How much does a painter and decorator cost in 2025? Prices vary across properties, and even across rooms in the same home or office. The reason is straightforward. Good pricing reflects time, preparation and product choice, not just putting paint on walls.
If you want a quick view, small rooms typically sit in the mid hundreds, large living rooms in the low four figures, and full-home refreshes climb into the thousands. Office projects are often priced by square metre or by project, with sizeable savings on large areas completed at scale. The detail below explains the ranges and how to budget accurately in London this year.
Most painter and decorator costs in 2025 cover both labour and standard materials needed for a clean, well-finished job. In London, decorators typically include paint, filler, caulk, masking tape, and basic surface preparation in their quoted price. This means small cracks, minor smoothing, and protection of floors or furniture are usually handled without extra charges.
However, not every firm prices the same way. Some decorators still offer labour-only rates, which can look cheaper at first but require you to factor in materials and VAT separately. That’s why comparisons can become confusing unless everything is listed clearly. Full-service quotes remain the easiest for homeowners and offices, as they show the total cost upfront.
VAT is another detail that often catches people off guard. Many companies list prices without VAT, so the final bill ends up higher than expected. Prima Décor’s approach is simpler: labour, materials, and VAT are included together, so the figure you see is the figure you pay.
The ranges below reflect standard preparation, labour and materials. VAT is not included in the ranges shown.
| Job scope | Price range (GBP) | Notes / Source |
|---|---|---|
| Interior painting | ||
| – Small room (~2.4×2.2 m) | £450 – £750 | Small bedroom/living room |
| – Large room (~5×6 m) | £650 – £1,350 | Large living room |
| – 1-bed flat or house (complete) | £1,250 – £2,800 | Includes walls+ceilings+prep |
| – 2-bed flat/house | £2,400 – £4,300 | |
| – 3-bed flat/house | £3,700 – £6,800 | |
| – 4-bed flat/house | £4,000 – £8,900 | |
| Wallpapering | ||
| – Feature wall (5–10 m²) | £150 – £300 | |
| – Single room (strip/hang) | £400 – £1,000 | |
| – 1 m² wallpaper installation | ~£25 per m² | |
| Decorative/other | ||
| – Stencilling or sponging | £120 – £200 /room | |
| – Coving/cornices | £5 – £10 /linear m | |
| – Interior doors (each) | £80 – £200 |
A second reference point that clients find helpful: broad London interior repainting sits around £8 to £25 per m². Lower rates point to simple repaints with light prep and trade-grade paint. Higher rates cover better coatings, colour changes, and extra preparation.
Domestic painting in London is usually quoted per room or per full property. A lounge and hallway package with two coats and light prep will look very different to a whole-home repaint that includes full woodwork, new colours in each room and wardrobe spraying. The scope matters.
Smaller domestic jobs often incur a minimum charge equal to a day’s labour. If you only need one door and a small feature wall painted, expect a minimum day rate even if the working time is less than a full day. That keeps things viable for professional, insured teams who still need to plan, travel and set up safely.
Whole properties are often more cost effective per room because decorators can work efficiently across multiple spaces. As a rough guide, a 1-bed can sit around the lower thousands, 2-beds in the mid thousands, and 3–4 beds progress from the mid to upper thousands depending on prep, woodwork and any special finishes.
Timeframes are usually faster than people think. A small room can be turned around in 1 to 2 days, a large room in 2 to 4 days, and a typical 2-bed flat in a working week if access is clear and the specification is straightforward.
Office repaints often require out-of-hours access, formal risk assessments and coordination with building management. Those requirements add planning time, but they also make delivery smoother for staff.
The upside of commercial work is efficiency. Large floorplates with repeatable finishes can be priced keener per m² than small residential rooms. Where a small domestic room might look expensive per metre, a 500 m² office can be completed at a lower unit rate because setup time is spread across more area.
Commercial clients should expect detailed scopes, agreed method statements, and clear plans for protection, staging and programme. Where teams work nights or weekends, a premium may apply to cover staff and supervision.
Small choices can shift costs by hundreds of pounds. A few decisions have an outsized impact.
A transparent quote should state whether prices include paint and consumables and whether VAT is included. Many online guides list prices excluding VAT. That is fine for comparison as long as you add it back in your budget.
At Prima Décor, the itemised quote includes materials, labour and VAT. The document lists each task, the products specified, and the finish expected. If wallpaper is involved, the quote states whether removal is included and who is supplying rolls. If access equipment is needed, it appears as a clear line.
That approach helps clients compare on quality and scope, rather than just the headline number.
A small bedroom repaint in Zone 3. Smooth walls, two coats on walls and ceiling, skirting and architraves in satinwood, with trade matte on the walls. Allow £500 to £750 including paint and basic preparation. If the ceiling is high or the woodwork is tired and glossy, add time for sanding and priming.
A full refresh for a 2-bed flat in Westminster. Two colours across the flat, two coats on all walls and ceilings, standard woodwork, doors included. With rooms cleared and decent wall condition, expect something in the £2,600 to £4,200 range, depending on specification. If you add feature wallpaper in the lounge and hallway, allow an extra £400 to £1,000.
A 350 m² open-plan office near Liverpool Street. Two coats in a durable acrylic matte, quick-dry trim to skirtings, completed over two weekends to avoid staff disruption. Pricing is usually by project, often yielding a stronger rate per m² than domestic work. The final figure depends on access, number of colours, out-of-hours staffing and any making good after dilapidations.
Before pricing, a site survey confirms access, protection and sequencing. In occupied homes, teams typically mask, floor-protect and isolate rooms in phases. Offices may require lifts to be booked, deliveries timed to loading bays and coordination with security.
A smooth programme relies on clear access. Where rooms are emptied and cleaned down, decorators can move quickly, maintain quality and reduce snagging. When areas are full of furniture, progress is slower as protection takes longer and working paths are tighter.
Busy periods for decorators tend to be spring and summer, and before year-end in the commercial sector. If you need dates in those windows, book early.
The fastest way to get a fair, fixed price is to be precise about scope and finish expectations.
If your brief includes specialist coatings, exposed brick sealing, heritage colours or intricate paper, ask for these to be itemised. It avoids surprises and makes tenders like-for-like.
Residential quotes tend to be room-led, with attention to visual impact, colour flow and furniture protection. Clients often ask for samples and small colour patches before committing, which good decorators accommodate in the programme.
Commercial quotes are scope-led, built around area, throughput, and compliance. They often include supervision hours, RAMS preparation and evidence of insurance and accreditations. Since out-of-hours work is common, staffing costs become a larger portion of the bill than in residential projects.
Both sectors benefit from volume. The more continuous the working area, the better the unit price, whether that is three bedrooms back-to-back or an entire floorplate of offices.
Prima Décor specialises in high-quality residential and commercial finishes across London and the Southeast. Quotes are prepared after a free site survey and are fully itemised, covering all labour, premium materials and VAT. That clarity makes it simple to plan budgets without guesswork.
Our in-house team is qualified and supervised by NVQ Level 3 leadership. We do not subcontract. We are members of the Painting and Decorating Association, carry £2m public liability insurance, and follow robust quality control on every job. For exterior work, we include a 12‑month defect warranty. We use premium brands such as Dulux and Johnstone’s, and we recycle via the Dulux Recycling Scheme to reduce waste.
Where timing matters, we offer flexible scheduling, including night and weekend programmes for offices and time-sensitive fit-outs. For homeowners, we minimise disruption, keep spaces tidy and meet agreed deadlines. References are available on request.
Key inclusions clients value:
If you are planning a home refresh, a landlord turnaround or an office repaint in 2025, we are happy to help with a site visit and a clear, fixed-price proposal. Book a free consultation and we will provide an itemised quote you can rely on.
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Discover how we can help you with your decorating requirements. Call us on 020 8226 5125 or fill out our online request form and we will be in touch shortly.
