cantonal permits centre (CAMAC) when cantonal departments must give an opinion. The old towns and the Lavaux vineyards, a World Heritage site, call for particular attention to colours and materials. See canton of Vaud.
Valais: the permit is issued by the municipality within the building zone, and by a cantonal commission outside it. Chalets and second homes have their own particularities, notably the federal law on second homes in the municipalities concerned. See canton of Valais.
Fribourg: applications go through the cantonal platform FRIAC, with the permit issued by the prefecture or the municipality depending on the type of work. The canton is bilingual and its old towns are protected. See canton of Fribourg.
Neuchâtel: applications go through the cantonal counter SATAC, with the decision taken by the municipality. The watchmaking heritage of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, listed by UNESCO, requires you to seek information before any visible work. See canton of Neuchâtel.
Jura: the permit is issued by the municipality or the canton depending on the scale of the project. The old towns of Delémont, Porrentruy and Saint-Ursanne deserve a prior check. See canton of Jura.
Biel/Bienne (canton of Bern): the permit is issued by the municipality or the prefecture depending on the project. Biel/Bienne is officially bilingual, French and German: a quote or contract may be offered to you in either language.

For facades in old towns, colours are sometimes imposed by the municipality. A facade repainted without consent may have to be redone: find out before choosing a colour.

On energy, painting alone does not usually qualify for a subsidy. However, if the painting job is part of a wider renovation (insulation, windows), cantonal programmes may come into play. Conditions vary from one canton to another: check with the cantonal energy department before starting the work.

Preparing your painting quote request

The more precise the request, the more precise the quote. Gather these items before filling it in:

the type of home, the approximate year of construction and the floor;
the rooms concerned, their surfaces and the ceiling height if you know it;
the condition of the walls and ceilings: cracks, stains, old wallpaper, thick old coats;
the woodwork, radiators or doors to include;
the colours you want, or a note that you would like advice;
your status (owner, tenant with the landlord’s consent, co-owner, business);
your timing constraints: moving in, sale, end of lease.

Photos of the walls in good light help the company understand the preparation needed. You can request a quote that is free and without obligation: your request is passed on to tradespeople and companies in the area, who will contact you.

What a reliable painting quote spells out

A reliable quote describes the work, not just a total. It should state at least:

the surfaces or rooms concerned;
the planned preparation (washing down, filling, plastering, sanding);
the number of coats and the nature of the products;
the protection and the cleaning at the end of the job;
the work that is excluded, to avoid misunderstandings;
the payment terms and any reference to the SIA 118 standard.

Several factors make the cost vary without either offer being “too expensive” or “too cheap”: the condition of the surfaces, the amount of preparation, the choice of products, the number of coats, the height to reach, access to the site, the presence of furniture to move, and the precautions required by any survey. Only a quote drawn up on the basis of your situation gives a reliable amount. Compare offers line by line, not just on the total.

Legal warranties after painting work

Painting work falls under the contract for work. Under Art. 371 of the Code of Obligations (CO), claims for defects lapse after 5 years for work on immovable property and after 2 years for work on movable property. Paint applied inside a building is in principle part of the immovable work.

If your contract refers to the SIA 118 standard, it supplements the rules of the Code of Obligations. In all cases, inspect the work on handover, report defects as soon as you notice them and do so in writing, keeping photos. In case of disagreement, seek advice from a legal service or a consumer association.

Painters near you: city pages

The following pages present interior painting city by city:

Your municipality is not in the list? Simply describe your project in the quote form and state where the work will take place.

Updated 29 October 2026

Interior painting in Western Switzerland