How Much Do Painters and Decorators Charge? Whether you’re adding a lick of paint to breathe some fresh life into your property, renovating a new home or looking to make your house more appealing before putting it on the market, painting and decorating can be a tough job. It’s certainly something that can be done on your own but there’s always a risk of the end result not being quite what you imagined. Using professional painting and decorating services will ensure you get the finish that you’re hoping for. Painters and decorators are trained and experienced, meaning you’ll be in good hands.
How much do painters & decorators charge?
If you’re considering whether to go DIY or use a professional service, you may be wondering how much painters and decorators charge. The answer to this depends on a number of factors:
- Where you live
- The size of the job e.g. whole house or just a room
- The type of materials being used and whether there’s a need for specialist equipment
- How long the job will take to be completed
- The existing condition of the walls (if the walls need to be prepared, there will be extra costs involved)
As mentioned above, the price you pay will be impacted by your location. For instance, painting and decorating services in London are likely to be more expensive than those in Newcastle or Middlesbrough. The costs we’ve mentioned below are average trade prices, so this may vary a little from area to area.
It’s a good idea to secure at least three quotes before choosing a tradesperson to ensure you’re getting reasonable rates.
Average painting and decorating costs
On average, painters and decorators will charge around £150 -200 per day. This is only the labour cost, so be sure to also budget for the price of the materials being used too. It’s also worth noting that jobs which require a more experienced painter / decorator will be more expensive.
How much does painting and decorating a property cost?
It’s all well and good knowing the average day rate for a painter and decorator, but let’s find out how much each project is likely to cost.
How much does it cost to paint a room?
If you’re looking to have just one room painted, you can expect to pay in the region of £400. Again, bear in mind that this is only an average figure. Room sizes can differ quite substantially, so it’s worth remembering that the larger the room, the more it’ll cost you.
How much does it cost to paint a property?
The prices vary even more when discussing whole properties:
- Cost to paint a 2 bedroom flat – £2,000
- Cost to paint a 5 bedroom house – £6,000
As you can see, there’s quite some disparity between these figures. This comes from the surface area needed to be painted, the amount of materials used and the hours of labour needed to complete the job.
How much does wallpapering cost?
It will cost slightly more to wallpaper a room. On average, you can expect to pay around £450 per room (again, depending on size).
We recommend speaking to your painter / decorators before purchasing wallpaper as they may be able to secure you a discount. They might also be able to offer advice on the quality of products you’re looking to use.
How much does it cost to paint the hallway, stairs and landing?
Your hallway, stairs and landing are difficult to paint. There are plenty of tight angles and difficult to reach sections which can really make life difficult for any DIY painters. This is one area where the professionals really earn their money. On average, the hallway, stairs and landing of your property will cost around £750 to paint.
How much does it cost to have your ceilings painted?
If you’ve ever tried to paint a ceiling, you’ll know that it can be a very tricky and messy job. To do this correctly, you’ll also need specialist tools like stable ladders and rollers / brushes with longer arms. The job becomes even more tricky as anyone doing this will need to paint the ceiling in a way where splashes don’t fly off onto other surfaces. Despite this, you can expect to pay on average £350 per room to have the ceiling painted.
How much does it cost to paint the outside of your property?
Painting the outside of your property is a whole different type of job to interior painting and decorating. The paint will be exposed to the rain, wind and snow, the material being painted on will be completely different to the inside of your home and there’s a need for specialist equipment like longer ladders or even temporary scaffolding. The paint used will also need to be tougher and more resistant than ordinary household paints.
This is certainly an area where professional help can make life easier for you. If you’re looking to have the exterior of your property painted, this will cost around £750 – £1500 for an three-bedroom semi-detached house.
To DIY or not to DIY?
It’s not unusual for homeowners to question whether they should paint their own property. After all, this is a job which appears achievable on the surface. Having said that, we do recommend considering this at length before embarking on the task. It’s not uncommon to invest a lot of time and money into painting and decorating yourself, only to be dissatisfied with the result.
Painters and decorators are trained professionals with a wealth of experience. They will be able to deliver the job at a quick pace, to a high standard. They’re also available to offer advice on styles, colour schemes and the types of materials you’re looking to use. Using a professional service will also save you investing in the tools needed to complete the job as they’ll come equipped with everything they need.
Last Updated: December 19th, 2023
