Hiring a painter and decorator in the UK typically costs £200 to £500 per room for emulsion painting in 2026, or £180 to £350 per day depending on region and experience. A full interior repaint for a 3-bedroom house costs £1,500 to £4,000. Day rates usually include the decorator’s own tools and sundries (filler, sandpaper, masking tape) but not the cost of paint or wallpaper, which you supply or agree as a separate charge.
Painting & Decorating Cost Calculator
Select the number of rooms, size and finish type for a personalised estimate based on 2026 UK decorator prices.
Average Painting & Decorating Costs (2026)
The table below shows typical per-room costs for professional decorating work in 2026. Prices include labour and basic prep but exclude paint and wallpaper unless stated. Regional variations apply — London and the South East typically run 20–30% above these figures.
| Job Type | Small Room | Medium Room | Large Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walls & ceiling (emulsion) | £150 – £250 | £200 – £350 | £300 – £500 |
| Walls, ceiling & woodwork | £200 – £350 | £300 – £500 | £450 – £700 |
| Wallpapering (supply & hang) | £250 – £400 | £350 – £550 | £500 – £800 |
| Exterior (per elevation) | — | £400 – £800 | £600 – £1,200 |
Day rates: Most UK decorators charge £180–£280 per day outside London, or £250–£400 in London and the South East. Day rates typically include labour, tools and sundries but not paint. An experienced decorator can usually complete a medium room (walls and ceiling emulsion, two coats) in one day.
What Affects Your Decorating Cost
Several factors can push your decorating bill above or below the averages shown.
Room size and ceiling height. Larger rooms take longer and use more paint. High ceilings (above 2.7m) or rooms with complex features such as cornicing, dado rails and picture rails add time for cutting in and careful finish work.
Surface condition. If walls need extensive preparation — filling cracks, sanding old paint, applying stabiliser to dusty plaster, or removing old wallpaper — preparation can add 30–50% to the total labour time. Freshly plastered walls that only need a mist coat and two top coats are the fastest and cheapest to finish.
Finish type. Emulsion on walls and ceiling is the quickest job. Adding gloss or satin on woodwork (skirting boards, door frames, window frames) requires more careful masking, priming and multiple coats. Wallpapering is the most labour-intensive option, especially with pattern-matched or feature-wall designs.
Paint quality and specification. Most decorators will use whatever paint you supply. Premium brands (such as Farrow & Ball or Little Greene) cost £50–£80 per 2.5L tin versus £20–£30 for trade-grade emulsion from Dulux Trade or Crown Trade. The paint cost itself can be a significant part of the total on larger jobs.
Exterior work. Exterior painting requires weather-dependent scheduling, often needs scaffolding or tower hire, and involves additional preparation (pressure washing, scraping, priming bare timber). Expect exterior work to cost roughly double the equivalent interior area.
How to Save on Decorating Costs
Professional decorating is one of the home improvement jobs where preparation and planning can noticeably reduce costs.
Do your own preparation. Moving furniture, removing switch plates, filling small cracks and sanding surfaces before the decorator arrives can save half a day of labour time — worth £90–£150 depending on your region.
Book multiple rooms together. A decorator quoting for a whole house will typically offer a lower per-room rate than for a single room, because mobilisation time and setup is spread across more productive work days.
Supply your own paint. Buying paint yourself from a trade outlet or during sales events can save 20–30% compared to paying the decorator’s markup. Confirm the required quantities with the decorator first to avoid over-ordering.
Time your project wisely. Late autumn and winter are typically quieter periods for decorators, so you may find better availability and keener pricing between November and February. Summer is peak season, especially for exterior work.
Combine with plastering or other trades. If rooms need both replastering and repainting, booking both trades sequentially reduces the total disruption and can often be coordinated for a single-project discount.
DIY vs Hiring a Professional Decorator
Painting and decorating is one of the most common DIY jobs in the UK, but there are good reasons to hire a professional for certain tasks.
When DIY makes sense. If you are comfortable on a step-ladder and have the time, painting a single room with emulsion is straightforward. The materials for a medium room (paint, roller, tray, masking tape, dust sheets) cost £40 to £80, versus £200 to £350 for professional labour. For straightforward emulsion on walls and ceiling, the saving is substantial and the risk of a poor result is low.
When to hire a professional. Woodwork finishing (gloss or satin on skirting, door frames and window frames) requires patience and technique for a smooth, drip-free result. Wallpapering, especially with pattern-matched papers, is a skill that takes years to master. Exterior painting at height needs proper access equipment and weather-dependent scheduling. High ceilings, stairwells and period features (cornicing, dado rails) also benefit from professional experience.
Quality of finish. A professional decorator prepares surfaces more thoroughly — filling every crack, sanding every edge, cutting in with a steady hand. The difference is most visible on woodwork and at colour breaks. If you are decorating to sell or let, a professional finish adds more to perceived value than a DIY job.
What to Expect During Decorating Work
Knowing the typical process helps you plan around the disruption and gives you realistic expectations about timelines.
Preparation. A good decorator spends as much time preparing as painting. This includes filling cracks and holes, sanding surfaces, washing down greasy kitchen walls, removing or masking switch plates and socket covers, and laying dust sheets. Preparation typically accounts for 30 to 50 percent of the total time on the job.
Painting sequence. Most decorators work from top to bottom: ceiling first, then walls, then woodwork. Ceilings usually need one mist coat (on new plaster) or one undercoat plus one top coat. Walls typically receive two full coats of emulsion, allowing four to six hours of drying time between coats. Woodwork needs an undercoat and one or two top coats of gloss or satin, with overnight drying between coats.
Drying and ventilation. Water-based emulsion dries in two to four hours, but oil-based gloss can take 16 to 24 hours between coats. Good ventilation speeds drying and reduces fumes. Avoid scheduling in very cold or humid weather, as this slows drying and can affect the finish.
Clean-up and snagging. Walk through each room with the decorator after completion and note areas needing touch-ups. Good decorators include a snagging visit in their price. Keep leftover paint for future repairs — note the brand, colour name and finish so you can reorder.
Questions to Ask When Getting Decorating Quotes
Clear questions upfront prevent surprises on your final bill and ensure you compare quotes fairly.
Is the quote a fixed price or day rate? Fixed-price quotes give you certainty, while day-rate pricing means the final cost depends on how long the job takes. For well-defined jobs (repaint three bedrooms), a fixed price is usually better. For open-ended work (stripping wallpaper in unknown condition), a day rate with an estimated number of days is more honest.
Does the price include paint? Some decorators include paint; others expect you to supply it. If the decorator supplies paint, ask which brand they will use — trade-grade emulsion costs £20 to £30 per 2.5L versus £50 to £80 for premium brands.
What preparation is included? Ask whether the quote covers filling cracks, sanding, washing surfaces and removing old wallpaper. If surfaces are in poor condition, preparation can be the biggest variable in total cost. A good decorator will flag this during the quoting visit.
How many coats? Two coats of emulsion on walls is standard for a colour change. Going over a similar colour may need only one coat. On woodwork, an undercoat plus one top coat is minimum; two top coats give a better finish. Confirm the number of coats included in each quote to compare fairly.
Related Calculators
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Sources & References
Costs shown are typical ranges based on published trade data. Your actual cost depends on room sizes, surface condition and chosen decorator. Always obtain multiple quotes. Last checked August 2026.