Hi i am a Painter and Decorator and yes i agree cloudpants, a year to wait before painting sounds ridiculous, not sure of where you are all living or building and what type of construction your home is but it is not advice any builder i have worked for over the passed 35 years would give a client. Sure, you may get slight settling over the first 12 months but should not cause cracks that would damage your finishes. In Adelaide, South Australia we have areas with very reactive soil but we still paint houses as they are built and have never been asked to patch and repaint anything within the first 12 months due to movement.

Regarding a colour consultant chittering5, it is a good idea that is if your Painter and Decorator can't advise you with selections. If you are in Adelaide give me a call i would be only to pleased to assist or point you to a consultant. Regards Paul Wales

we got ours painted before we moved in..but then ours is a renovation so no new foundation etc..I chose my own colours so no big deal..

if you go to a big paint place they tend to have a colour consultant to help you..I'd invest in those colour fans/booklets that has the colours already matched makes it much easier ..

Well i have learnt that there is a big difference in the way we build and finish are homes here in SA. Speaking to my paint rep today she was telling me builders don't paint new homes as part of the building process in WA where in SA the painting is included with the normal build prior to the owner taking possession of the home. So with a double brick and plastered house in SA it means leaving the plaster 2-4 weeks to dry out then apply your primer and topcoats. It would pay to check with your local paint supplier for recommendations suitable for your location. i would imagine any cracks should only minor and usually happen above and below windows.

Well regarding your paint colours choose your floor finishes first as they are a costly outlay and they will probably outlive your paint choices. I would suggest you then find a couple of colours that work with your floors and use sample pots to paint out some white card squares about 300mm sq with your different colours then you can move them around your rooms getting a feel in different lights. If you don't want to use a consultant your paint supplier may be able to make some suggestions in regards to new or popular colour choices.

Good Luck, Happy Painting Regards Paul Wales