How much do painters and decorators cost?
The cost of hiring a painter and decorator in the UK varies depending on a number of factors, including:
- The size of the job
- The type of paint or wallpaper
- The location of the property
- The condition of the surfaces
- The level of detail required
As a rough guide, painter and decorator day rates typically range from around £150-200 (often more in the London area).
The next step to help you gauge the cost of your project is to understand the time it typically takes for common jobs and the approximate cost of paint to help you work out the overall costs.
How much does it cost to paint and decorate a room?
A medium sized room will generally take a couple of days to complete. Which allows time for proper masking, preparation and two coats of paint to the walls and woodwork.
Assuming an average day rate of £150-200 this brings the labour cost to £300-400.
In addition you’ll need to factor in the cost of paint which works out at about £50 for two tubs of Dulux walls and ceilings paint, and one pot of Dulux once gloss for woodwork (based on two coats of paint for a room of 4m x 4m with a standard ceiling height, window and door size).
Other factors that will increase the cost include the presence of detailed work like decorative cornices and if substantial repairs are required such as replastering.
How much does it cost to paint the outside of a house?
An average semi detached 3 bedroom house could take one painter up to four or more days to complete. There is a large surface area to cover and reaching high aspects slows the process down.
That brings the initial labour cost to around £600-800 based on an average day rate.
In terms of paint factor in around three tubs of exterior masonry paint totalling £85 based on this 5L Sandex masonry paint as an example.
For larger houses or those with difficult areas to access (for example above a conservatory where a ladder can’t reach) you may need to consider scaffolding, which is a significant expense.
How much does it cost to paint doors?
The cost of painting a door will depend on a number of factors, including the size of the door, the condition of the door, type of paint, materials used, and the level of detail.
Additionally, the location of the property and the hourly or daily rate of the painter will also affect the final cost.
Painting a door is a much quicker process than the projects outlined above and costs normally start in the region of £60 per door (for internal doors), £175 for an external door and around £200 for a garage door.
In reality these costs will vary a lot depending on:
- The number of doors
- Whether sanding and knotting is required
- The level of detail on the doors
- The condition of the doors
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Cost data sources:
Painter and decorator day rates: https://mylocaltoolbox.co.uk/cost-guides/how-much-do-painters-and-decorators-cost/
Door painting costs: https://mylocaltoolbox.co.uk/cost-guides/how-much-does-it-cost-to-paint-a-door/
Room painting costs: https://mylocaltoolbox.co.uk/cost-guides/how-much-does-it-cost-to-paint-and-decorate-a-room/
House painting costs: https://mylocaltoolbox.co.uk/cost-guides/how-much-does-it-cost-to-paint-a-house/
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