5 REAL COSTS
Painting & decorating
Per-room and per-day rates only tell you so much. See what whole jobs actually cost.
Every price we track (hover a dot)
| Year | Region | Source | What it was | Paid | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | North West | Real bills paid | hallway, landings up two flights of stairs, one bedroom and one bathroom incl woodworkmultiple rooms incl woodwork | £1,000 | source |
| 2023 | South East England | Real bills paid | Painting & decorating, whole flat repaintFlat painted by one decorator over 4 days; decorator provided some paint | £1,550 | source |
| 2024 | UK unspecified | Real bills paid | living room, hall, stairs and landing, lots of doors (10 days)~10 days labour | £2,000 | source |
| 2022 | Oxfordshire | Real bills paid | Painting & decorating, hall and landingHall and landing, about 3.5 days work, homeowner supplied paint, included a couple of extras | £2,000 | source |
| 2024 | UK unspecified | Real bills paid | whole-house decorating, four weeks work by two decoratorslarge project; 2 decorators, 4 weeks | £10,000 | source |
Common questions
How much does decorating cost in the UK?
Across 5 real prices people actually paid, the median is £2,000, ranging from £1,000 to £10,000. These are real prices homeowners posted, not cost-guide estimates.
Why do decorating prices vary so much?
Size, spec, region and the individual trade all move the figure, and cost guides rarely say which. Seeing what real people paid, with the details they shared, gives you a far better benchmark than a single average.
Are these decorating prices quotes or actual bills?
Actual bills. We deliberately exclude quotes and estimates and only publish amounts people said they paid, each linked to the original post.
Related free guides
- Painting and decorating cost in the UK: per room and whole house →
- Exterior house painting cost in the UK: render, masonry and woodwork →
- Painter and decorator day rates in the UK: how pros price a job →
- Loft conversion cost UK: room-in-roof, dormer and hip-to-gable prices →
- Dormer loft conversion cost UK: why it costs more and what to expect →
- Single storey extension cost UK: the per square metre reality →
Methodology: every price here is a real amount a UK homeowner said they paid, taken from a public forum post and linked to its source. We exclude quotes and estimates: paid, not quoted. We never invent figures and no sponsor can touch a number. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix or remove it fast.