1. What Published Guides Say About Day Rates
If you search for a painter and decorator's day rate, you'll quickly find that the big UK cost guides don't agree. That isn't because one of them is wrong. Each guide uses a different method, a different sample of tradespeople and different assumptions about what's included. Here's what the main sources say at the time of writing. Treat all of these figures as guides only: real quotes vary with your location, the job and the decorator.
Checkatrade: Checkatrade's painting and decorating cost guide puts the average UK day rate at around £300, with a typical range of £250 to £350, plus the cost of paint.
MyBuilder: MyBuilder's painter and decorator price guide gives an average of roughly £150 to £250 per day and £20 to £40 per hour.
Bark: Bark's painting and decorating price guide quotes £230 to £355 per day depending on region, with London at the top end, and hourly rates from about £15 to £40.
HaMuch: HaMuch's painter and decorator rates by city lists city averages excluding VAT, for example about £232 a day near London, £195 near Manchester and Glasgow and £199 near Cardiff.
So depending on which guide you read, a "typical" day could cost anything from under £150 to over £350.
2. Why the Figures Differ So Much
There are a few reasons the published day rates vary so widely:
Who is in the sample. Each platform draws on its own members or its own quote data. Platforms with more established, vetted firms may see higher averages than those with more sole traders.
VAT. Some figures exclude VAT, and HaMuch says so explicitly. A VAT-registered decorator adds 20% to the bill, while many sole traders are below the VAT threshold and don't charge it.
Materials. Checkatrade's day rate is quoted before paint, while some room prices in the same guide include standard trade paint. Mixing the two can make quotes look inconsistent.
Location. London and the South East pull national averages up. A national figure may not reflect what decorators charge in your town.
Key takeaway: no single published figure is "the" UK day rate. Use the guides to sense-check quotes, not to set an exact budget.
3. Day Rate vs Hourly Rate vs Fixed Price
Decorators price work in different ways, and understanding the difference helps you compare quotes fairly.
Day rate: common for larger or open-ended jobs, such as several rooms or a full interior. You pay for each day on site, so it's worth agreeing an estimate of how many days the job should take.
Hourly rate: more common for small jobs or touch-ups. As Checkatrade notes in its tradesperson rates guide, a day rate isn't always eight times the hourly rate.
Fixed price per job or room: many homeowners prefer this because it gives certainty. The decorator takes on the risk if the job runs over.
None of these is automatically cheaper. A fixed price from an efficient decorator can work out better value than a lower day rate from someone who takes longer.
4. What Affects a Decorator's Day Rate
Beyond location, several factors push a day rate up or down:
Experience and specialism. Heritage work, spraying, specialist finishes and high-end wallpaper hanging usually command higher rates.
Business size. A firm with employees, vans and insurance overheads will often charge more than a sole trader, but may finish faster with a team.
Preparation. Filling cracks, sanding, stripping wallpaper and repairing woodwork all take time. Bark's guide notes hourly rates for wallpaper removal of up to £40.
Access. High ceilings, stairwells and exterior work that needs towers or scaffolding add time and cost.
Season and demand. Good decorators can be booked up weeks ahead, especially for exterior work in spring and summer.
5. How to Tell If a Day Rate Is Fair
Instead of chasing the lowest rate, look at what you're getting for it:
Ask how many days the decorator expects the job to take, and multiply by the day rate to get a realistic total.
Check whether paint and materials are included, and which brand and quality of paint they plan to use.
Confirm whether the rate includes VAT.
Ask what preparation is included, as this is where cheap quotes often cut corners.
Compare at least three quotes for the same written scope of work.
Our guide on how to compare painter and decorator quotes goes into more detail on lining up quotes side by side.
Quick tip: if one quote is far below the others, ask what's been left out. It's often preparation, the number of coats or the quality of paint.
6. Getting Accurate Quotes for Your Project
The best way to know what your job will cost is to get quotes from decorators who have seen the details. Write a clear description of the work: which rooms, walls, ceilings and woodwork, any repairs, your preferred finish and timing. Photos help a lot.
Before work starts, it also pays to prepare your home for a painter and decorator so that time on site goes into painting rather than moving furniture.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a painter and decorator charge per hour in the UK?
Published hourly rates vary. MyBuilder suggests roughly £20 to £40 an hour, Bark quotes about £15 for less experienced decorators and £25 to £35 for experienced ones, and Checkatrade's FAQ mentions hourly rates of around £32. These are guides only, and London rates tend to be higher.
Is a day rate cheaper than a fixed price?
Not necessarily. A day rate can be good value on a well-defined job with an efficient decorator, but a fixed price gives you certainty if the work takes longer than expected. Ask for both if you're unsure, and compare the totals.
Do decorators charge VAT?
Only if they're VAT-registered. Many sole traders aren't, so their quotes won't include VAT, while larger firms usually add 20%. Always check whether a quoted day rate is inclusive or exclusive of VAT.
Do day rates include paint?
Often not. Checkatrade's day rate figure is quoted before paint. Some decorators supply paint at trade prices and add it to the invoice, while others ask you to buy it. Agree this in writing before work begins.
Why are London day rates higher?
Higher living and business costs, parking charges and travel time all play a part. HaMuch's city figures, for example, put London's average day rate above most other UK cities. See our decorating services for the types of work you can request.
How Find A Decorator Can Help
Find A Decorator is a new UK marketplace that connects homeowners and businesses with professional painters and decorators. We're in our early, pre-launch stage, so we're still growing our network of decorators in each area. Decorator profiles cover 11 regions across Great Britain: Greater London, the South East, South West, East of England, West Midlands, East Midlands, North West, North East, Yorkshire & the Humber, Scotland and Wales. We don't cover Northern Ireland at the moment.
To get started, post your decorating job with as much detail as you can: room sizes, surfaces, photos and when you'd like the work done. You can read more about our interior painting service, and if you have questions about how the platform works, our help centre explains the process step by step.
A clear job description gets more accurate quotes. Include the number and approximate size of the rooms or areas, which surfaces need painting, the current condition of walls and woodwork, whether you'll supply the paint, any access issues such as parking or stairs, and your ideal start date. The more a decorator knows up front, the fewer surprises there are later for both of you.
Final Thoughts on Decorator Day Rates
Published day rates range from about £150 to £350, and London sits at the top. Use these guides as a starting point, ask every decorator what their price includes, and compare like with like. Your own quotes, based on your own home, are the most reliable figure.