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What decorating actually costs

Most decorators will not publish a number. We think that wastes everyone's time — yours working out whether you can afford it, ours quoting for jobs that were never going to happen.

Indicative London ranges for a typical property. Your written quote is fixed after survey.
JobTypical rangeWhat moves the price
Single bedroom, walls and ceiling£380 – £620Ceiling height, filling, colour change over dark
Bedroom, full redecoration£620 – £980Woodwork, sash windows, cutting in at cornice
Sitting room, Victorian terrace£900 – £1,600Original cornice, picture rail, panelling
Hall, stairs and landing£1,100 – £2,400Access equipment, stairwell height, spindles
Two-bedroom flat throughout£2,400 – £4,200Condition, whether occupied, number of colours
Exterior, three-bed terrace frontage£1,800 – £3,800Scaffold, render condition, sash burn-off

Prices are what you pay. We are not VAT registered, so there is nothing to add on top. Worth checking when you compare quotes — a VAT-registered firm quoting £3,000 plus VAT is £3,600.

What moves a price most

Preparation, every time. Filling, caulking and sanding is the majority of the labour on a period property, and it is the first thing a cheap quote leaves out. Then ceiling height — a three-metre Victorian ceiling is closer to 50% more work than a standard one, not 20%. Then colour changes, which can mean three coats instead of two.

What is always included

Sheeting and protection, filling and caulking, two full coats, and putting the room back as we found it. Paint is listed separately at trade cost, or you can buy your own. Parking permits, where the borough requires them, are in the price rather than added afterwards.

Questions about price

Why are these ranges rather than fixed numbers?
Because the honest answer depends on the room. Two bedrooms of identical size can differ by £300 depending on how much filling and caulking the walls need. What we can promise is that once we have surveyed, the written price is fixed and does not move.
Is there VAT on top?
No. We are not VAT registered, so the price we quote is the price you pay. If you are comparing us with a VAT-registered firm, check whether their figure includes it — 20% is a large difference on a whole-house job.
Do you charge for the survey or the quote?
No, both are free and there is no obligation. We would rather spend an hour looking properly than guess over the phone and revise it later.
Do you ask for a deposit?
For larger jobs we ask for a materials deposit before the start date, invoiced properly, with the balance on completion. Nothing is due when you accept the quote.
What if the job turns out to be worse than it looked?
If we missed something at survey, that is our problem and the price holds. If something genuinely could not have been seen — rot behind a panel, a ceiling that turns out to be loose — we stop, show you, and price the extra work before doing it. You will never get an invoice with a surprise on it.

Ready for a fixed price?

Tell us what needs doing and we will come and look. Surveys are free, and the written price we send is the price you pay.

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