Painting and Decorating Cost London 2025 — Room by Room Price Guide
Painting and decorating costs in London range from £200 for a small bedroom to over £600 for a large living room, with external decoration for a Victorian terrace typically £1,500-3,000. This guide covers room-by-room prices, what affects cost, and trade paint vs premium brands.
Painting and Decorating Costs in London 2025
Interior painting and decorating costs in London depend on room size, ceiling height, surface preparation required, number of coats, and whether paint is included in the quote. Below are typical ranges for standard 2.4m ceiling heights with paint supplied by the decorator:
- Single bedroom (approx 10m²): £200 - £380
- Double bedroom (approx 14m²): £280 - £450
- Living room (approx 20m²): £350 - £600
- Kitchen (walls only, not units): £150 - £300
- Bathroom: £150 - £280
- Hallway, stairs, and landing: £400 - £900 (high complexity, stairwell access)
- Full 2-bed flat (all rooms): £1,200 - £2,200
- Full 3-bed house (all rooms): £1,800 - £3,500
External Decoration Costs
External decoration in London is typically higher than the national average due to scaffold requirements, conservation area restrictions, and the prevalence of Victorian and Georgian stock requiring careful preparation:
- Victorian mid-terrace, 2 storeys (front only): £800 - £1,800
- Victorian mid-terrace, full exterior (front and rear): £1,500 - £3,000
- Edwardian semi-detached: £2,000 - £4,000
- Sash windows per bay (painting sashes, frame, and surround): £200 - £400
- Scaffolding (2 weeks, single-storey): £700 - £1,200
What Affects the Price?
The most significant cost drivers are:
- Surface preparation: Heavy filling, sanding, and priming on damaged surfaces can double the time spent compared to a clean newly plastered room
- Ceiling height: Victorian properties in London commonly have 3.0-3.5m ceilings. Rooms above 2.6m require tower scaffold or extended access, adding cost
- Number of coats: A proper finish on bare plaster requires a mist coat plus two finish coats. Previously painted surfaces in good condition may need only two coats. Going from a dark colour to white takes more coats
- Woodwork: Doors, skirting boards, architraves, and window frames painted in eggshell or satinwood add significantly to the time. A standard 2-bed flat has 15-20 doors and door frames plus extensive skirting
- Paint specification: Dulux Trade and Crown Trade are the workhorses of London decorating. Premium brands like Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, or Mylands cost 3-5 times more per litre. If the client supplies premium paint, labour rates remain the same but material costs shift
Trade Paint vs Premium Brands
Dulux Trade Diamond Matt and Crown Trade Clean Extreme are excellent one-coat performers for rental and commercial work — highly washable, 6-year guarantee, fast drying. For residential owner-occupiers in London, Little Greene and Farrow & Ball deliver superior depth of colour and coverage, and Farrow & Ball's estate emulsion has unique chalky opacity that is hard to replicate with trade alternatives. For woodwork, Zinsser products offer outstanding adhesion and block-stain properties that are often more practical than traditional oil-based gloss in London's dusty environment.
End of Tenancy and Void Redecoration
London landlords and letting agents typically require a light redecoration between tenancies. Prestige Engineers works to a 48-72 hour turnaround for void properties, using fast-drying water-based paints throughout and working around carpet protection and floor covering. Full void redecoration packages combining painting, minor repairs, and cleaning are available at fixed prices for portfolio landlords.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to paint a 3-bedroom house in London?
A full internal redecoration of a standard 3-bedroom London house (all walls, ceilings, and woodwork in main rooms, two coats throughout) typically costs £1,800-3,500 depending on surface condition, ceiling height, and paint specification. Properties with Victorian high ceilings, extensive cornicing, or poor surface condition are at the higher end.
Should I supply my own paint or have the decorator supply it?
For standard letting-grade redecorations, it is usually more convenient to have the decorator supply trade paint — they buy at trade prices and can colour-match previous walls easily. For specific premium colours (Farrow & Ball, Little Greene), supplying your own ensures colour accuracy and is often more cost-effective given retail prices for small quantities.
How long does it take to paint a room in London?
A standard double bedroom takes a professional decorator 1-1.5 days including preparation, ceiling, walls (two coats), and woodwork. A large Victorian living room with high ceilings, picture rails, and cornicing may take 2-3 days. A full 3-bed house typically takes 5-8 days.