Home / Cost guides / What goes into the cost of painting a room?
What goes into the cost of painting a room?
In Cheshire, the cost of painting a room depends on its size, which surfaces are included, how much preparation the walls and woodwork need, the paint and the number of coats. We do not print a room price, because we could not find two dated public sources for one, so compare written quotes that list the same work.
Last reviewed:What is in the price of painting a room?
A decorator's price for a room is a price for a particular list of work, not for "a room" in general. The list usually includes moving and covering furniture, protecting floors, filling cracks and holes, sanding, any mist coat on new plaster, the paint itself, the number of coats on each surface, and clearing up. Two quotes for the same room can differ a long way simply because one covers walls only and the other covers walls, ceiling, skirting boards, door and frame.
QuoteZila is starting in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach among the first towns. A decorator in your area will still price the room in front of them, so the most useful thing this guide can do is help you describe the job clearly and read the quotes side by side.
Why this guide does not print a room price
This page does not print a room price. A price you could look up would still not tell you whether your quote includes the ceiling, two coats, filling or the paint. Written quotes for your own room, describing the same work, are the comparison that counts. Citizens Advice suggests getting written quotes from at least three traders [S1].
What changes the cost of painting a room
| What the decorator prices | What makes it bigger or smaller | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Wall area | Room size, ceiling height, bay windows, stairwell walls | Which walls are included, and the ceiling height they assumed |
| Ceiling | Size, cracks, old stains, coving | Whether the ceiling is in the price at all |
| Woodwork | Number of doors, frames, skirting, window boards, spindles | Which pieces of woodwork are listed |
| Preparation | Filling, sanding, removing old paper, washing down | How much preparation they allowed for |
| New plaster | Needs to dry and usually needs a mist coat | Whether the mist coat is included |
| Paint | Brand, product, finish and who buys it | The product and finish, and who supplies it |
| Coats | One coat, two coats, or more on a strong colour change | How many coats on each surface |
| Furniture and floors | Full rooms take longer to protect | Whether you need to clear the room first |
| Waste and clearing up | Old paper, dust sheets, empty tins | Whether waste is taken away |
| VAT | Whether the business is VAT registered | Whether the total includes VAT |
A business must register for VAT when its taxable turnover goes over £90,000 [S4]. A sole decorator below that level may not charge VAT, so ask whether each total includes it before you compare.
How preparation changes the price
Preparation is where much of a decorator's time goes, and it is also where quotes differ the most. A room that only needs a wash down and two coats is a different job from a room with cracked plaster, old woodchip paper and gloss that is peeling from the skirting boards.
Things that usually add time:
- Stripping wallpaper. Several layers, painted-over paper or paper on soft plaster take much longer than a single layer that lifts cleanly.
- Filling and sanding. Cracks around door frames and ceilings, nail holes, dents and old fixings all need filling, drying and sanding.
- Bare or new plaster. A newly plastered wall needs to dry and usually needs a mist coat before the top coats.
- Stains. Water marks, smoke and some old marks can show through new emulsion unless they are sealed first.
- Strong colour changes. Going from a dark colour to a pale one, or the other way, can need an extra coat.
Ask each decorator to describe the preparation they have allowed for in plain words. If one quote says "prepare and paint" and another lists filling, sanding and a stain block, they are not the same job.
Old paint in older houses
In older houses, the woodwork may carry many layers of paint. GOV.UK says lead paint was common before the 1970s, and that several coats of paint in a property built before 1970 can suggest lead may be present [S2]. HSE says stripping or preparing leaded paint is a task where significant exposure may be expected, and that leaded paint should not be overheated with blowlamps or gas torches [S3].
That does not mean every old door is a problem. It does mean the preparation method matters, and it can change the price. Ask the decorator how they will prepare old woodwork, whether they will strip it or overpaint it, and how they will keep dust down. Do not dry sand or burn off old layers yourself while you wait for quotes.
If the house is listed, GOV.UK says listed building consent is needed to alter it in a way that affects its character as a building of special historic or architectural interest, and that doing that work without consent is a criminal offence [S5]. Talk to the council's conservation officer before any stripping back.
Can you save by doing some of the work yourself?
Sometimes. Emptying the room, taking down curtains and pictures, and removing nails and hooks before the decorator arrives can save time on the day, and some decorators will reflect that in the price. Stripping wallpaper yourself is another common split, though a decorator may still want to fill and sand after you. Agree what you will do and what they will do before the quote is final, and put it in writing, so nobody arrives expecting a cleared and stripped room that is still full of furniture.
What does not usually save money is buying a lower-priced paint than the one the decorator quoted for. If the paint covers less well, the job can need an extra coat, and that time goes back on the bill.
What to have ready before you ask for quotes
Give every decorator the same description:
- the room, its rough size and the ceiling height
- which surfaces you want painted: walls, ceiling, skirting, doors, frames, window boards, radiators
- the colour and finish, or that you would like advice
- the state of the walls, with photos of cracks, stains or old paper
- whether the plaster is new
- whether you will empty the room or need furniture moved and covered
- the age of the house, if it is older, and whether it is listed
- your postcode, and when the room is free
If you are having more than one room done, list each room separately. A decorator can then show you the price room by room, which makes it easier to drop or add a room later.
How to compare quotes for painting a room
Put the quotes side by side and check:
- Are the same surfaces listed on each?
- Is the preparation described, or just "prepare and paint"?
- How many coats on each surface?
- Which paint, which finish, and who supplies it?
- Is the ceiling in or out?
- Is it a fixed price for this list of work, or an estimate?
- Is VAT included?
- When can they start, and how long will the room be out of use?
Citizens Advice suggests avoiding large upfront payments and keeping any deposit you cannot avoid to no more than 25% [S1]. It also says a quote that is much lower than the others may mean the work is not the same [S1]. A lower price is only a saving if the list of work matches.
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts. "Paint a double bedroom: walls and ceiling, two coats, plus skirting and door. We will empty the room." Or: "Strip old wallpaper in a living room, fill cracks, mist coat the new plaster patches and paint." Or: "Paint the hall, stairs and landing in a 1930s house, including the spindles and the banister. Please say how you would prepare the old gloss."
Get quotes from local decorators
Describe the room, the surfaces and your postcode. Up to five matched local businesses can reply [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
Posting a job is not open yet
See the painters and decorators page, or plasterers if the walls need repair first. For the outside of the house, see exterior house painting cost. For choosing a paper, see wallpaper designs.
Official and public sources
QuoteZila is not affiliated with these organisations.
- Quotes and deposits: Citizens Advice [S1].
- Lead paint: GOV.UK: lead information for the public [S2] and HSE on lead in construction [S3].
- VAT: GOV.UK on when to register [S4].
- Listed homes: GOV.UK: conserving and enhancing the historic environment [S5].
Questions about the cost of painting a room
How much does it cost to paint a room?
This guide does not print a figure. We could not find two dated public UK sources for a room price, and a single article or survey is not enough to put in front of someone about to hire. The size of the room, the surfaces, the preparation and the paint change the total, so ask decorators to quote the same list of work.
Is painting the ceiling and woodwork usually extra?
It depends on how the decorator words the quote. Some price walls only, some include the ceiling, and some include skirting boards, doors and frames. Ask for each surface to be listed, so you can see what is in and what is not.
Why do two decorators quote such different prices?
They may be pricing different jobs. One may allow for filling, sanding and two coats on everything, another for a single coat on the walls. Citizens Advice says a quote that is much lower than the others may mean the work is not the same. Ask each one to list the preparation and coats.
Should I pay a deposit to a decorator?
Citizens Advice suggests avoiding large upfront payments and keeping any deposit you cannot avoid to no more than 25%. If the decorator is buying expensive paint for you, agree in writing what the deposit covers, and keep a receipt.
Is there anything to watch for in an older house?
Yes, old paint. GOV.UK says lead paint was common before the 1970s, and HSE says stripping or preparing leaded paint is a task where significant exposure may be expected, and that leaded paint should not be overheated with blowlamps or gas torches. Ask the decorator how they will prepare old woodwork, and do not dry sand it yourself.
Does QuoteZila check the decorators who quote?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
Related guides
- Painters and decorators: what decorators cover
- Plasterers: when the walls need repairing before painting
- House cleaner cost: another Cheshire cost guide
- All cost guides
Part of Cost guides. All services
Related trades
Cost guides
Related pages
- Exterior House Painting Cost: What to Ask. What changes the cost of painting the outside of a house in Cheshire: walls, woodwork, access, scaffolding, repairs and weather. No private price is printed.
- uPVC Spray Painting Cost: What Changes It. What changes the cost of spray painting uPVC windows and doors in Cheshire: frame count, condition, colour, masking and access. This guide prints no price.
Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and jobs-for-tradesmen copy.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila terms and matching notes.
- S1: Before you get work done on your home, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/
- S2: Lead: information for the public, GOV.UK (UK Health Security Agency). Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lead-poisoning-advice-for-the-public-and-healthcare-professionals/lead-information-for-the-public
- S3: Construction hazardous substances: lead, Health and Safety Executive. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/hazardous-substances/lead.htm
- S4: Register for VAT, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat
- S5: Conserving and enhancing the historic environment, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/conserving-and-enhancing-the-historic-environment