Refurbishment

How much does it cost to decorate a house?

Redecorating is usually the first job in any home, and often the cheapest way to transform a tired property. Costs depend on the size of the job, the state of the walls and whether you do it yourself. This guide breaks down decorating costs across the UK.

Last reviewed 5 July 2026

In short

Decorating a house in the UK typically costs £1,500 to £6,000 for a professional to paint throughout, or roughly £150 to £400 per room. Painters and decorators usually charge £150 to £250 a day, or £200 to £500 per average room including materials. A full house redecoration of a 3-bed home usually costs £2,500 to £5,000. Costs rise with ceiling height, wall condition, wallpaper stripping, and detailed woodwork.

Decorating cost by room

Typical cost for a professional to prepare and paint one room, including materials.

Room	Typical cost	Rough duration
Small room / box room	£150 to £350	1 day
Average bedroom	£250 to £450	1 to 2 days
Living room	£350 to £600	2 to 3 days
Hallway, stairs and landing	£400 to £900	2 to 4 days
Kitchen or bathroom	£200 to £450	1 to 2 days

Whole-house decorating costs

Rough total for painting a whole property throughout.

Property size	Typical total	Rough duration
1-bed flat	£1,000 to £2,500	3 to 5 days
2-bed house	£1,800 to £3,500	5 to 8 days
3-bed house	£2,500 to £5,000	1 to 2 weeks
4-bed house	£4,000 to £7,000	2 to 3 weeks

What affects decorating costs

The main things that move the price:

Wall condition, cracks, holes and old wallpaper add prep time.
Ceiling height, tall rooms and stairwells need access equipment.
Number of coats and colour changes, dark to light needs more coats.
Woodwork and detail, skirting, coving, doors and spindles are fiddly.
Paint quality, premium paints cost more but cover better and last longer.
Whether you clear and protect rooms yourself or pay for it.

How to save on decorating

Ways to cut the cost:

Do the simple rooms yourself and pay for stairwells and detailed work.
Prepare rooms and move furniture before the decorator arrives.
Decorate before flooring and carpets go down.
Get a fixed price per room rather than an open-ended day rate.
Buy paint yourself in trade sizes if you know the colours.

Decorate at the right point in the project

Decorating comes near the end of a renovation, after first-fix, plastering and any wall chasing. Our refurbishment planner sequences decorating alongside flooring and carpets so you budget them together and in the right order.

Freshly plastered walls need extra time

New plaster must dry fully, often several weeks, before painting, and needs a diluted mist coat first. Rushing this causes peeling, so factor drying time into the schedule if you are also replastering.

Common questions

How much does it cost to decorate a house in the UK?

Decorating a whole house professionally typically costs £1,500 to £6,000, or about £150 to £400 per room. A 3-bed home usually costs £2,500 to £5,000 to paint throughout, depending on condition and finish.

How much does a painter and decorator charge per day?

Painters and decorators typically charge £150 to £250 a day, higher in London and the South East. Many prefer to quote a fixed price per room or per job, which gives you more certainty than a day rate.

How much does it cost to paint a room?

Painting an average room costs around £250 to £450 including materials, with small rooms from £150 and larger living rooms up to £600. Preparation, wallpaper removal and woodwork add to the price.

Is it cheaper to decorate yourself?

Doing it yourself saves on labour, which is most of the cost, but takes time and skill for a neat finish. Many people DIY simple rooms and pay a professional for stairwells, high ceilings and detailed woodwork.

Should I decorate before or after new flooring?

Decorate before laying new flooring or carpets so drips and splashes do not matter. If flooring is already down, protect it thoroughly before any painting starts.

How long does it take to decorate a house?

A single room takes one to two days; a whole 3-bed house usually takes one to two weeks depending on preparation and the number of coats. Freshly plastered walls add drying time before painting.

Sources

Work out your full cost of buying

The planner adds stamp duty, legal fees, surveys, refurbishment, removals and the emergency reserve you should keep after completion, so you know exactly how much cash you really need.

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