I think you should hire someone to fix the mess your friend made. It's not difficult to fix. You could do it yourself with the right information, skills and equipment. But if you got someone else to do the basic painting, then it doesn't sound like you are the type of person who wants to tackle a problem like this. I don't mean that as an insult. Some people love doing stuff like this, others don't.

I don't mind answering you. I would have liked to have done the job myself. But I am over 65 with arthritis and bad knees. Thanks for the encouragement (I mean that) that I might possibly be able to do some things for myself. I'm going to try and plug up some of the holes in the rest of the apt. before the painter comes in.

I'm going to try and plug up some of the holes in the rest of the apt. before the painter comes in.

Speaking as a painter

DON'T do that! Let the painter do it, it is part of his or her job and they will do it better and faster.

i agree- hire someone that knows that they are doing

I definitely would not get knockdown if you don't want it. I agree with the others...it can be fixed. Anytime you patch a place on a sheetrock wall, it will look different. The patched place should be primed 1st trying to match the same texture as the other part of the wall (sometimes primed twice). Then you can roll on the paint (will take more than one coat in that patched area).

Dont plug up the holes. This is a very simple job for a painter and it makes a big difference in the finished product. It it not expensive for them to do a little bit of patching and spackeling before they paint.