Painting & Decorators

[Roxie]

what is the going hourly/daily rate for a Painter & Decorator? I have just had a quote for a 11ft x 11ft room to be stripped of wallpaper re-papered and three walls to be painted, I am supplying all materials so it just labour. I almost fell off my perch when I saw the price, won't tell you what it was so as not to influence your view.

John

 

[Doug71]

The ones I use are £15 an hour or £120 a day, think that is the going rate (for a decent one) around here.

Doug

 

[Fitzroy]

Last year I paid 780+vat for a room 12’x14’ with 10’ ceilings. That was to strip, hang paper and paint walls and ceiling. Sand, fill paint cornice, deep skirting, door and sash window with panelling below. All materials provided by the company. That’s for a company whom I think are expensive but do a bloody good job.

F.

 

[Rorschach]

You might find the price is higher because you want to supply materials.

 

[Bm101]

I'd always do finals like painting. I can't afford to pay someone who will decorate to the same standards I will work to on my own house. Read into that what you will. Just in the a*se end of a loft extension here. Plumbers brother, nice guy bit 'quiet' fitted the shower wall. I got home from work, walked upstairs. Alright lads. Looked at the shower. It's not plumb mate. Nooooo it it is. No it aint mate. Left side is. Right side is out. (I'm a nightmare client in some ways. I make them bacon sarnies then question them. I'm very fair and I trust a good man to do the job I'm paying him to do but I wont be bedazzled either. No shame)
Now most people would have no idea. I'm cursed with a straight eye.
Want a hundred quid on it?
Nice guy but he ain't his brother.
We measure. It's not plumb.
He looks at me.....
Well it ain't coming off now mate mate is it? I say. Tell your brother to knock a bit off the quote.
What I'm saying is? How good are they?
I wouldn't expect final finish to be to my standards off a trades painter. Just the way of it.
If the man is going to be mustard it might be worth considering if his wage correlates to the quality of his work and you are willing to pay.
Depends on what you regard as an acceptable finish.
Cheers now
Chris

 

[HappyHacker]

I would be more interested in what the total cost would be and what standard of finish will be achieved. I was talking to a friend yesterday who is a painter and decorator, he is very good, very fast and has very high standards. He was moaning about someone he was working with who did a good job but was taking over twice as long as he was but was charging the same amount per day.

The same good painter also hates customers who want to get their own supplies and then get the cheapest rather than the stuff he recommends as he then has to take longer to achieve a good result.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Conversely a meticulous, very expensive local decorator used to do a relative's house with cheap paint - I'm sure he was happy to called back for a total re-dec every three or four years.

 

[rafezetter]

BM101 and Happyhackers posts are spot on - it's not "expensive" if you are only paying for it once, far too many people fall into the trap of unrealisitically cheap now, then someone else again after.

Hanging wallpaper in particular isn't quite as straightforward as most people think - especially if the pattern has a long repeat (you said paint 3 sides not 4), what state the walls are in - what prepwork needs to be done beforehand.

And stripping paper can be a nightmare - even with a steamer if it's had 20 coats of paint over it.

Also the point about your own materials is extremely relevent - B&Q emulsion paint is crap - utter crap from a professionals point of view. He will know that unless its Johnsons or other high pigment paint he'll be doing at least two if not three coats per wall - that's time biting into other work.

All of these things customers rarely take into account - another question to consider is when did he say he could do the work? If it's within a week or two then he's prolly not up to much and the quote might be lower than you think (unless he's one of those chancers) - if its not for a month or more - part of the cost he's quoted is "I'm busy - that's my going rate - I don't NEED the work, I can take it or leave it".

The rest of the equation is down to your due diligence on local prices - mumsnet is apparently a good place for that.

 

[skipdiver]

My brother charges £12.50 an hour but we live in a non too affluent town.

 

[Skeety]

We paid £1k for the living room (4Mx3M) hallway, stairs and landing to be papered with 1400 grade lining paper. Gloss 5 doors and frames, staircase raisers and skirting. All walls painted and also the ceilings which had been plastered a few weeks prior.

I did all the prep, stripping paper, sanding ,filling, fitted and primed skirting etc.

We also supplied all materials (agreed with decorator) as I have a trade account at Crown. All the paint, lining papers etc. was proper, not cheap crap.

Snagged one tiny little bit but considering how picky I am was very pleased.

Jon.

 

[Roxie]

Thank you all for your replies. The quote I has was for £1200 (twelve hundred) for a squatty 11ft x 11ft room. Looking for other quotes!!

John

 

[Skeety]

Thank you all for your replies. The quote I has was for £1200 (twelve hundred) for a squatty 11ft x 11ft room. Looking for other quotes!!

John

Bloody hell!!

I reckon our decorator would have had that done in a day and a half max! If you are anywhere near Woking PM me and i'll send his details

Jon.

 

[topchippyles]

What area are you in as will depend on price.

 

[Bm101]

Jesus. I'll do it for 1195 John. I'll be there tomorrow at 6am. That's mates rates mind. Don't go telling everyone....

 

[stuartpaul]

Thank you all for your replies. The quote I has was for £1200 (twelve hundred) for a squatty 11ft x 11ft room. Looking for other quotes!!

John

That sounds distinctly like someone who doesn’t want/need the work but if you’re daft enough to pay he’ll do it!

Fairly common practice.

 

[petermillard]

Thank you all for your replies. The quote I has was for £1200 (twelve hundred) for a squatty 11ft x 11ft room. Looking for other quotes!!

John

That sounds distinctly like someone who doesn’t want/need the work but if you’re daft enough to pay he’ll do it!

Really? Sounds to me like someone with a decent grasp on business and the value of their time, with kids in school and a mortgage to pay, van and insurance payments, and all the other expenses of working for yourself. Always amazes me when people think e.g. decorating should be cheap, or that it can be done quickly, to a high standard.

I hope the OP finds someone to suit his budget, and it’s always sensible to get alternative ideas of cost, but bear in mind that you frequently get what you pay for.

Cheers P.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Peter, you are used to London money. If you were to charge what you charge around here you'd be lucky to work one morning a week.

 

[stuartpaul]

Thank you all for your replies. The quote I has was for £1200 (twelve hundred) for a squatty 11ft x 11ft room. Looking for other quotes!!

John

That sounds distinctly like someone who doesn’t want/need the work but if you’re daft enough to pay he’ll do it!

Really? Sounds to me like someone with a decent grasp on business and the value of their time, with kids in school and a mortgage to pay, van and insurance payments, and all the other expenses of working for yourself. Always amazes me when people think e.g. decorating should be cheap, or that it can be done quickly, to a high standard.

I hope the OP finds someone to suit his budget, and it’s always sensible to get alternative ideas of cost, but bear in mind that you frequently get what you pay for.

Cheers P.

Really? You'd pay £1200 for this?

I have just had a quote for a 11ft x 11ft room to be stripped of wallpaper re-papered and three walls to be painted, I am supplying all materials so it just labour

I'm very well aware of the cost of 'stuff' and it's (nearly) always the labour that's the biggest element involved. How many hours work would you suggest are need to achieve the above?

 

[petermillard]

Peter, you are used to London money. If you were to charge what you charge around here you'd be lucky to work one morning a week.

Sounds perfect! Maybe you're right, but the OP didn't mention where he was based, which, as I think someone mentioned further up the thread, is always a little odd when asking for pricing advice, no?

 

[petermillard]

Really? You'd pay £1200 for this?

I have just had a quote for a 11ft x 11ft room to be stripped of wallpaper re-papered and three walls to be painted, I am supplying all materials so it just labour

I'm very well aware of the cost of 'stuff' and it's (nearly) always the labour that's the biggest element involved. How many hours work would you suggest are need to achieve the above?

Sure, though I'd be more likely to wait until I had a quieter patch and do it myself. I'm good and fast, but I'd still want to be onsite for four days, and I'd expect most folks to need a week.

As I said, it sounds to me like a guy who has a good idea of the value of his time; just because a quote comes in that's more than you expect, or is beyond your budget, it doesn't automatically mean that they're rip-off merchants or chancers.

Cheers, P