How Much To Paint A Room: 2026 Cost Guide
How Much To Paint A Room: 2026 Cost Guide
Painting is probably the easiest but most effective way to give your home a revamp. Whether it’s on interior walls, ceilings, or on woodwork, a fresh coat of paint will make everything look like new. Completing a painting project also gives you a chance to repair minor spots of damage and protects surfaces well into the future.
Besides this, painting also gives you the chance to be creative with colours and designs.
Before you decide to go ahead with a painting project, you’ll need to know how much it will cost. In this guide, we’ll explain how much painting costs in the UK. We’ll explain how much it costs to paint a room, taking into account all the factors affecting price, such as room size, the amount of preparation and the supplies you use. Our guidance for room costs will also help you work out how much it will cost to paint your whole house.
We’ll give cost estimates for your DIY projects, and also advise on how much a decorator could charge to do it for you.
With trade-rated supplies, you can get professional results doing painting by yourself.
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Estimated painting cost by room size
Here are some typical prices for painting different sized rooms in the UK:
|
Room size |
Professional decorator cost |
DIY cost |
|
Small 2.2x2.2m (e.g. storage room) |
£200 - £450 |
£50 – £110 |
|
Medium 3x4m (e.g. double bedroom) |
£250 - £600 |
£65 – £140 |
|
Large 5x4m (e.g. living room) |
£350 - £900 |
£90 – £190 |
The prices given here to hire a professional are just for painting walls and ceilings. They also assume that surfaces only need minor preparation, and you will remove furniture yourself.
The DIY cost will be lower if you already own tools like brushes, rollers, trays, painter’s tape, sandpaper and dust sheets.
Breaking down the costs: DIY vs. Professional
There is a big difference between how much it costs to paint a room DIY and how much painters and decorators charge to do it for you.
The majority of the cost of hiring a professional painter and decorator is their time. The materials for most painting projects are usually cheap. It is, however, a time consuming job, and so labour makes up a considerable amount of the cost.
In this section, we’ll break things down so you understand exactly how much labour and materials contribute to the cost of a painting project.
Professional labour rates
When you hire a professional painter and decorator, labour normally makes up about 80% of the total cost.
Painters and decorators in the UK typically charge between £150 and £250 per day. Rates do vary considerably, however, according to factors such as experience, specialist skills and location.
How much painters and decorators charge per project depends primarily on how long it will take them.
The most important factors that influence how long it will take are:
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Room size - The size of the room has a big influence on how much it costs to paint a room. Bigger rooms take longer and cost more overall. It’s worth remembering, however, that small rooms aren’t always that much cheaper because the painter still has to travel, get set up and do all their normal tasks.
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The condition of the surfaces – The amount of preparation work needed before painting also has a big influence on how much a painter will charge. Surfaces that need repairs or need to have wallpaper removed take much longer to prepare. Similarly, other factors can also increase the amount of preparation time. New walls, for example, require a mist coat before painting. Otherwise, a drastic colour change will also mean you need a primer coat.
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Room complexity - Complicated rooms, such as kitchens and bathrooms, will often take longer to paint because they have more intricate areas that are difficult to access.
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Project scope – The cost will depend on what exactly you are having painted. If you are having woodwork and trim (skirting boards, doorframes, etc.) painted as well as walls or ceilings, this will cost more. Painting work done on the outside of your home is also normally more expensive than internal paintwork.
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Location - Rates in London are normally higher than the rest of the UK. They may also be higher in other major cities. Similarly, if you need to hire a painter with specialist skills, this will also add to the cost.
While hiring a professional painter and decorator is more expensive, it does normally guarantee good results. Professionals prepare surfaces well and achieve high-quality, durable finishes that last. They often work efficiently, helping to save time. Furthermore, professionals rarely make mistakes.
Material costs for DIY
The cost to paint a room DIY is much cheaper than hiring a painter and decorator. You just need to purchase the tools and materials, which are cheap for most painting projects.
Here are the tools you need to paint a room:
As well as equipment, you also need to buy your paint.
While it might be tempting to save money by buying a cheaper brand of paint, it’s often a good idea to spend a little bit extra for good quality. Good quality paints, including emulsion paints, last longer and look better for only a little extra.
It’s also a good idea to make sure you buy the right paint for your project. Take the time to understand exactly what emulsion paint is used for, as well as other types, so you are sure you’re using the right paint.
How much paint do you need to paint a room?
The amount of paint you need to paint a room varies from brand to brand. Look at the product label for information about surface area coverage. Surface condition also has an effect.
As well as paint, you might also need to purchase a primer, depending on the condition of the surface.
Saving money on your decorating project
Professionals will save you time, and they’ll normally do a great job. However, if you want to save money on your painting project, the best option is DIY.
Painting is also a job that most people can do by themselves. While you do need to be careful to pick the right supplies and understand how to complete the work to a good standard, most people can get good DIY results.
The most important things to understand are how to do surface preparation work and how to choose the right paint. Good surface preparation is often the most important factor in getting good results. Make sure you look at the full range of interior paints before you make a choice of paint type as well. As well as preparation and paint selection, painting in the right order can also improve results.
How much paint you need to paint a room depends mainly on the brand and condition of the surface.
Getting the best results with brushes and paint rollers can be a challenge sometimes as well. Find out more in the brush and roller guide. Also, remember that wallpapering your room is an alternative.
Things to consider when estimating paint costs
To make an accurate estimate of how much it will cost to paint a room or how much it will cost to paint your whole house, you need to consider all the factors covered in this guide.
The most important factors affecting price when you hire a decorator are:
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Room size
-
Surface conditions
-
Room complexity
-
Project scope
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Location
If you’d like to hire a professional, the best thing is to ask for a quote. Painters and decorators will usually be happy to provide you with one. Just make sure to ask for a few different quotes, so you’re sure you’re getting a good price.
You can save a lot of money and get good results by yourself. Surface preparation and painting supplies are low cost. You just need to be prepared to spend the time you need to do a good job.
How Much To Paint A Room - FAQs
Here are some of the common questions people have about the cost of painting projects.