New Houses
If you have just moved into a newly built house you may need to wait a while before painting and decorating. This is of course frustrating, but if you paint too soon you may find yourself with damp problems.
'Settling'
Do not rush. Even though you really want to get your new house as beautiful as possible, new buildings take time to 'settle'. The wooden joists of new houses need time to dry out and nails and screws can 'pop' through a drywall as the house gradually dries out and 'settles'. This can take up to a year or more, so it makes sense to leave the decorating until later. Of course many new houses take time to sell after they've been built, especially in the current market, so you may find that you don't need to wait too long.
As your house settles, cracks may appear, especially over doorways and windows. These cracks may need just filling in or they may need a complete replaster. This is another good reason not to decorate too soon. If there are any imperfections in the work, or there is buckling in the walls or floors, you can call the builder in to deal with the problem, without having to worry about ruining your newly decorated room.
Dust
Dust can also be a serious problem in new homes. You should ensure that your builder does a proper job of preventing the dust as much as possible by using dust free building and sanding methods. It is also very important to make sure that dust doesn't clog your ventilation and heating systems during the construction work. If the ducts are not protected properly you will have a lot of expensive problems to fix later. You also want to get your builder to agree to use a professional vacuum cleaner to clean up after the job is done. You should also make sure the surfaces are wiped clean as much as possible before starting to paint. You may even need to use a special 1st coat drywall primer that helps stick the dust to the wall, if you have a lot of dust that you just can't get rid of.
Plasterwork
If your home has fresh traditional plaster on the walls you may have to wait 6 months or even a year before you can paint. This is because the plaster needs to dry properly before you apply any paint. Otherwise the paint will just come off. Of course exactly how long you have to wait depends on the humidity levels where you live, the type of heating in your home and how soon you moved in after the house was completed. If on the other hand you have drywall partitioning in your home, you may be able to paint sooner rather than later.
While You Wait
While you are waiting to decorate you can use throws on the furniture to give color and choose interesting light fixtures to accent your room. Also why not fill your house with plants and hang pictures on your walls.
Don't forget to look at the rest of our site for great painting tips and ideas.