1. A Typical UK Painting and Decorating Price List
Before you read a quote, it helps to know the typical prices for common jobs. Here's a short price list drawn from published UK guides. These are guide figures only and vary with location, condition and specification:
Day rate: around £300 on average according to Checkatrade's painting and decorating cost guide, and £150 to £250 according to MyBuilder's painter and decorator price guide
Medium room: about £450 including standard paint (Checkatrade)
Interior door: £80 to £100 (Checkatrade and Bark)
Radiator: £10 to £20 (Checkatrade) or £15 to £20 (Bark)
Wallpapering: £12 to £16 per m², labour only (Checkatrade)
Hall, stairs and landing: £400 to £1,600 for walls only, according to Which?'s painter and decorator cost survey
With these benchmarks in mind, you'll find it easier to spot lines that look unusually high or low.
2. Labour vs Materials
Most quotes split, or should split, labour from materials. Labour is the decorator's time: preparation, painting, cleaning up. Materials include paint, filler, caulk, sandpaper, masking tape, primer and dust sheets. Some decorators include "sundries" as a single line.
Ask which paint brand and range they've allowed for. A quote using trade emulsion will look cheaper than one using a premium designer paint, even though the labour is the same. Checkatrade notes that its guide prices assume regular trade paint.
3. Preparation Lines to Look For
Preparation is where quotes differ most, and where cheap quotes often cut corners. A thorough quote might list:
Moving and covering furniture and floors
Filling cracks and holes, and sanding
Stripping wallpaper
Stain blocking for water marks or smoke damage
Mist coats on new plaster
Sanding, filling and undercoating woodwork
Key takeaway: if one quote lists detailed preparation and another just says "paint lounge", they aren't comparable. Ask the vaguer one to itemise.
4. VAT: Registered or Not?
A VAT-registered decorator must add VAT, currently 20% for most decorating work, to their prices. Many sole traders aren't registered, because registration depends on turnover. GOV.UK sets out the current VAT registration threshold. That can make two otherwise similar quotes look very different. Always check whether a quote is "inc VAT" or "ex VAT", and compare totals on the same basis.
5. Extras, Variations and Exclusions
Good quotes say what's not included as clearly as what is. Watch for:
Exclusions such as ceilings, woodwork, radiators or cupboards
Provisional sums for unknowns, for example "plaster repairs if needed"
How variations will be priced if you add work midway, such as a day rate or a fixed price per item
Scaffolding, access equipment or parking costs
Waste removal
6. Payment Terms and Deposits
Payment terms vary between decorators. Some ask for a deposit to secure a booking or cover materials, others invoice on completion, and longer jobs may be paid in stages. Whatever the terms, agree them in writing before work starts. Be cautious about paying a large amount up front, and ask for an invoice or receipt for every payment.
Quick tip: tie stage payments to clear milestones, such as "ground floor complete", rather than to dates.
7. Red Flags on a Decorating Quote
No written quote, only a verbal figure
No breakdown of what's included
A price far below every other quote with no explanation
Pressure to decide on the spot or pay cash up front
No mention of preparation or number of coats
Once you understand each line, our guide to comparing painter and decorator quotes helps you choose between them. For tips on checking a decorator's background, read how to find a reliable painter and decorator, and before work starts, see how to prepare your home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a quote the same as an estimate?
Not always. A quote is usually a fixed price for a defined job, while an estimate is an approximate figure that may change. Ask the decorator which they're giving you.
Should I pay for a quote?
Most decorators provide domestic quotes free of charge, though some may charge for detailed surveys on large or commercial jobs. Ask before they visit.
How long is a quote valid?
It varies. Many quotes state a validity period. Material prices and availability change, so check before booking.
Can I negotiate a decorating quote?
You can ask, but focus on scope rather than squeezing the price. Clearing rooms yourself, choosing standard trade paint, combining rooms into one job or being flexible on dates can all reduce the cost without compromising preparation or quality.
What if the job turns out bigger than quoted?
Hidden problems such as blown plaster or damp sometimes appear once work starts. A good decorator will stop, explain the issue and agree any extra cost with you before continuing. That's why it helps to agree up front how variations will be priced.
Should a quote include a start date and duration?
Ideally, yes. A start date and an estimated number of days help you plan and make it easier to compare quotes, particularly when decorators charge by the day.
Do I need a written contract for a small job?
A detailed written quote that you both accept, by email for example, is usually enough for small domestic jobs. Larger projects benefit from clearer terms covering payments, variations and timescales.
Why do decorators' prices for the same job differ so much?
Experience, business overheads, VAT status, how much preparation they include, the paint they plan to use and how busy they are all play a part. Published guides themselves disagree: Checkatrade's average day rate is noticeably higher than MyBuilder's range. That's why comparing the detail on each quote matters more than the headline number.
Is the cheapest quote ever the right choice?
It can be, if it covers the same scope and preparation as the others and comes from a decorator with good references. Just make sure nothing important has been left out.
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
A clear, itemised quote protects both you and your decorator. Use published price lists from sources like Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Bark and Which? as a sense check rather than a fixed budget, make sure preparation, materials, exclusions and VAT are spelled out, and agree payment terms and any variations in writing. With the same written scope sent to every decorator, it becomes much easier to compare quotes fairly and choose with confidence.