Cost guides › Painting and decorating
United Kingdom
Painting and decorating cost
Repainting the walls and ceilings of a home with 80 m² of floor area typically costs £3,000 including VAT, with most decorators quoting between £2,350 and £3,900. That covers preparing about half the surfaces, a sealer coat and washable emulsion on walls and ceilings. A quick refresh with light filling comes to about £1,750; full preparation with a skim coat for a flawless finish is around £6,500.
Most homeowners pay
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Cost by region
| Location | Basic | Mid-range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | £1,950 | £3,300 | £7,200 |
| Scotland | £1,800 | £3,050 | £6,650 |
| South East | £1,750 | £3,000 | £6,500 |
| East | £1,750 | £2,950 | £6,400 |
| North West | £1,700 | £2,950 | £6,350 |
| South West | £1,700 | £2,950 | £6,300 |
| West Midlands | £1,700 | £2,950 | £6,300 |
| East Midlands | £1,700 | £2,900 | £6,250 |
| North East | £1,700 | £2,900 | £6,200 |
| Wales | £1,700 | £2,900 | £6,250 |
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| Yorkshire and The Humber | £1,650 | £2,850 | £6,150 |
What's included
Mid-range
- Walls and ceilings of the rooms, with door and window openings deducted
- Preparation on about half the surface: scraping loose paint and sanding
- Filling and patching small plaster defects in the prepared areas
- A coat of sealer or primer, useful over new plaster and patched areas
- Washable emulsion finish on walls and ceilings
- Ceilings up to about 3 m high, reachable without scaffold towers
What affects the cost
Preparation
Preparation is where most of the time goes. Walls with cracks, old wallpaper to strip, flaking paint or patch repairs take far longer than sound, previously painted plaster, and a full skim by a plasterer is a separate trade.
Woodwork
Skirting boards, doors, frames, architraves and window boards are priced separately from walls and ceilings and are often a large part of a decorating quote. Glossing woodwork properly means sanding, undercoat and topcoat.
Ceiling height and stairwells
Victorian and Edwardian houses often have ceilings well above 2.4 m, and stairwells need platforms or towers. Both slow the job down and add to the price.
Colour changes
Going from a dark colour to white, or painting over strong feature walls, usually needs an extra coat. Keeping similar colours is quicker.
Paint quality
Trade emulsions cover better and wear longer than cheap retail paint, and washable finishes are worth it in halls, kitchens and children's rooms. Paint is a small share of the cost compared with labour.
Occupied rooms
Empty rooms are quickest. Moving and covering furniture, working around a family and doing one room at a time all add hours.
How to save
- Strip wallpaper, remove curtain poles and move furniture into the centre of rooms yourself before the decorator starts.
- Keep ceilings white and walls in similar colours so two coats are enough.
- Leave woodwork that is in good condition and only paint walls and ceilings.
- Book the whole house at once rather than room by room; decorators price larger jobs more keenly and quieter months can be cheaper.
Grants, tax and rules
VAT
Our figures include 20% VAT. Many sole-trader decorators are not VAT registered, so their quotes for labour can be lower than a VAT-registered firm's.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to paint a house interior in the UK?
For walls and ceilings in a home with 80 m² of floor area, expect around £3,000 including VAT, with woodwork on top. A light refresh is closer to £1,750, while full preparation and skimming takes it to about £6,500.
How much does a decorator charge per room?
A typical bedroom or living room takes one to two days for walls and ceiling, more with woodwork, heavy preparation or high ceilings. Ask for a price per room and a list of what is included, especially preparation and number of coats.
How long does it take to paint a whole house inside?
A three-bedroom house usually takes one decorator one to two weeks for walls and ceilings, longer with woodwork. Drying time between the mist coat, filling and finish coats sets the pace as much as the painting.
Does new plaster need a mist coat?
Yes. Fresh plaster is very absorbent, so it needs a thinned first coat or a dedicated primer once fully dry, otherwise the finish peels. New plaster usually needs a few weeks to dry out before painting.
Is it worth using a professional painter and decorator?
The difference shows in the preparation: crisp cutting-in, filled and sanded defects and even coverage. For a single room DIY can make sense, but for a whole house or high stairwells a decorator is usually faster and the finish lasts longer.
How this estimate is calculated
Work hours: 95.1 · Labour: £2,105 · Materials: £408
Sources: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, tables 14 and 15; Regione Toscana, Prezzario dei Lavori 2026 (CC BY 4.0); ECB exchange rates.