Painting and decorating is one of those jobs that looks cheaper than it often turns out to be. A tin of paint might be £35, but the real cost in London usually sits in the preparation, access, protection, drying time and the condition of the walls underneath.
We see this a lot in Kensington and Chelsea properties. A landlord prices a quick refresh between tenants, then finds blown plaster behind wardrobes. A homeowner starts sanding sash window frames and discovers old flaking layers that need careful stripping. A shop owner books a weekend repaint, then realises the ceiling is too high for ordinary steps.
This guide to painting & decorating costs in London is written from the practical side of the job. It explains what affects the price, what typical ranges look like, where DIY is sensible, and where it is better to bring in a professional decorator before money and time are wasted.
Why Painting & Decorating Costs Vary So Much in London
The main reason prices vary is that no two rooms are in the same condition. A plain modern bedroom with clean plasterboard walls is a very different job from a Victorian reception room with cracked lime plaster, picture rails, ceiling roses and timber sash windows.
London properties also bring extra costs that are easy to miss. Parking, congestion, narrow stairwells, lift bookings, mansion block rules, communal hallway protection and restricted working hours can all affect labour time. In some Kensington mansion blocks, decorators may only be allowed to work between set hours, and noisy sanding may need to be agreed with the managing agent.
As a rough guide, professional interior decorating in London often works out at £180 to £300 per day per decorator for labour, depending on the work and experience required. A small bedroom refresh may cost £350 to £650 including basic materials, while a full two-bedroom flat repaint can commonly sit between £1,800 and £4,500. Larger houses, heavy preparation, high ceilings and detailed woodwork can push the figure much higher.
Measure the Rooms and Note Every Surface
Start with a proper room-by-room measure, not just a guess based on floor area. A 12 square metre bedroom may have 35 to 45 square metres of wall and ceiling surface once doors, windows, alcoves and chimney breasts are considered.
List the walls, ceiling, skirting boards, architraves, doors, radiators, cupboards and window frames separately. Woodwork takes longer than people expect because it needs sanding, filling, undercoating and careful top coats. A single internal door and frame can add £70 to £150 to a decorating job depending on condition and finish.
For landlords, this stage is useful because it separates a simple end-of-tenancy refresh from a proper refurbishment. If only the walls need repainting in a neutral trade emulsion, costs stay lower. If doors, skirtings and stained ceilings need attention too, the price changes quickly.
Inspect the Existing Paint, Plaster and Damp Marks
Before pricing any decorating job, check what the new paint is going onto. Look for peeling paint, hairline cracks, water staining, mould patches, blown plaster, greasy kitchen walls and old wallpaper seams. Paint does not hide these problems for long, and a cheap top coat over poor surfaces usually fails within months.
In older London houses, especially Victorian and Edwardian terraces, we often find cracked plaster around chimney breasts, bay windows and external walls. Small cracks can be raked out, filled and sanded as part of normal preparation, but loose plaster needs cutting back and repairing first. Patch plastering may add £80 to £250 per area, while a full skim of a small room can be £400 to £900 depending on size and access.
Water stains should be investigated before decorating. If a bathroom leak, roof issue or failed gutter has caused the mark, painting over it only hides the evidence. If there is active damp, the source should be repaired first, sometimes involving plumbing, roofing or ventilation work before any decorating begins.
Price the Preparation Before Choosing the Paint
Preparation is the part of decorating most people underprice. A proper job usually includes clearing loose paint, filling dents, caulking gaps, sanding surfaces, spot priming bare areas and protecting floors, sockets, switches and furniture.
For a clean modern room, preparation may only take half a day. For a period living room with cracked cornices, old nail holes, settlement cracks and several layers of gloss on the woodwork, prep can take longer than the actual painting. On many London jobs, 40 to 60 percent of the labour time is preparation.
Typical preparation costs might be £150 to £300 for minor filling and sanding in a small room, £300 to £700 for heavier wall repairs and woodwork preparation, and more if wallpaper stripping is involved. Wallpaper removal often costs £250 to £600 per room, but badly bonded paper or old lining paper over damaged plaster can increase this.
Choose the Right Paint for the Room
Cheap paint can be false economy, especially in rentals, kitchens, bathrooms and busy hallways. Good trade emulsion generally covers better, wipes down more easily and needs fewer coats than bargain paint. For London rental properties, we often recommend durable matt for hallways and living areas because scuffs from luggage, bikes and pushchairs are common.
Paint costs vary widely. A 10 litre tub of decent trade vinyl matt might cost £35 to £70, while a premium durable matt can be £70 to £110 or more. Specialist paints, such as stain block, mould-resistant bathroom paint or high-adhesion primers, add cost but can save repeat visits.
Bathrooms and kitchens need moisture-resistant finishes and good ventilation. If mould keeps returning above a shower, paint alone will not solve it. The fan may be underpowered, the duct may be blocked, or the room may need better airflow, and that should be dealt with before decorating.
Allow Proper Labour Time for Cutting In, Coats and Drying
A neat decorating job cannot be rushed just because the room is empty. Cutting in around ceilings, skirting, sockets, radiators, pipework and window frames takes time. Two coats on walls and ceilings is standard in most cases, and darker colour changes may need a mist coat or extra coat.
As a guide, a small bedroom in reasonable condition may take one decorator 1.5 to 2.5 days. A larger living room with high ceilings and detailed woodwork may take 3 to 5 days. A hall, stairs and landing in a London townhouse can take a week or more because access, ladders, spindles and awkward angles slow the job down.
Daily labour rates are not the only thing to look at. A decorator charging less but taking twice as long may not be cheaper. A clear written quote should state the areas included, the number of coats, the type of paint, the level of preparation and whether materials are included.
Factor in Access, Protection and London Property Rules
Access can change the price more than homeowners expect. A standard room with normal ceiling height is simple. A stairwell in a tall townhouse, an exterior front elevation, or a commercial premises with a high shopfront may need tower scaffolding, podium steps or other access equipment.
External decorating often costs more because of access, weather and surface preparation. Painting exterior masonry on a small London terrace might cost £1,500 to £3,500, while a larger front and rear elevation can run from £4,000 to £9,000 or more if scaffolding is required. Scaffolding alone can add £800 to £2,500 depending on height, pavement position and duration.
There are safety considerations too. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply where there is a risk of falling, so balancing on unsuitable ladders to paint high windows is not a safe plan. If exterior timber is rotten, flaking or above ground floor level, bring in a professional rather than trying to manage it with a domestic ladder.
Agree the Finish, Colours and Scope in Writing
Many decorating disputes start because the finish was not agreed clearly. One person thinks the quote includes ceilings, woodwork and cupboards, while the other priced walls only. The best way to avoid this is a written scope for every room.
Set out colours, paint brands or equivalent trade products, sheen levels, rooms included, surfaces included and any exclusions. For example, a quote might say: living room walls and ceiling, two coats trade vinyl matt, skirting and door in satinwood, minor filling only, no plaster repairs. That wording protects both the customer and the tradesperson.
If you are choosing strong colours, test them properly. A colour that looks warm in a paint shop can look cold in a north-facing Kensington flat. We normally suggest painting sample patches in daylight and artificial light before ordering large quantities.
Know When DIY Is Sensible and When to Call a Professional
DIY can make sense for a small spare room in good condition, especially if you have time to prepare the walls properly. It is also reasonable for simple touch-ups, small scuff marks and repainting a clean wall in the same colour.
Call a professional decorator when there is water damage, mould, unstable plaster, lead paint risk, high ceilings, exterior work, detailed woodwork, wallpapering, spray finishing or a tight deadline. Lead-based paint may be present in older properties, particularly pre-1960s timberwork, and sanding it carelessly can create harmful dust. A professional will use safer methods, proper extraction and suitable protective equipment.
You should also bring in the right trade if decorating reveals another problem. If sockets need moving, use a competent electrician and make sure any notifiable domestic electrical work complies with Part P of the Building Regulations. If stains are caused by a leak, sort the plumbing first. Our team at Kensington Maintenance Services Ltd can coordinate this properly, including decorating services, plumbing, electrical and general repair work where needed.
Plan the Timing Around Tenants, Weather and Occupancy
For landlords, the best time to decorate is usually between tenancies, but the window is often tight. If a flat needs patch repairs, drying time and two coats throughout, a one-day turnaround is not realistic. Build in time for snagging before the next tenant moves in.
For homeowners living in the property, plan room by room. Bedrooms and bathrooms need careful scheduling because they must be usable at night. Low-odour paints help, but furniture still needs moving and floors need protection.
Exterior decorating is best planned for late spring to early autumn, when temperatures and drying times are more reliable. London weather can still interrupt the work, especially on shaded rear elevations where masonry stays damp for longer after rain. Painting damp masonry or timber is a common reason for peeling and blistering later.
Practical Cost Ranges to Expect in London
Costs will always depend on inspection, but these ranges give a sensible starting point for budgeting. A small bedroom repaint with walls and ceiling only may be £350 to £650. Add woodwork and heavier preparation and that may become £650 to £1,000.
A one-bedroom flat refresh is commonly £1,200 to £2,500 for walls, ceilings and basic woodwork, assuming reasonable condition. A two-bedroom flat might be £1,800 to £4,500. A three-bedroom house can range from £3,500 to £8,000, with period features, stairwells and timber windows increasing the cost.
Commercial decorating is usually priced around access, opening hours and durability. A small office repaint may start around £900 to £2,000, while a shop, restaurant or clinic can cost more if work must be done evenings, weekends or in stages. Anti-scuff coatings, hygiene paints and fire-rated coatings are specialist items and should be specified clearly.
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Ceiling repaint after stain blocking: often £180 to £450 for a small to medium room, assuming the leak is already fixed.
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Hall, stairs and landing: commonly £900 to £2,500, more with high ceilings, spindles and damaged plaster.
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Feature wall wallpapering: usually £180 to £450, excluding expensive paper and wall repairs.
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Full sash window preparation and repainting: often £250 to £600 per window depending on condition, access and repairs.
Always ask what is included. A low quote that excludes materials, protection, stain blocking, filling or waste removal may not stay low once the work starts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How much does a decorator charge per day in London?
Most professional decorators in London charge roughly £180 to £300 per day for labour. Specialist work, exterior access, spray finishing or urgent weekend work can cost more.
Q2: Is paint usually included in a decorating quote?
Sometimes it is, sometimes it is not. A proper quote should state whether paint, primer, filler, caulk, dust sheets and sundries are included, and what brand or trade range will be used.
Q3: Can I paint over damp stains if they are dry?
Only after the source of the damp has been fixed. Once dry, the stain should usually be sealed with a proper stain blocker before emulsion is applied.
Q4: How long does it take to paint a two-bedroom flat?
A straightforward two-bedroom flat normally takes around 4 to 8 working days depending on condition, furniture, drying times and how much woodwork is included.
Q5: When is DIY decorating not a good idea?
Avoid DIY where there is high-level access, suspected lead paint, serious mould, loose plaster, exterior work or electrical fittings that need altering. Those jobs need the right tools, safety measures and trade experience.
The safest way to budget for decorating is to price the real job, not just the paint: measure the surfaces, check the condition, allow for preparation, choose the right materials and be clear about the finish before work starts. Kensington Maintenance Services Ltd handles painting and decorating for London homes, landlords and businesses, and if you want a clear price for your property you can get a quote or contact us for professional services.