Find a Decorator you can trust near you.

Choose from 1849 Decorators, all rated by people like you.

Over 531 reviews & an average rating of 4.5/5 stars, you'll find the right pro

Enter your location to refine your search

Choose and shortlist

Use the shortlist button to select up to 4 tradespeople, enter your project details and press send

or

Keen to get on with the job?

Get up to 4 quotes from local Decorators near you

View Shortlist
Verified ProOver 50 ReviewsMember for 3 year(s)

Colt Property Improvement

74 review(s)
Based in: Dunstable, LU6 2PP
We are a family orientated company established in 1994. Utilising only the best quality materials and a highly skilled wo...
Verified Pro

Trueven decorators

0 review(s)
Based in: London, SE26 6EB
Painting and decorating on commercial and residential properties
Verified Pro

Magnate Resources

0 review(s)
Based in: Manchester, M18 8SD
Magnate Resources is a multi-faceted company based in Manchester. We specialise in property renovation and property mainte...
Verified Pro

BD Bathrooms

0 review(s)
Based in: Surbiton, KT5 9QL
Hi, I'm a experience buldier / tiler with many years of experience. All my jobs are clean and finished to highest standar...
Verified Pro

Seb's Handyman Services

0 review(s)
Based in: Reading, RG2 0HX
Dear Madam, Dear Sir, Our company, based in Reading, specialises in the Extension, loft conversions, Refurbishment, Gar...
Verified Pro

Attention2detail

0 review(s)
Based in: Stoke-on-trent, ST4 5PD
EXPERIENCED AND CREATIVE PAINTERS As a premier painting contractor, we are committed to delivering customer service that ...

Find a local Decorator you can trust...

How much do Decorator services cost?

How much do Decorators charge? Prices for Decorators in 2024 can differ depending upon the sort of task that you need to have carried out in your house. It's the question we receive asked a great deal "how much do Decorators charge?".

Are you planning to hire the services of a decorator for your home or property? If yes, then you’d probably want to know just how much a professional will charge to help get your project over the line. While some home and property owners may prefer to take care of the decorations themselves, there are a number of benefits you stand to derive by calling in a reliable decorator. Not only will you be able to achieve the look and feel you want for your space, but you’d also get more options and varieties to choose from. In this post, we’re going to give you a good insight into decorator charges in the UK to help you make informed decisions moving forward. Let’s take a look!

Firstly, it should be noted that there are a lot of factors that determines the price charged by decorators to complete a project. These factors include the difficulty of the task, the materials required, the location of the property, the qualification and experience of the decorator and lots more. For example, if you happen to reside in the South East ( especially London), you can expect to pay a higher fee than other areas in the country such as Scotland, Northern Ireland and more.

In general, to hire a decorator in the UK will cost you within the range of £17 to about £30 per hour. However, it should also be noted that you can come across a number of methods of determining cost such as per hour, per day, per M2 or even per bedroom.

View our Decorator cost guide View our Decorator advice

The average price
of a Decorator is:

£2,220

Decorator job Decorator cost in 2024
Painting and decorating £264-£3,698
Exterior painting and decorating £566-£3,780
uPVC Window Spraying £150-£4,500

Decorator service qualifications and accreditations

Decorators breathe a new lease of life into everyday spaces. They beautify through preparation and application of paint, wallpaper as well as other finishes inside and out. Decorators do not only plan, but they also implement decoration schemes for both residential homes and commercial establishments like offices, shops, hotels, restaurants and the likes. They design and plan the overall aesthetic of a space while also supervising and coordinating the activities of tradesmen which includes painters as well as carpet layers.

There are a number of ways to become a decorator such as through a college course, an apprenticeship or a job training. These routes can be explored so as to find the one which is most suitable for you. As expected, some of these routes have some certain qualifications, however many employers are actually more interested in individuals who are enthusiastic, willing to learn and also follow instructions.

As a decorator, to be able to work on a construction site, you’ll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS). However, it should be noted that it’s very possible to work as a decorator without qualifications. However, several employers usually prefer individuals with qualifications in the field as it assures them of a top quality work. To achieve this, you can consider the following:

  • You can complete a qualification in Interior Decoration which could be a Certificate IV in Interior Decoration ( MSF40113 ) or a Diploma of Interior Design and Decoration ( MSF50213 ).
  • You can also consider getting an assistant role so as to build your practical experience as well as body of the entire decoration work.
  • Create a portfolio of work to show to prospective clients as well as employers.

Services offered by Decorator

A decorator is simply an individual trained in the beautifying a client’s home by dictating its look and feel through the selection and placement of decorative elements which includes textiles, paint, furniture and more. This profession involves meeting the client directly so as to get a sense of how they intend to make use of their space and also how they want it to feel. Decorators work within their clients’ budget to breathe a new lease of life into any particular space or property. The role of a decorator is often confused with that of a designer but the main difference is that decorators don’t make architectural changes but rather work to improve an existing space or property. You’ll find a lot of decorators to be freelancers or consultants, while others work within bigger organizations. In this post, we’re going to give you a good insight into some of the roles of a decorator. Let’s take a look!

Decorator FAQs

What questions should I ask a decorator?

Hiring a decorator for your project always seem easy until you get started. With a wide range of decorators available today, it can be quite tricky separating the boys from the men and selecting the right tradesman for your unique project. There are a number of things to put into consideration, questions to ask and lots more to ensure your decorating job is awarded to the right tradesman. In this post, we’re going to give you an insight on some of the essential questions to ask to make sure the prospective decorator is a good match. Let’s take a look!

  • What qualifications do you possess? With the pool of decorators around in the industry today, qualifications are needed to help you determine the true specialists. A qualified decorator gives you an assurance (to some extent) that a quality work would be done to your requirements. Decorators, generally, can earn a degree which includes course work in architecture and are also licensed.
  • How do you help me identify and communicate my style to you? If you have an idea and know what you want for your space, a good decorator should be able to get it out of you by showing you pictures and asking questions which can vary widely.
  • Do you have examples of previous work that are similar to my project in style, scope as well as budget? A decorator that answers yes to this question is a good indicator that they can handle your project. If they don’t, you can ask for pictures of projects they feel is quite similar to yours
how much do painters and decorators charge?

How Much Do Painters And Decorators Charge?

If you’re thinking about painting your home or property, then one of the first things that crosses the mind is the amount charged by painter or decorators to carry out the project. However just like any other home improvement projects and as with most tradesmen, the amount charged by a painter and decorator largely varies from job to job depending on a plethora of factors. These factors include your location, the urgency at which you need the job done and whether or not a specialist equipment would be required.

For painters and decorators, one of the biggest influencing factors that determines the price to be charged is the size of the room. For instance, if you have a large room to be painted, it’s definitely going to cost you more than a smaller room. And same applies to multiple rooms when compared to single room. In other words, to get a more accurate cost estimate from your tradesman, you’ll need to have a good idea of the size of your room or rooms. So let’s take a closer look!

✓ Painting a mid-sized room. The question here is, how do you know if your room is medium sized? The room will have a size of about 3.5m by 5m or a room that can conveniently allow up to 6 to 8 people. The price range is between £240 to £410.

✓ Wallpapering a mid-sized room. This uses the logic as painting a mid-sized room but the price can differ due to difference in materials used. The price range here is between £204 to £420.

✓ Painting a large ceiling. Painting a ceiling is very similar to painting a wall but its not as straightforward and will consume more time. The price ranges from £286 to £5476.

how to paint a room?

How To Paint A Room

Painting is a joyful task and it’s quite obvious why it’s one of the most popular DIY projects. Whether you’re painting as an experienced DIYer or as a newbie, this step by step guide will put you in the right direction. However, if you lack the confidence to carry out this task, then we’d recommend you get in touch with a seasoned professional who can guarantee the best results for help. This way, you get to save some time and additional money that would have resulted from possible costly errors.

So just before you head right into the task, there’s the need to determine the type of pain finish you would love to use which is to choose a colour. Now let’s get started!

• Prepare the room

✓ Remove all objects as much as you can from the room and cover the remaining furniture or objects with a sheet.

✓ Fill all holes on the surface to make for an even finish.

✓ Wash the wall with the help of a damp sponge. A sugar soap or diluted washing up liquid will work just fine.

✓ Tape the edges of objects you do not wish to paint like light switches, plug sockets and the likes.

• This step can be skipped if painting on an existing paint, but it’ll advisable to dilute small quantity of your selected paint to patch prime the holes that you’ve filled. If you have a large number of holes that was filled, then priming them would be smart.

• Mix or stir the paint thoroughly in a paint kettle to ensure an even and perfect mix.

• Now you’re ready to start painting! Start from the edges to form like a frame to work within with your roller. Once done, leave for about 4 to 6 hours to dry.

• For the second coat, simply repeat the above step to complete your painting project.

can you paint over wallpaper?

Can You Paint Over A Wallpaper?

According to some painting and decoration experts, painting over a wallpaper can never produce a result that’ll be as good as painting on a blank or naked wall. However in the event whereby there’s a pressing need to quickly beautify a room, it’ll be totally understandable if you don’t want to go through the hassle of the time consuming old wallpaper removal process.

Therefore, the short and simple answer to this question is yes, it’s absolutely possible to paint over a wallpaper and get a good outcome so far you don’t rush the process. To ensure your success if you want to paint over a wallpaper, there’s also the need to use the right tools and techniques. And just like any other DIY project, proper preparation before commencement is key.

If you’re going to paint over a wallpaper, many of the tools you’ll need to acquire are the standard painting and decorating products. This means that they can be easily procured at many DIY stores. To paint over a wallpaper, you’ll need a paint roller, top quality paint brushes, joint compound ( you’ll only need this in situations whereby your wallpaper is damaged or peeling), oil based primer, tape, sandpaper, paint ( can be water, solvent or oil based paints) as well as drop clothes ( for the protection of your furnitures).

As a rule of thumb, if you can easily remove the existing wallpaper, then you probably should before you start to paint the walls. However, if removing the wallpaper seems to be a pain or can significantly damage your wall, then it’ll be smart to simply paint over it. But before you proceed, you must also note that painting over the wallpaper will make it even harder to remove later in the future.

how to paint exterior window sills and frames?

How To Paint Exterior Window Sills And Frames?

Painting your exterior window sills and frames can be a very joyful and fun-filled activity if you know what you’re doing. It’s a task that can be completed in little time by an experienced DIYer, however if you do not have the confidence to pull off this project, then you’d be better off calling in a professional for help to avoid costly mistakes. In this guide, we’ll take you through the exterior window sills and frames painting process.

✓ Prepare the window sills and frames. This includes, brushing the surfaces with warm water and gentle soap, scrubbing the windows to ensure all the edges and cracks are free from all forms of dirt, rinsing it with water and use a soft, clean cloth to wipe off any excess liquid and finally, drying it off with a towel or leaving it to dry off by itself before you start to paint.

✓ Remove any signs of moulds and moss, fill in the cracks between frame and glass using a multi-purpose filler, sand the frame and wipe out any dirt or dust on or around it using a vacuum cleaner, a clean cloth or soft brush. Once done, you can then apply a coat of water-based primer and let it dry off before painting.

✓ Painting. Firstly, you’ll have to sand your primed windows to make an even, smooth surface and apply an undercoat evenly to the surface. Once completed, you can then apply at least 2 coats of paint using a quality brush. Make sure you sand the first layer carefully before you apply the second to get a great finish.

✓ Once dried, you can the finish with a top coat (make sure you go for a weather proof paint for the exterior). For the window sills, you’ll have to apply the exterior paint gently with masking tape around the edges to protect the walls from the dripping paint.

how to prepare exterior walls for painting?

How To Prepare Exterior Walls For Painting?

For a great and smooth exterior finish, preparing the walls before painting is crucial. A great painting job melts the heart and even more so if its done by you. This is a relatively easy task that can be completed without much hassle by an expert DIYer. However if you lack the needed confidence to pull off your exterior wall painting preparation task, then hiring the services of a reliable professional who can guarantee the best result would be your best bet. In this step by step, we aim to take you through the steps involved in preparing exterior walls for painting.

Before you get started, you need to make sure you have the necessary tools in place. These includes a filler and filling knife, sandpaper, soap, sponge, wide paint brush, masking tape as well as drop sheets.

✓ Ensure a smooth surface with a filer and sanding. This includes removing and replacing any rotten or decaying timer, proper sanding as needed, scraping off of peeling areas with sanding and filling of cracking areas with the help of exterior grade filler. Once the above is completed, you can then proceed to filling any holes or cracks in your exterior surface with a top quality exterior filler ( the application should be done with a putty knife).

✓ Cleaning. With the help of a quality and soft brush, clear out the dirt and cobwebs on the exterior’s surface. Then wash the walls with a good detergent to remove any remaining dirt and grease. You can use a bristled brush and a high pressure cleaner to make the process easier.

✓ Mask the area. This involves using a top quality masking tape along the edges you do not wish to paint and pushing the tape’s edges down firmly in such a way to get straight edges.

Which type of paint should I use?

There are lots of paints that are suitable for different areas of your property. In general, gloss and eggshell paints should be used in high traffic areas, whereas matte paints are suitable for lower traffic areas. Professional painters and decorators can give you advice on the most suitable types of paints.

how to remove flaking paint from exterior walls?

How To Remove Flaking Paint From Exterior Walls

For a successful exterior wall painting project, all that’s required is the right painting tools and equipments, the appropriate exterior paint as well as the necessary preparation of the surface. With the later being perhaps the most important part of the project which is likely to take your time and effort as there’s no short cut to it. But once you have a good idea on how to prepare the exterior wall’s surfaces, the painting of the exterior of your house becomes a lot easier. And a good example of this, is the process of removing the flaking paint on the surface. Fortunately, you do not require the skills of an expert to be able to remove the flaking paint from your exterior walls. So let’s take a look at how you can remove flaking paint from your exterior walls with relative ease.

✓ Clear all flaking or peeling paint. This involves scraping the entire painted surface with a scraper to remove all loose paints. For the paints that wouldn’t yield easily, you can apply extra pressure to wipe it out. However, it’s important to be careful while doing this to avoid gouging out or damaging the surface.

✓ Use coarse sandpaper. Make use of a sandpaper to sand all the exterior wall’s surfaces until they’re smooth. When you get to tight spaces and trim, you can incorporate a sanding block to make your job easier and more effective. Note that a smoother surface will make for a better adhesion.

✓ Use an orbital or power sander. If the paint is peeling, you can scrape it off perfectly with the help of a power sander. This will help you in achieving a smooth surface on inaccessible edges and more.

Decorator help and advice

How it works

Tell us about your Decorator project

Answer a few quick questions to help us match you with the right Decorator

Get up to 4 free quotes

Receive no-obligation quotes from 4 Decorators working in your area.

Pick the right pro for you

Compare prices, customer reviews and services, and hire the right Decorator.

Are you a Decorator?

View our open Decorator jobs near you

Join today

Recent Decorator Enquiries

20 Nov

Painter | Interior

Morpeth - NE65

Enquiry from: Philip L

Start Date: Immediate

Painting and decorating downstairs and stairs ( in New Year)

Post a similar request >

17 Nov

Painter | Interior

Harrow - HA3

Enquiry from: Neena H

Start Date: Immediate

Bedroom, landing need repaint and some odd jobs

Post a similar request >

16 Nov

Painter | Interior

Bangor (within Ring Road) - BT20

Enquiry from: Ian W

Start Date: Immediate

internal painting. kitchen & dining room. are you the property owner: owner of the property property type: detached how many rooms are you looking to have decorated: 1-2 rooms are you looking to remod...

Post a similar request >

15 Nov

Painter | Exterior

Hengoed - CF82

Enquiry from: Cariad K

Start Date: Immediate

Cleaning and painting of 340 meters metal highway fencing

Post a similar request >

12 Nov

Painter | Interior

Bicester - OX27

Enquiry from: Jill P

Start Date: Immediate

Painting (woodwork gloss and walls) a small (ish) kitchen diner, a bathroom, an ensuite and a downstairs toliet. Work would not need to be done until late March/early April 2025. Thanks, Jill

Post a similar request >

10 Nov

Painter | Interior

Stourport-on-Severn - DY13

Enquiry from: Alan J

Start Date: Immediate

Painting internal walls in a new home

Post a similar request >

08 Nov

Painter | Interior

Wetherby - LS23

Enquiry from: John A

Start Date: Immediate

Interior of house all room walls emulsioing

Post a similar request >

07 Nov

Painter | Interior

Lancaster - LA1

Enquiry from: David J

Start Date: Immediate

Rubbing down skirting board and woodwork in living room undercoating and top coat, painting ceiling 2 coats.

Post a similar request >

07 Nov

Painter | Exterior

Biggar - ML12

Enquiry from: Denham M

Start Date: Immediate

External wooden window frames need painting

Post a similar request >

07 Nov

Painter | Interior

Bury - BL8

Enquiry from: Robert P

Start Date: Immediate

Need Gary Barnes. It’s Bob 😊

Post a similar request >

07 Nov

Painter | Interior

Aberdeen - AB12

Enquiry from: Stuart E

Start Date: Immediate

Lobby painted also stairs and doors x9

Post a similar request >

06 Nov

Painter | uPVC Spraying

Talybont - LL43

Enquiry from: Adrian S

Start Date: Immediate

Garage door re spray with spray paint in teak

Post a similar request >

06 Nov

Painter | Interior

Chelmsford - CM2

Enquiry from: Andrew F

Start Date: Immediate

cracks in ceiling due to damp through roof, since replaced and lined strip paper above picture rail, fill cracks, repaint whole room. are you the property owner: owner of the property property type: ...

Post a similar request >

05 Nov

Painter | Exterior

Stocksfield - NE43

Enquiry from: Sally L

Start Date: Immediate

Touch up on external window paintwork

Post a similar request >

05 Nov

Painter | Interior

Aylesbury - HP22

Enquiry from: Mike W

Start Date: Immediate

Kitchen/dining room walls and ceiling to be painted

Post a similar request >

04 Nov

Painter | Interior

Newmarket - CB8

Enquiry from: Richard S

Start Date: Immediate

we require our kitchen to be painted. approx 275cm by 290cm by 248cm. there has been some small amount of water damage which is now dry which may need some plastering. are you the property owner: ow...

Post a similar request >

29 Oct

Painter | Interior

Newmarket - CB8

Enquiry from: Joseph P

Start Date: Immediate

Internal and external painting

Post a similar request >

28 Oct

Painter | Interior

Redruth - TR16

Enquiry from: Joan O

Start Date: Immediate

ceiling, walls, doors & wood surrounds painting

Post a similar request >

25 Oct

Painter | uPVC Spraying

Enfield - EN1

Enquiry from: Portia J

Start Date: Immediate

I neew a upvc door painted and door frame

Post a similar request >

25 Oct

Painter | Interior

Inveraray - PA32

Enquiry from: Lilias M

Start Date: Immediate

Bedroom Ceiling painted and Wallpaper replaced. Similar in Hall

Post a similar request >

View Shortlist