Updated 27 September 2026 · 65 figures · 37 sources
Painting & decorating prices UK 2026
What painter & decorators charge in 2026: day rates, prices for 17 common jobs, the prep that changes the price, and the regulations to flag. Every figure links to where it came from. Use the calculator, or price a real job in the Grafto app.
Day rates (T2B pricing)£180–£300 outside London · London & SE +20–30% · prime London £350+ · exterior +15–25%
Paint a room (market)box room: £175–£300/room
Worked example: paint a room, 1 room£474
Decorating price calculator
Price a real job freeUses your rates, your speed and your receipts.
Decorating job prices
| Job | Market band | Basis | Worked example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paint a room | box room: £175–£300/room · small bedroom: £250–£400/room · large bedroom: £350–£660/room · living room: £500–£990/room · kitchen: £250–£500/room · bathroom: £150–£300/room | total, ex VAT | £474 1 room · 1.5 days |
| Paint walls or ceilings (per m²) | £10–£20/m² | total, ex VAT | £600 60 m² · 2 days |
| Hall, stairs and landing | £875–£1,350 | total, ex VAT | £1,070 1 job · 3.5 days |
| Decorate a whole house (interior) | £2,500–£7,000/house | labour only | £3,855 1 house · 7.5 days |
| Paint internal doors | £80–£100/door | total, ex VAT | £450 5 door · 1.5 days |
| Paint skirting and architrave | decent: £8–£12/m · needs restoring: £15–£20/m | total, ex VAT | £408 40 m · 1.5 days |
| Hang wallpaper | £12–£16/m² | labour only | £378 25 m² · 1.5 days |
| Strip wallpaper | £8–£15/m² | total, ex VAT | £392 30 m² · 1.5 days |
| Paint house exterior (masonry) | £20–£40/m² | supply & fit, ex scaffold | £2,105 90 m² · 4.5 days |
| Paint fascias and soffits | terraced: £500–£750/house · semi-detached: £600–£850/house · detached: £750–£950/house | supply & fit, ex scaffold | £900 1 house · 1.5 days |
| Paint or stain a fence | paint: £20–£32/panel · stain: £23–£37/panel | total, ex VAT | £318 10 panel · 1 days |
| Kitchen cabinet respray | £800–£1,600/kitchen | total, ex VAT | £986 15 door · 3.5 days |
| Paint radiators | panel radiator: £50–£100/radiator · column or cast iron: £80–£180/radiator | total, ex VAT | £307 4 radiator · 5 h |
| Paint an exterior door | £150–£300/door | total, ex VAT | £180 1 door · 3 h |
| Paint timber windows (exterior) | £130–£500/window | total, ex VAT | £1,090 6 window · 3.5 days |
| Stain or oil decking | £350–£800/deck | total, ex VAT | £404 30 m² · 1.5 days |
| Paint a garage door | single: £250–£450/door · double: £350–£650/door | total, ex VAT | £303 1 door · 1 days |
Bands are for a typical job at regional multiplier ×1.0 (Midlands, South West, East). London ×1.25, South East ×1.10, North, Wales and Scotland ×0.88. Worked examples use the researched default rates, ex VAT and travel.
Rates
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Day rates (T2B pricing) | £180–£300 outside London · London & SE +20–30% · prime London £350+ · exterior +15–25% | Trade2Base |
| Day rates (T2B costs) | £180–£300 outside London; exterior 10–20% above interior | Trade2Base |
| Day rate (Checkatrade) | about £325 a day (average £300) · about £32 an hour | Checkatrade |
| Day rates (MyJobQuote) | outside London £150–£250 · London £250–£350 · per m² £10–£20 | MyJobQuote |
| Day rates (MyBuilder) | £150–£300 a day · £20–£40 an hour · single rooms 1–2 days · 3-bed 1–2 weeks | MyBuilder |
| Materials markup (T2B) | 25–35% on materials; £60–£120 materials a room in trade emulsion | Trade2Base |
| Minimum charge (MyJobQuote) | small jobs £150–£250 minimum; bundled jobs 10–20% cheaper | MyJobQuote |
Rooms
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rooms, labour only (T2B pricing) | bedroom £300–£500 · living room £400–£650 · kitchen £350–£500 · hallway £200–£400 · bathroom £200–£350 | Trade2Base |
| Rooms, labour only (T2B costs) | small bedroom £200–£300 · double £300–£500 · living room £400–£600 · 3-bed house £2,500–£7,000 | Trade2Base |
| Rooms all-in (MyJobQuote) | box room £175–£300 (4–6 h) · bathroom £150–£300 · kitchen £250–£500 · small bed £250–£400 (1 day) · large bed £350–£660 · large living £500–£990 (1.5–2 days) | MyJobQuote |
| Hall, stairs, landing (MyJobQuote) | 35–40 m², 1.5–2 days, £875–£1,350+ | MyJobQuote |
| Rooms (Checkatrade) | small £350 · medium £450 · large £1,000 · hall/stairs/landing £1,600 · 2-bed flat £2,000 · 5-bed house £6,000 | Checkatrade |
| Rooms (MyBuilder) | small £350 · medium £450 · large £1,000 · prep £50–£100 · trim from £20 a room | MyBuilder |
| Hallways (MyJobQuote) | small hall walls £150–£350 · with ceilings and woodwork £875–£1,350 · about £25/m² · ceilings £15–£20/m² · woodwork £150–£300 | MyJobQuote |
| Hall extras (MyJobQuote) | stairwell access £40–£60 · patch repair £70–£130 · skim £150–£200 · 1–3 days | MyJobQuote |
Per m²
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Per m² (Checkatrade) | walls £10–£20 · ceilings £10–£20 · woodwork £10–£20 · exterior £15–£25 · wallpaper £12–£16 | Checkatrade |
| Per m² (MyBuilder) | interior walls or ceilings £8–£25 · textured / exterior £10–£45 | MyBuilder |
| Commercial (T2B) | flat commercial areas £10–£25/m² | Trade2Base |
Woodwork
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Doors and radiators (Checkatrade) | door both sides £80–£100 · radiator £10–£20 | Checkatrade |
| Skirting (MyJobQuote) | 3×3 m room about £200 (£50 paint, £150 labour) · £8–£12/m decent, £15–£20/m restoring · about a day | MyJobQuote |
| Staircase (MyJobQuote) | average £400 · £350–£450 with light prep · spindles: 3 h first coat, 2 h second, 1 h final | MyJobQuote |
| External door (MyJobQuote) | about £200, 2–4 hours | MyJobQuote |
Paint
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage (Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt) | up to 17 m²/L; practical 8–10 m²/L a coat; two coats as standard | Dulux Trade |
| Trade prices (T2B costs) | emulsion 5 L £15–£35 (50–60 m²) · 10 L £25–£60 · satinwood 2.5 L £20–£40 (25–35 m²) · gloss 2.5 L £18–£35 | Trade2Base |
| Paint per litre (MyJobQuote) | matt £5–£8 · satin £8–£16 · gloss £12–£25; ~12 m²/L for two coats; 12 m² room 7–8 L | MyJobQuote |
| Trade vs retail (T2B) | 10 L emulsion trade £25–£40 vs retail £50–£70 · 10 L covers ~100 m² a coat | Trade2Base |
| Areas (T2B) | deduct ~2 m² a door, 1–1.5 m² a window | Trade2Base |
| Satinwood (Dulux Trade) | up to 17 m²/L · touch dry 4–6 h · recoat 16–24 h · two coats · brush or roller | Dulux Trade |
| Masonry paint (Sandtex Trade) | up to 16 m²/L smooth · recoat 3–5 h · 15-year durability | Crown Paints Professional |
Wallpaper
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hanging (Checkatrade) | labour £12–£16/m² · paper £20–£40/m² · all-in £32–£56/m² · room £350–£500 · 6–8 hours a room | Checkatrade |
| Hanging (MyJobQuote) | £10–£12/m² clean walls, £20/m² with stripping · feature wall £120–£180 (4–6 h) · small bedroom £300–£400 | MyJobQuote |
| Stripping (MyJobQuote) | £80–£150 a wall · £300+ for a 25 m² room · prep £50–£150 | MyJobQuote |
| Paper prices (MyJobQuote) | printed £5–£20 · lining £3–£10 · vinyl £10–£40 · woodchip £5–£15 · paste-the-wall £15–£50 · 5–6 rolls a room | MyJobQuote |
| Wallpaper (MyBuilder) | install £15–£40/m² · strip £100–£300 a room · feature wall £150–£400 | MyBuilder |
| Stripping (T2B) | £100–£200 a room; mist coat on new plaster: allow half a day | Trade2Base |
| Rolls (wallpaper calculator) | 10.05 m × 530 mm · 4 drops at 2.4 m, 3 with a 53 cm repeat · 4×3 m room about 7 rolls · new plaster 6 months before papering | Material Calculator |
Exterior
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior (Checkatrade) | £20–£40/m² · terrace 40 m² £800–£1,600 (3 days) · semi 90 m² £1,800–£3,600 (5 days) · detached 120 m² £2,400–£4,800 (7 days) | Checkatrade |
| Exterior materials (Checkatrade) | sealer/primer about £260 · masonry paint about £300 · £220–£400 a day | Checkatrade |
| Exterior by house (MyJobQuote) | front only £500–£1,500 · terrace £1,500–£3,100 · semi £2,600–£5,700 (3–4 days) · detached £3,400–£7,700 | MyJobQuote |
| Masonry paint (MyJobQuote) | £5–£10 a litre · 30–50 L for a 3-bed semi · £20–£40/m² all-in | MyJobQuote |
| Scaffold (T2B) | £500–£1,200 a week for a semi; £1,000–£2,000 for large detached | Trade2Base |
| Fascias & soffits (MyJobQuote) | terrace £500–£750 · semi £600–£850 · detached £750–£950 (without scaffold) · +£700–£950 with scaffold · 3–4 days · paint £120–£200 | MyJobQuote |
Garden
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fences (Checkatrade) | paint ~£26 a panel · stain ~£30 · labour £15–£25 a panel · paint £5–£7, stain £8–£12 a panel · ½–2 days | Checkatrade |
| Decking (Checkatrade) | clean £150–£350 · stain or oil £350–£800 · softwood yearly, hardwood oil | Checkatrade |
| Decking oil (Cuprinol) | 5 L covers up to 40 m² in two brush coats · dry in up to 6 h | Cuprinol |
| Fence staining (MyJobQuote) | oil stain £14–£25 a panel · gel £18–£27 · dye £19–£28 · cleaning £2–£5 a metre · average £400 · stain 5 L £10–£20 | MyJobQuote |
Kitchens
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen respray (Checkatrade) | cabinet facing £80+ · larder £100+ · average kitchen £800–£1,600 | Checkatrade |
| Kitchen respray (Homebuilding) | small kitchen about £800 (2 days) · average from £1,400 · large up to 7 days · paint about £20/L, 12 m² a tin | Homebuilding & Renovating |
Safety
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lead paint (HSE) | old paint can contain lead: avoid dry sanding and burning; control dust and fumes | HSE |
| Work at height (HSE) | plan work at height; use the right access for the job | HSE |
| COSHH (HSE) | assess and control exposure to hazardous substances like spray paints | HSE |
| VOC regulations | maximum VOC content for decorative paints and varnishes | legislation.gov.uk |
| Asbestos essentials (HSE) | task sheets a26–a29 for textured coatings; painting AC products a16 | HSE |
Radiators
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Radiators (MyJobQuote) | labour £15–£70 · all-in £50–£100 · single panel £15–£40 · double £30–£70 · large £50–£100 · cast iron/column £80–£180 labour | MyJobQuote |
| Radiator time (MyJobQuote) | small about 1 h · larger 2–3 h · whole house 1–2 days · heating off 24 h after | MyJobQuote |
| Radiator paint (MyJobQuote) | heat-resistant paint £15–£25 a tin · primer £10–£20/L · rust treatment £10–£20 · removal and refit £50–£100 | MyJobQuote |
| Radiator enamel (Wickes) | Hammerite 500 ml £26 · 7 m²/L · touch dry 4–6 h · recoat 16 h | Wickes |
Doors
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior doors (MyJobQuote) | average £200 · plain £150–£180 · with sanding £200–£250 · glazed £200–£220, with sanding £250–£300 · 2–4 h | MyJobQuote |
| Door paint (MyJobQuote) | primer £20–£40/L · stain and varnish £25–£50/L · covering paint £30–£55/L | MyJobQuote |
| Doors (Checkatrade) | interior £50–£70 · exterior £150–£300 (average £225) · plain about £150 · glazed with knotting about £250 · stripping £15–£25 a door | Checkatrade |
Windows
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sash windows (Checkatrade) | repaint £200–£500 a window · full refurbishment £620–£920 · draught-proofing about £318 | Checkatrade |
| Windows (decorator, SW London) | sash £130 each for prep and 3 coats · front door and frame about £250 · house exterior about £2,500 + £600 scaffold · new cill £230 | Painting & Decorating (SW London) |
Garages
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Garage doors (MyJobQuote) | single £250–£350 light prep, £350–£450 full · double £350–£500 / £450–£650 · spray £300–£600 · 1–2 days | MyJobQuote |
| Garage doors (Checkatrade) | single door about £120 without prep, about £200 with prep and primer · epoxy floor £20–£150/m² | Checkatrade |
Trade
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PDA code of practice | written quotations · 6-month workmanship guarantee · conciliation and arbitration service | Painting and Decorating Association |
Prep that changes the price
| Condition | How you spot it | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Old lead-based paint | Pre-1970 paintwork (many layers, alligator cracking)? | Treat as lead: no dry sanding or burning off; wet-abrade or chemical strip, bag waste |
| Water or damp stains | Photo: brown rings, tide marks or mould on walls or ceiling | Seal stains with stain block; paint won't hide them. Fix any live damp first |
| Nicotine or smoke staining | Photo: yellow-brown film on walls and ceiling, especially above radiators | Sugar-soap wash and stain-block primer before emulsion |
| Painted-over wallpaper | Paint on top of wallpaper (seams, bubbles)? | Strip and make good painted-over paper (£150–£600, only if found). Painted paper can bubble: strip or seal and fill seams |
| Algae or green staining | Photo: green or black streaks on render, especially north walls and under sills | |
| Blown or hollow render | Tap test: any hollow or bulging render? | Blown render needs a plasterer before painting |
| Rotten fascia or window timber | Screwdriver test: any soft or rotten timber? | Timber repairs (£100–£400, only if found). Soft timber: cut out and splice or resin-repair before painting |
| Artex or textured ceiling | Photo: swirl, stipple or popcorn texture on the ceiling | Textured coating: paint over it, never sand or scrape (pre-2000 may contain asbestos) |
| Mould on walls or ceiling | Photo: black spotting in corners, around windows or on bathroom ceilings | Treat mould and let it dry. Kill the mould and improve ventilation, or it comes back through the paint |
| Flaking or peeling paint | Photo: paint lifting, peeling or flaking off, bare wood or metal showing |
Materials price list (43 items)
What the materials cost at UK merchants right now: the cheapest like-for-like, the middle of the range and a premium pick, each linked to the listing. Prices ex VAT, checked 27/09/2026.
Paint, wallpaper & decorating
Tools
Sealants, fixings & consumables
Collected from Screwfix, B&Q, Roofing Superstore and other merchants' public listings. Prices change; trade accounts are often cheaper.
How to price a decorating job
1
Measure it right
Measure every surface, take off doors and windows, and add waste for cuts and pattern.
2
Ask what changes it
Which room, What gets painted. These move the price more than anything else.
3
Check it against the market
Compare your price with the band. Outside it by 20%? Recheck the prep and your rates, or explain the difference to the customer.
Regulations to flag
- UK: Pre-1970 paint may contain lead: no dry sanding or burning off; wet-abrade, chemical strip, bag the waste
- UK: Work at Height Regulations: towers or stair platforms on stairwells; scaffold where ladders are not safe
- UK: COSHH: spray paints and 2K coatings need ventilation and the RPE on the safety data sheet
- UK: Decorative paints sold in the UK must meet the VOC limits (2012 Regulations)
- UK: Textured (Artex) ceilings from before 2000 may contain asbestos: paint over them, never sand, scrape or drill without HSE asbestos essentials controls
- UK: Give a written quotation; PDA members guarantee workmanship for 6 months and offer a disputes service
- UK: Pre-1970 paint on doors, windows and radiators may contain lead: no dry sanding or burning off
- UK: Work at Height Regulations: towers or scaffold for first-floor windows
Questions
How much does a painter & decorator charge per day in the UK in 2026?
Day rates (T2B pricing): £180–£300 outside London · London & SE +20–30% · prime London £350+ · exterior +15–25% (Trade2Base). London and the South East run higher; the North, Wales and Scotland run lower.
How much does paint a room cost in 2026?
The researched UK market band is box room: £175–£300/room · small bedroom: £250–£400/room · large bedroom: £350–£660/room · living room: £500–£990/room · kitchen: £250–£500/room · bathroom: £150–£300/room (total, ex VAT), before regional adjustment. Grafto's worked example comes to about £474 for the trade-choice option.
How much does paint walls or ceilings (per m²) cost in 2026?
The researched UK market band is £10–£20/m² (total, ex VAT), before regional adjustment. Grafto's worked example comes to about £600 for the trade-choice option.
How much does hall, stairs and landing cost in 2026?
The researched UK market band is £875–£1,350 (total, ex VAT), before regional adjustment. Grafto's worked example comes to about £1,070 for the trade-choice option.
How much does decorate a whole house (interior) cost in 2026?
The researched UK market band is £2,500–£7,000/house (labour only), before regional adjustment. Grafto's worked example comes to about £3,855 for the trade-choice option.
How do I price a decorating job?
Measure it, answer the questions that change the price (substrate, size, access), list the prep you can see, then work out labour days from realistic output, materials with waste, travel and a contingency. Grafto does this in under a minute and checks the result against the market band.
Sources
- Painting and decorating: cost breakdown — Checkatrade, checked 2026-09-27
- Wallpapering costs — Checkatrade, checked 2026-09-27
- Cost to paint the exterior of a house — Checkatrade, checked 2026-09-27
- Fence painting: cost breakdown — Checkatrade, checked 2026-09-27
- Spray paint kitchen cabinets costs — Checkatrade, checked 2026-09-27
- How much to paint a room? — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- Cost to wallpaper a room — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- How much to paint a house exterior? — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- How much to paint a staircase? — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- Skirting board painting cost guide — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- Soffits and fascias painting cost guide — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- Painter and decorator pricing guide UK — Trade2Base, checked 2026-09-27
- Painting and decorating costs UK: interior, exterior and commercial — Trade2Base, checked 2026-09-27
- How much does a painter and decorator cost? — MyBuilder, checked 2026-09-27
- Kitchen respray cost — Homebuilding & Renovating, checked 2026-09-27
- Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt — Dulux Trade, checked 2026-09-27
- Construction hazardous substances: lead — HSE, checked 2026-09-27
- Working at height — HSE, checked 2026-09-27
- COSHH: Control of Substances Hazardous to Health — HSE, checked 2026-09-27
- The Volatile Organic Compounds in Paints, Varnishes and Vehicle Refinishing Products Regulations 2012 — legislation.gov.uk, checked 2026-09-27
- How much does it cost to paint radiators? — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- Exterior door paint cost — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- How much does it cost to paint doors? — Checkatrade, checked 2026-09-27
- Sash window restoration costs — Checkatrade, checked 2026-09-27
- The cost of painting exterior windows — Painting & Decorating (SW London), checked 2026-09-27
- Garden decking: cost breakdown — Checkatrade, checked 2026-09-27
- Fence stain and painting cost — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- How much does it cost to paint a hallway? — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- Painting a garage door cost — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- How much does garage painting cost? — Checkatrade, checked 2026-09-27
- PDA code of practice — Painting and Decorating Association, checked 2026-09-27
- Asbestos essentials task sheets — HSE, checked 2026-09-27
- Sandtex Trade High Cover Smooth Masonry — Crown Paints Professional, checked 2026-09-27
- Dulux Trade Satinwood — Dulux Trade, checked 2026-09-27
- Cuprinol UV Guard Decking Oil — Cuprinol, checked 2026-09-27
- Hammerite Radiator Enamel Gloss 500ml — Wickes, checked 2026-09-27
- Wallpaper calculator UK: rolls, pattern repeat and paste — Material Calculator, checked 2026-09-27