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"Old paint? We test it first."
Kitsilano sits on the south shore of English Bay, between Granville Island and Point Grey. Many of its detached houses are Craftsman designs from the 1910 to 1912 building boom, with decorative brackets, exposed rafter ends and low-pitched gable roofs. The City points to clusters around Macdonald, Stephens, 5th and 6th Avenues, and a nearly intact row of California Bungalows on 5th Avenue between Bayswater and Balaclava.
Most Kits homes are not single houses, though. In the 2016 census, about two thirds of Kitsilano dwellings were in apartment buildings under five storeys, 12% were duplex units and 57% were rented. Nearly 30% were built before 1960. The City also lets large old houses in the duplex and conversion areas be split into suites, so one building can hold an owner, a basement tenant and a top-floor suite.
That mix shapes the quote. Tell us who lives in the building, which units are included and roughly when the house was built. Own a suite in a condo or strata building instead? Our Fairview condo and strata painting page covers bylaws, approvals and elevator bookings.
Plaster walls, original fir trim and built-ins get patched and primed with products that suit old surfaces, not just a quick roll of paint.
Cedar shingle, lap siding, deep eaves and stucco are washed, scraped and dried before primer. Houses closer to English Bay get a careful look for peeling and failed caulking.
Kits Point, West 4th, the Broadway corridor, the slopes above Kits Beach and the Arbutus side of the neighbourhood.
Most Kits jobs fall into four groups: interiors, exterior repaints, kitchen cabinets and ceilings. Here is what each involves in an older West Side house.
Walls, ceilings, trim and doors in houses, duplexes and rental suites. Old plaster and fir trim are patched and primed before the finish coats, and we work around the people living there.
Kitsilano’s wet winters are hard on exterior paint that was not applied correctly. We pressure wash, scrape, caulk, prime and apply two full coats to cedar siding, shingles, trim, fascia, soffits and stucco.
New kitchen cabinets can cost $15,000–$25,000. In a Kits character house, painting the existing doors and boxes with a proper enamel finish keeps the original layout for a fraction of that.
Older Kits ceilings often show hairline cracks, water stains or several old coats. We clean, prime with a stain blocker and repaint so the ceiling reads bright and even again.
A sample of interior, exterior and cabinet painting from our Vancouver portfolio. Not every photo is from Kitsilano; ask us about jobs similar to your house when we visit.
A 1912 Craftsman, a converted duplex and a 1970s walk-up each need a different prep plan. We work that out before we quote.
No subcontractors, no third-party labour. The crew that quotes your Kitsilano house is the crew that paints it.
We walk the whole house before quoting, suites and lane side included. No vague line items, no surprise prep charges later.
General liability insurance and WorkSafeBC coverage on every job. Ask for proof before we start.
Every job ends with a walkthrough. Point out anything that needs a touch-up and we fix it before we pack up.
Some Kits houses and apartment blocks are stucco. Standard latex sits on the surface; elastomeric coating bonds and flexes with the wall, so that is what we use there.
Kits character houses often carry oil-based paint under newer coats. We test adhesion first, so the new coat is not going onto a layer that will lift.
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About
I started Coastal Painting with one simple goal: bring trust back into home services. Homeowners deserve clean work, honest pricing, and respectful painters who treat your home like their own. In an older Kitsilano house, that means telling you plainly what the prep involves before we start, and leaving suites and shared entries as tidy as we found them.
Nial Arwad
Founder, CEO
Kitsilano painting prices
Older Kits houses often need more prep than newer builds: loose paint, failed caulking and several old coats. These are our standard ranges, and your written quote sets the final number.
Exterior repainting
Stucco walls usually cost more because of crack repair and elastomeric coating.
Interior & specialty
From one rented suite to a full exterior on a Craftsman, the job runs in the same five steps.
We walk the house with you, inside and out, and note the age of the paint, any suites involved and how we will reach the upper walls. You get a written quote, with no obligation.
Once you approve, we set a start date. If tenants live in the house, we agree on notice and access with you first. You hear from us the day before with the crew’s arrival time.
Washing, scraping, sanding, caulking and priming. On older paint, we ask for the house’s age first so we can choose safe prep methods.
At least two full coats on every surface, with clean cut-ins around original trim, windows and door casings.
We walk every painted surface with you before we leave, and touch-ups happen on the spot.
Current offers
Request a written quote and we will confirm the details for your project.
Exterior painting
10% off
Book your exterior painting project this season and save 10%.
Interior projects
Get a complimentary colour consultation with our design expert when you book an interior painting project.
Referral reward
Refer a friend or neighbour. When they book with us, earn a $100 credit toward your next project.
Yes. Older houses need more prep, and the first step is knowing what is under the current paint. Health Canada says homes built before 1960 probably contain lead-based paint and advises against sanders or heat guns on it. In the 2016 census, nearly 30% of Kitsilano dwellings were built before 1960, so we ask about your house’s age before we quote.
Usually, but check first. City of Vancouver open data lists 487 heritage-building records in Kitsilano, 59 of them municipally designated. For a designated building, the Vancouver Charter requires a heritage alteration permit to alter the exterior unless the designation by-law allows the change. The Charter’s heritage part does not mention paint or colour, so ask the City what your by-law covers before choosing new colours.
Yes. We work one unit at a time, keep shared entries clear and agree on notice and access times with you. More than half of Kitsilano dwellings were rented in the 2016 census, so this kind of scheduling comes up often here.
Prep matters more than the paint brand. We wash off grime, scrape loose paint, recaulk failed joints and check that the siding is dry before priming. Houses closer to English Bay take more wind and weather, so we look closely for peeling and open joints.
Our standard ranges are in the pricing section above, from $400 to $900 for an average bedroom to $3,500 to $8,500 for a detached exterior. Surface condition and access move the number within those ranges. You get a written quote after we see the house.
Yes. For suite and strata work, our Fairview condo and strata painting page explains bylaws, approvals and elevator bookings, and our strata painting service covers whole-building projects.
Planning work on an older house? Request a quote and tell us roughly when it was built.
Sources: City of Vancouver, Kitsilano history and heritage, City of Vancouver, Kitsilano census data (Statistics Canada 2016), Health Canada on lead in older paint, City of Vancouver heritage sites open data, Vancouver Charter, heritage provisions.
Service areas
Coastal Painters also works across Metro Vancouver. If you own property outside Kitsilano, pick your area below.
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Tell us the age of the house, which units are included and when you want it done. We will come back with a clear written scope.
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