When starting a new decorating job we first mask and cover surfaces we're not decorating, then get on with the preparation work. There will almost always be cracks and dents to be filled, old paint to be sanded... but what often frustrates us is having to undo the previous decorator's job! One of our maxims is 'do the job well, and it'll be a lot easier to decorate next time'. So why, oh why do some decorators do things like this:
Yes, they had filled ONTO the switch with caulk, and then painted it, badly! Not only does it look awful, but if an electrician needs to get behind the switch, or someone is redecorating, it needs taking off - which rips off the caulk, paint and bits of plaster! Not only that, but then all the gunk needs carefully removing from the switch before filling behind it properly, painting behind it and then screwing a nice, clean switch back on. All of this can take up to half an hour of extra work, so a room with a load of similar switches and sockets can take hours of extra work.
So please, whether you're doing the decorating, or getting someone in to do it for you, do it properly the first time, and you'll save a lot of time later on. And don't forget to switch off the appropriate circuit on your fuseboard before unscrewing any switches or sockets, or the results can be even more shocking! Rant over.
