Painting FAQ.
Common questions, answered.
Answers to the questions Orange County homeowners ask most about painting, limewash, accent walls, cabinets, and working with Riot Renovation.
About Riot Renovation
What is Riot Renovation?
Riot Renovation is a residential painting and finish company in Orange County, California. We do interior, exterior, cabinet refinishing, and specialty finishes including limewash, Roman clay, and Venetian plaster. Founded by a French-certified painter and licensed under California CSLB B-2 #1139813.
What makes you different from other painters in Orange County?
Our founder trained in France for over a decade and holds three French national painting credentials. The standards on every job — prep, sequence, finish quality — come from that training. We treat painting as a finish, not a coat.
What does "French-certified painter" mean?
Our founder holds three formal French national credentials: the CAP Peinture and BEP Peinture (national painting diplomas) and the Mention Complémentaire en Peintures Décoratives (the specialty in decorative finishes: limewash, plaster, Venetian, faux). All three are issued by the French Ministry of Education.
What areas do you serve?
All of Orange County. Irvine, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Tustin, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, Coto de Caza, Ladera Ranch, Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills, and Santa Ana Heights.
Process and Booking
How do I get an estimate?
Submit a request on the free estimate page or call (949) 381-1555. We schedule a free in-home consultation, inspect the surfaces, discuss scope, and deliver a written itemized quote within 24 hours.
→ Get your free estimate
What does your written quote include?
Every quote is fully itemized: surfaces, prep method, products, number of coats, timeline, and payment schedule. The price you approve is the price you pay.
What is your payment structure?
10% (or $1,000, whichever is greater) to book the project. 50% before work begins. 40% on completion after the final walkthrough. The final payment doesn't come until you've confirmed the work is right.
What happens if I'm not happy with the result?
Clear personal items and loose belongings from work areas before we arrive. Our crew relocates and protects standard household furniture. Heavy or fragile items (pianos, safes, antiques) should be moved in advance or discussed before the project starts.
Do I need to move my furniture?
Clear personal items and loose belongings from work areas before we arrive. Our crew relocates and protects standard household furniture. Heavy or fragile items (pianos, safes, antiques) should be moved in advance or discussed before the project starts.
Services and Finishes
What paint brands do you use?
Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams. We recommend a specific product line based on room use, traffic level, and the sheen you want.
How long does a full interior repaint take?
Three to seven days depending on scope. Single rooms take one to two days. The timeline is confirmed in your written quote.
Do you do exterior painting?
Yes. Full exterior repaints, stucco, trim, fascia, garage doors, and front doors. UV-resistant and elastomeric coatings rated for Orange County's sun and salt air.
→ Learn more: Exterior painting
Do you refinish cabinets?
Yes. Kitchen and bathroom. Doors come off the hinges, get sanded, primed, and sprayed for a factory finish. Cabinet boxes are primed and brushed on site. Two coats minimum.
→ Learn more: Cabinet refinishing
What is limewash?
Limewash is a mineral wall coating made from slaked limestone. It bonds with the wall surface to create natural variation in tone and texture. The finish is soft and matte, with visible depth that shifts with the light. We hold the French specialty credential in decorative finishes.
→ Learn more: Limewash
What is Roman clay?
Roman clay is a multi-layer plaster finish built up in three to five trowel-applied coats. Each layer is set and burnished before the next. The finish reads like stone but moves like fabric in light.
→ Learn more: Roman clay and Venetian plaster
What accent wall options do you offer?
Paint, limewash, textured plaster, wood slats, fluted panels, and board and batten. We help you choose the right material and the right wall during the consultation.
→ Learn more: Accent walls
Pricing
How much does interior painting cost in Orange County?
A full interior repaint for a 2,000 to 3,500 sq ft home typically runs $8,000 to $14,000 depending on scope, surface condition, and finish level.
→ Get a quote
How much does cabinet refinishing cost?
Kitchen cabinet refinishing typically runs $4,000 to $9,000 depending on size, door count, and finish. Bathroom cabinets run $1,500 to $3,500.
→ Get a quote
How much does limewash or Venetian plaster cost?
Specialty finishes are priced per square foot and per layer count. Limewash typically runs $8 to $14 per sq ft. Roman clay and Venetian plaster run $14 to $30 per sq ft. Sample board approval is included in every quote.
→ Get a quote
Do you offer financing?
Not at this time. We accept check, bank transfer, and major credit cards.
Credentials and Trust
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Riot Renovation holds the California B-2 General Contractor License (CSLB #1139813) and carries general liability and workers' compensation insurance on every project. Verify our license at cslb.ca.gov.
What are the CAP Peinture, BEP Peinture, and Mention Faux Finish?
They are the three French national credentials in painting and decorative finishes that our founder holds.
CAP Peinture is the Certificat d'Aptitude Professionnelle, the French national vocational diploma in painting.
BEP Peinture is the Brevet d'Études Professionnelles, the advanced vocational certification.
Mention Complémentaire en Peintures Décoratives is the formal specialty in decorative finishes: limewash, plaster, faux marble, faux wood, and Venetian.
All three are issued by the French Ministry of Education.
How do I verify your California license?
Search "1139813" at cslb.ca.gov or use the direct link in our footer. The license is active, in good standing, and covers general contracting in California.
