Painting and Decorating Cost UK 2026

How much does it cost to hire a painter and decorator in the UK? Full breakdown of per-room prices, full house costs, exterior painting, and specialist finishes.

Last updated: April 2026

Whether you are refreshing a single bedroom or redecorating an entire house inside and out, painting and decorating is one of the most common home improvement projects in the UK. It is also one of the areas where costs vary enormously depending on the condition of surfaces, the quality of paint, and the complexity of the finish you want.

This guide provides realistic 2026 pricing for painting and decorating work across the UK, covering interior rooms, full house redecorations, exterior masonry and woodwork, wallpapering, and specialist finishes. Whether you are a homeowner budgeting a project or a tradesperson preparing a quote, these figures give you a reliable starting point.

Summary Cost Table

Prices include labour and standard materials. London and the South East are typically 20–35% higher than the national average. Rural Scotland, Wales, and the North of England tend to sit at the lower end of each range.

Detailed Cost Breakdown

Preparation

Preparation accounts for a surprisingly large proportion of a decorator's time — often 40–60% of total labour on older properties. Skimping on preparation is the single biggest reason decorating work fails prematurely.

• Sugar soaping and washing down — included in most quotes, no extra charge
• Filling cracks and holes — £50 – £150 per room depending on condition
• Sanding woodwork — included in gloss/satin pricing
• Stripping wallpaper — £100 – £250 per room (steam stripping; more for multiple layers or vinyl)
• Making good after stripping — £80 – £200 per room for skim-level finish
• Priming bare plaster or new wood — typically included in labour rate

If walls are in poor condition — deep cracks, blown plaster, damp patches — you may need a plasterer before the decorator starts. A full skim coat on a standard room costs £350 – £600. See our plastering cost guide for detailed figures.

Mist Coat

New plaster or freshly skimmed walls require a mist coat before standard emulsion can be applied. A mist coat is watered-down matt emulsion (typically 70/30 paint-to-water) that soaks into the plaster and provides a key for subsequent coats.

• Mist coat per room — £80 – £150 (labour and materials)
• Material cost — approximately £15 – £25 for a 10-litre tub of trade matt emulsion
• Drying time — 24 hours minimum before applying the topcoat

Most decorators include the mist coat in their overall per-room price if new plaster is present. If you are decorating immediately after a plasterer has finished, allow at least two weeks for the plaster to dry before the mist coat is applied.

Emulsion — Walls and Ceilings

Emulsion is the standard finish for interior walls and ceilings. Two coats of emulsion over a sealed or previously painted surface is the norm. Expect the following costs per room:

• Budget emulsion (trade matt) — £150 – £250 per room including labour
• Mid-range emulsion (Dulux Trade, Crown Trade) — £200 – £350 per room
• Premium emulsion (Farrow & Ball, Little Greene) — £300 – £500 per room

Premium paints cost significantly more per litre (£45 – £70 per 2.5L versus £20 – £30 for trade brands) but typically offer better coverage and a denser finish. Deep colours such as dark blues, greens, and charcoals may require three coats regardless of brand, adding 15–25% to the labour time.

Gloss and Satin Woodwork

Woodwork — skirting boards, door frames, architraves, window frames, and doors — is finished in gloss or satin. Most modern decorators use water-based satin or eggshell rather than traditional oil-based gloss, as it dries faster and produces fewer fumes.

• Skirting, architraves, and frame per room — £80 – £150
• Single door (both sides, frame, and architrave) — £80 – £120
• Full room woodwork package — £120 – £250
• Window frame (standard casement) — £60 – £100
• Staircase spindles, handrail, and newels — £250 – £500

Previously varnished or heavily chipped woodwork requires more sanding and possibly a coat of primer, which adds to the preparation time. Expect a 20–30% uplift on labour for woodwork in poor condition.

Wallpapering

Wallpapering is a specialist skill that commands higher rates than straightforward emulsion work. The cost depends heavily on the type of wallpaper and the complexity of the pattern match.

• Standard paste-the-wall paper — £250 – £400 per room (labour plus paper)
• Pattern-match paper (half-drop or straight) — £300 – £500 per room
• Feature wall only — £120 – £250
• Designer or hand-printed paper — £400 – £800+ per room (paper alone can be £60 – £150 per roll)
• Lining paper (preparation layer) — £100 – £200 per room

Most decorators charge a day rate for wallpapering — typically £200 – £300 per day — and an experienced paperhanger can complete a standard room in one day. Complex patterns, tall ceilings, or awkward alcoves slow the work considerably.

Specialist Finishes

Specialist decorating finishes are growing in popularity but command premium pricing due to the skill and time involved.

• Colour washing / rag rolling — £300 – £600 per room
• Venetian plaster effect — £500 – £1,200 per room
• Stencilling / murals — £200 – £1,000+ depending on complexity
• Metallic or pearlescent finish — £350 – £700 per room

Exterior Masonry Painting

Exterior painting is heavily weather-dependent and typically takes longer per square metre than interior work due to access issues, surface preparation, and the need for masonry-grade coatings.

• Front elevation only (2-storey semi) — £400 – £900
• Full exterior, ground floor only — £600 – £1,200
• Full exterior including upper floors — £1,000 – £3,000
• Masonry paint per 10L tub — £30 – £60 (covers approximately 12–15 m² per litre)

If upper-storey walls need painting, scaffold hire is almost always necessary. A basic scaffold for a semi-detached house costs £500 – £1,200 for a week, depending on the height and footprint. Some decorators include scaffold in their price; others quote it separately.

Scaffold Hire

• Single elevation, two-storey — £300 – £600 per week
• Full house wrap (3-bed semi) — £600 – £1,200 per week
• Tower scaffold (DIY alternative) — £80 – £150 per week hire

Scaffold hire is typically for a minimum of one week. Most exterior painting jobs on a standard semi can be completed within a week if the weather co-operates.

Factors That Affect Cost

• Condition of surfaces — newly plastered walls cost less to paint than walls with peeling paper, cracks, or damp stains that need extensive preparation
• Quality of paint — premium brands like Farrow & Ball cost three to four times more per litre than trade emulsion, and deep colours may need extra coats
• Room size and ceiling height — Victorian properties with 3-metre ceilings take significantly longer than modern houses with 2.4-metre ceilings
• Access — stairwells, vaulted ceilings, and rooms with fitted furniture all slow work down and increase cost
• Location — London and the South East command the highest day rates; the North, Wales, and Scotland are generally 15–30% lower
• Number of colours — multiple colour changes in a single room add cutting-in time and may require additional masking
• Furnished vs empty property — an empty property is faster to decorate than a furnished home where furniture must be moved and covered

How Long Does It Take?

These timescales assume one decorator working alone. A team of two can roughly halve interior timescales. Exterior work is subject to weather — rain, frost, or temperatures below 5°C will stop exterior painting entirely.

How to Save Money

• Do the preparation yourself — stripping wallpaper, filling small holes, and sugar soaping are time-consuming but not technically difficult. Handling preparation yourself can save 20–30% of the labour cost.
• Clear the rooms — moving furniture to the centre and covering it, or ideally clearing rooms completely, saves the decorator significant time.
• Choose standard colours — whites and light neutrals cover in fewer coats than deep or vivid colours. Two coats of white is standard; a dark navy may need three or four.
• Buy the paint yourself — decorators typically mark up materials by 10–20%. Buying trade paint from Dulux Decorator Centres, Crown Trade, or Brewers can save £100–£300 on a full house.
• Bundle rooms together — decorators give better rates for multiple rooms booked as a single job rather than one room at a time.
• Book outside peak season — decorators are busiest from April to September. Booking interior work in winter can reduce waiting times and occasionally secure a lower rate.

Common Questions