Price Guide

How Much Does a Painter & Decorator Really Cost?

Compare prices for 14 services across 342 UK locations. Data-driven pricing updated for .

14 services priced 342 cities covered Updated

Adjust prices for your property size

Adjusts prices for: Paint Entire House Interior (3-Bed), Exterior House Painting

National pricing

Painter & Decorator Prices

National average prices. Select a city below for local pricing.

All prices include materials and labour unless stated otherwise. Prices verified 2026

Paint a Room (Single)

Low

£200

Average

£400

High

£650

1-2 days

More details

Painting the walls and ceiling of a single room including filling minor cracks, covering furniture and floors, and applying two coats of paint. Based on an average-sized room.

~86% labour, ~14% materials

What affects the price

  • Room size and ceiling height
  • Condition of existing surfaces (amount of prep needed)
  • Number of coats required
  • Paint quality (trade vs premium brands like Farrow & Ball)

Paint Entire House Interior (3-Bed)

Low

£1,100

Average

£2,000

High

£3,500

5-7 days

More details

Full interior repaint of a 3-bedroom house including all rooms, hallway, stairs and landing. Covers walls and ceilings with two coats of paint. Does not include woodwork (doors, skirting boards) or wallpapering.

~83% labour, ~17% materials

What affects the price

  • Number and size of rooms
  • Condition of existing paintwork
  • Whether ceilings are included
  • Access difficulty (high ceilings, stairwells)

Exterior House Painting

Low

£1,500

Average

£3,000

High

£6,000

3-5 days

More details

Painting the outside walls of an average 3-bed semi-detached house. Includes surface preparation, priming bare patches, and two coats of weatherproof paint. Scaffolding may be needed for upper storeys.

~87% labour, ~13% materials

What affects the price

  • Property size and number of storeys
  • Wall type and condition (render, pebbledash, brick)
  • Whether scaffolding is required (adds £500-£1,500)
  • Paint type (standard masonry vs weatherproof coatings)

Wallpaper a Room

Low

£250

Average

£450

High

£700

1-2 days

More details

Hanging wallpaper in a single room including stripping old paper if needed, lining the walls and hanging new wallpaper. Based on an average room of around 12-15m².

~72% labour, ~28% materials

What affects the price

  • Whether old wallpaper needs stripping first
  • Pattern complexity and matching requirements
  • Wall condition (may need lining paper first)
  • Wallpaper type (paste-the-wall vs paste-the-paper)

Ceiling Painting

Low

£150

Average

£275

High

£500

3-5 hours

More details

Painting a single ceiling including filling any cracks and applying two coats of white matt paint. Price is per room for an average-sized ceiling.

~87% labour, ~13% materials

What affects the price

  • Ceiling size and height
  • Condition (staining, cracks, textured coating)
  • Whether the room needs protecting (furniture, carpets)
  • Application method (roller vs spray)

Gloss Woodwork (Doors, Skirting, Frames)

Low

£300

Average

£550

High

£900

2-3 days

More details

Painting all the woodwork in an average room including the door (both sides), door frame, skirting boards, and window frame. Includes sanding, priming any bare wood, and two coats of paint in a gloss or satin finish.

~87% labour, ~13% materials

What affects the price

  • Number of doors, windows and metres of skirting
  • Condition of existing paintwork (heavy prep adds cost)
  • Paint type (oil-based gloss vs water-based satinwood)
  • Whether it is a single room or whole house

Front Door Painting

Low

£80

Average

£150

High

£250

3-5 hours

More details

Sanding, priming and painting an exterior front door with two coats of exterior gloss or specialist door paint. Includes the door frame.

~81% labour, ~19% materials

What affects the price

  • Door material (wood, composite, metal)
  • Condition and amount of preparation needed
  • Whether glass panels need masking
  • Paint type (standard gloss vs specialist exterior paint)

Fence Painting or Staining

Low

£150

Average

£300

High

£500

1-2 days

More details

Painting or staining garden fencing with a brush or sprayer. Price is for an average garden with approximately 10 standard 6ft panels on one side.

~77% labour, ~23% materials

What affects the price

  • Number and size of fence panels
  • Whether both sides need treating
  • Fence condition (rotten panels, overgrown vegetation)
  • Product type (fence paint, wood stain, preservative)

Kitchen Cabinet Painting

Low

£800

Average

£1,500

High

£2,500

3-5 days

More details

Professional repainting or spray painting of kitchen cabinet doors, drawer fronts and frames. Includes cleaning, sanding, priming and two coats of paint. Based on an average kitchen with 12-15 doors.

~87% labour, ~13% materials

What affects the price

  • Number of cabinet doors and drawer fronts
  • Application method (hand painting vs spray finish)
  • Cabinet material (wood, MDF, laminate)
  • Whether doors are removed and painted off-site

Artex Removal and Skim

Low

£350

Average

£600

High

£1,000

1-2 days

More details

Removing or covering over the textured (Artex) coating on a ceiling and finishing it smooth, ready for painting. Important: if your home was built before 2000, the texture may contain asbestos and needs testing before any work starts.

~91% labour, ~9% materials

What affects the price

  • Ceiling size
  • Whether Artex contains asbestos (specialist removal costs significantly more)
  • Removal method (steam/scrape vs plaster skim over)
  • Condition and thickness of existing texture

Hallway, Stairs and Landing

Low

£400

Average

£800

High

£1,200

2-3 days

More details

Painting the walls and ceilings of a hallway, staircase and landing area. Often the most awkward area to decorate due to height and access requirements.

~90% labour, ~10% materials

What affects the price

  • Property size and number of storeys
  • Ceiling height (may need tower scaffold or ladders)
  • Amount of woodwork (banister, spindles, skirting)
  • Condition of walls (older hallways often need heavy prep)

Mould Treatment and Paint

Low

£200

Average

£400

High

£750

1-2 days

More details

Treating and repainting mould-affected walls or ceilings. The mould is killed with a specialist wash, then the surface is primed and repainted with mould-resistant paint. This fixes surface mould only — if damp is causing the problem, that needs addressing separately.

~86% labour, ~14% materials

What affects the price

  • Severity and extent of mould growth
  • Whether the underlying cause (damp, condensation) has been fixed
  • Room size
  • Type of anti-mould treatment and paint used

Exterior Rendering and Paint

Low

£2,500

Average

£4,500

High

£8,000

5-7 days

More details

Applying a fresh coat of render (the smooth or textured finish on outside walls) and painting the exterior of a 3-bed semi-detached house. Includes removing any loose or crumbling old render, applying new render, and finishing with weatherproof paint. Scaffolding is usually needed.

~69% labour, ~31% materials

What affects the price

  • Property size and wall area
  • Render type (cement, monocouche, silicone, acrylic)
  • Amount of existing render that needs removing
  • Scaffolding requirements

Garage Floor Painting

Low

£200

Average

£400

High

£700

1-2 days

More details

Cleaning and painting a single garage floor with tough, hard-wearing floor paint. Based on an average single garage. Takes 1-2 days because each coat needs time to dry before the next is applied.

~75% labour, ~25% materials

What affects the price

  • Garage size (single vs double)
  • Floor condition (cracks, oil stains, damp)
  • Paint type (standard floor paint vs epoxy resin coating)
  • Number of coats required

Popular locations

Painting & Decorating Costs by City

Local pricing

Find Painter & Decorator Costs in Your City

Browse all 342 cities for local painter & decorator pricing.

Regional comparison

Paint a Room (Single) by City

Average cost of paint a room (single) across key UK cities.

London
+24% £495
Manchester
-2% £390
Birmingham
-7% £375
Glasgow
+5% £420
Bristol
+7% £430
Leeds
-3% £390
Cardiff
-2% £395
Belfast
-13% £350

Overview

What Does a Painter & Decorator Do?

A painter & decorator provides professional services covering interior and exterior painting, wallpapering, woodwork and specialist decorating services. They handle everything from routine maintenance and inspections to full installations and emergency repairs. Whether you need a small repair or a major project, hiring a qualified painter & decorator ensures the work is done safely, to code, and to a professional standard.

You should hire a painter & decorator whenever you need work that requires specialist skills, tools, or qualifications. Many types of painter & decorator work are regulated and must be carried out by a certified professional. Attempting DIY on regulated work can be dangerous, void your insurance, and create costly problems down the line.

Pricing for painter & decorator services depends on the complexity of what you need, the options chosen, and where you live in the UK. Simpler services sit at the lower end of the scale, while more involved or premium options will be significantly more expensive. The prices on this page give you a realistic range for each type of service so you know what to expect before getting quotes.

When hiring a painter & decorator, always get at least three quotes from different tradespeople. Read recent reviews and ask for references. Always check qualifications, insurance and recent reviews. A reputable painter & decorator will be happy to provide a detailed breakdown of costs and explain exactly what is included in their quote.

Related services

Related Services

Services often needed alongside a painter & decorator.

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about painter & decorator costs in the UK.

How long does it take to paint a room?
A professional painter can typically paint a standard room (walls and ceiling) in 1-1.5 days including preparation, two coats and drying time. Rooms needing significant prep work such as filling, sanding or stripping wallpaper take longer. Woodwork (doors, skirting, window frames) adds roughly half a day per room.
Should I use emulsion or specialist paint for kitchens and bathrooms?
Kitchens and bathrooms should use a paint formulated to resist moisture, steam and condensation. Look for kitchen and bathroom specific paints or at minimum a durable matt or silk finish. Standard matt emulsion will peel and grow mould in humid rooms. The extra cost of specialist paint is well worth it.
Is it worth paying for a decorator or should I paint it myself?
For a single room, DIY can save money if you have the time and patience. For multiple rooms, woodwork, exterior painting, or wallpapering, a professional decorator will be significantly faster, achieve a better finish, and handle the preparation properly. Poor preparation is the main reason DIY paint jobs look patchy.
Do I need to strip old wallpaper before painting?
Yes. Painting over wallpaper can cause bubbling, peeling and an uneven finish, especially if the wallpaper is textured or has seams showing. The wallpaper should be stripped, the walls washed down, any damage filled and sanded, and then a mist coat applied before the topcoats.
How much does a painter and decorator charge per day?
Most decorators charge between £180 and £300 per day depending on location and experience. London rates are typically £250-£350. However, most quote per room or per job rather than a daily rate, which gives you better cost certainty. A standard room takes 1-2 days depending on preparation needed.
What is a mist coat and do I need one?
A mist coat is a diluted first coat of emulsion (usually 70% paint to 30% water) applied to new plaster or bare walls. It soaks into the surface and gives the next coats something to grip. Without it, the paint can peel off in sheets. Any professional decorator will apply this as standard on new or freshly plastered surfaces.
How often should I repaint the exterior of my house?
Exterior masonry paint typically lasts 5-10 years depending on exposure to weather, the quality of paint used, and how well the surface was prepared. South and west-facing walls take more punishment from rain and UV. Repainting before the existing paint deteriorates badly is cheaper than waiting until major preparation work is needed.
Is spray painting better than brush and roller?
Spray painting gives an exceptionally smooth, factory-like finish and is ideal for kitchen cabinets, ceilings, and large areas. However, it requires extensive masking and is not always practical in furnished rooms. Brush and roller is more versatile for most residential work. Many decorators offer spray as an upgrade for specific surfaces.
Should I buy the paint myself or let the decorator supply it?
Either approach works. Decorators often buy paint at trade prices through Dulux Trade, Crown Trade, or local merchants, so their cost may be similar to what you would pay retail. If you want a specific brand like Farrow & Ball or Little Greene, buying it yourself ensures you get the exact colour. Agree upfront who is supplying what.
How much does a painter & decorator cost in the UK?
The most common painter & decorator job, paint a room (single), costs between £200 and £650 nationally, with an average of £400. Prices vary depending on the scope of work, materials used, and your location within the UK.
What affects painter & decorator prices?
The main factors are the complexity and scope of what you need, the options and products chosen, and your location. London and the South East are typically 15-35% more expensive than northern regions. Getting multiple quotes is the best way to ensure a fair price.
How do I find a reliable painter & decorator?
Get at least three quotes from different tradespeople, check recent reviews and references, and ask for a detailed written quote that breaks down all costs before committing. Always check qualifications, insurance and recent reviews.
Do painter & decorator prices vary by location?
Yes, significantly. London is the most expensive area, with prices typically 20-35% above the national average. The South East is also above average. Northern England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland tend to be 5-15% below the national average. Our city pages show exact local pricing for 342 UK locations.
Do the prices shown include materials?
The prices on this page include all typical costs. However, when getting real quotes, always confirm what is and isn't included. Some tradespeople break out costs separately, while others give an all-in price. Ask for a detailed breakdown before agreeing to any work.
When is the best time to hire a painter & decorator?
Demand for painter & decorator services tends to peak in autumn and winter, which can mean longer wait times and higher prices. If your job isn't urgent, booking during spring or summer may get you a better rate and faster availability. Emergency work will always cost more regardless of the time of year.