Block walls, drywall, ceilings and floors painted clean. Moisture primer applied, stains sealed, and the space made usable. Licensed and insured, with a price you get in writing first.
Basement painting in River Forest starts at $399, and a typical finished basement runs about $850. That price covers walls, ceilings, and trim. Vanguard Painting is based ten minutes away in Melrose Park and works all over Cook County. We use moisture-resistant primer on block walls, seal water stains, patch cracks, and clean up the whole space before we leave.
Book basement work in River Forest and this is the package. Every item is included, not an add-on we spring on you later.
Everything shifted to the center and sheeted before we touch the walls.
Concrete and block walls get a primer that seals out dampness so paint stays.
Old seepage marks blocked so they don't bleed through the new paint.
Plaster cracks and block gaps filled and sanded before any paint goes on.
Walls, ceilings and trim all get a full two coats for even coverage.
Baseboards and doors brushed in enamel so they wipe clean instead of scuffing.
Every surface wiped and vacuumed after the last coat dries.
You check the basement, point out anything, and we fix it that day.
Here's where our pricing starts for the basement jobs River Forest homeowners ask about most. The number moves based on square footage, ceiling height, and wall material. You get the final number in writing first.
Not sure which option fits your River Forest basement? Call (708) 815-7720. We price most basements over the phone in about five minutes.
River Forest sits close to the Des Plaines River, and the basements in these homes show it. Here's what we see most often.
Most River Forest basements are poured concrete or block. Regular paint peels off these walls. We use a masonry primer that grips and stays.
River Forest basements see dampness. Those brown marks on the walls are water stains, and they bleed through regular paint. We seal them before we coat the walls in River Forest.
Many basements have 1970s paneling glued to the block. We remove it, scrape the glue, and prime the block flat.
Homes built before 1978 can have lead paint under the top layers. Our crews follow safe prep on those. That's one more reason to hire a licensed crew instead of someone working out of a trunk.
Eight steps, same order every time, whether it's a finished rec room or a concrete storage area.
We check the walls, look for moisture issues, and write the price down before we leave.
Furniture and storage to the center and sheeted. Floors protected.
Block gaps, plaster cracks and old holes filled and sanded flat.
If there's wallpaper, it's stripped and the wall skimmed smooth.
Every block and concrete wall gets a primer that seals out dampness.
Ceilings, then walls, then trim. Top down means no drips on finished work.
Full second coat once the first has dried. This is where even color shows up.
Everything put back, floors cleaned, then we walk it with you.
Most calls fall into one of three buckets. Same crew and same prep standard on all of them, different scope.

Rec rooms, home theaters and playrooms. Drywall walls and ceilings. Part of our house painting service.

Unfinished spaces with concrete block walls. We use masonry primer and include drywall repair if needed.

Popcorn, drywall or exposed joists. We paint them all. See popcorn ceiling painting for textured work.
Our shop is at 541 Winston Dr in Melrose Park. River Forest is a short drive down Harlem, which is why we can usually get out for an estimate the same week you call. The person who prices your job is the person you'll see on the drop cloths.
We work the near west suburbs every day and we know these basements. Same crew, same prep, same price sheet whether you're on Ashland or Lathrop. If a spot needs a touch-up two weeks later, we're close enough to swing back.
Basement work often turns into a whole-house job. Plenty of River Forest customers add exterior painting or deck and fence staining once we're already booked in.
Get my free estimate
Almost every basement call opens with one of these. Here's the cause on the left, and here's what the basement looks like when we pack up.
Basement block is damp and porous. Regular paint sits on the surface and flakes off within a year.
Water seepage marks keep coming back through new paint. They never get sealed with regular primer.
Paint on damp block traps moisture. The basement smells musty and the paint bubbles.
Masonry primer penetrates the block so the topcoat bonds and stays for years.
Oil-based primer blocks water stains. They don't ghost back through the new paint.
Moisture primer seals the block so moisture stays out. No musty smell after we paint.
No peeling paint. No stains bleeding through. No dust on the furniture.



Most of our River Forest basement work comes from somebody a few blocks over. Read what they said about the prep, the finish and how the basement looked when we cleared out.
Basements are the biggest part of our schedule, but the same crew covers most of what a house needs.
Textured ceilings painted in River Forest homes.
Old paper stripped and walls smoothed. See wallpaper removal in River Forest.
Walls, trim and doors painted clean. See interior painting in River Forest.
Outside work on River Forest siding.
Painting more than one place in the county? We cover the whole Cook County service area, and everything we do in town sits on the River Forest painting page.
Free estimate, a real written price, licensed and insured, and a crew ten minutes away. Book online and take $50 off.