How Much Does Painting A House Cost?

Paiting a House

Whether you want to refresh your home to make it more attractive to live in, or whether you’re considering selling up and need to make the right impression on potential purchasers, painting your home may be a top priority. 

But, no matter why you’re considering a repaint, you’ll need to know how much you’ll be expected to pay. Whether you’re painting the interior or exterior of your home, we’ll look at the potential cost of a paint job so you can make the right choices for you.

Factors To Bear In Mind

All painting projects vary, but if you’re painting the interior or exterior of your home, you can expect to pay around £1000 – £2000. There are lots of factors to bear in mind, though. These include:

  • Your home’s size
  • The property’s age
  • Your location 
  • Amount of preparation work needed 
  • The extent of the project 
  • Paint costs 

There’s also the hourly rate of a decorator to keep in mind. Depending where you’re located, you can expect to pay about £15 to £25 per hour but many tradespeople will give you a quote for the entire job or a daily rate rather than quoting by hour. 

Painting A House Exterior

If you need to paint the outside of your house, the price is going to depend on the preparation time, what needs painting, and any “hidden costs”. However, on average, you should budget between £1000 and £3000 for your paint project. 

Scaffolding is one extra that is often overlooked when painting the outside of a house. Some painters include it in the quote, but others expect that you will arrange this separately. Scaffolding will cost between £40 and £150 per day depending on your home’s shape, height, and size. 

If you’re considering painting the outside of your property yourself without using a professional painter’s service, don’t forget you’ll need to purchase equipment and may also need scaffolding. You’ll also need to consider the length of time it’ll take and set that time aside. 

You can save on the labour costs if you tackle the job yourself, but consider your level of skill before you go for this choice, since you’ll want your home to look good.

Factors Influencing Exterior Home Painting Costs

The factors that influence how much it’ll cost to paint the exterior of your home include:

  • How easy access will be
  • The exterior walls’ condition 
  • Doors and windows
  • Render type 
  • Render condition 

Painting Your Home’s Interior

Again, when it comes to painting the inside of your home, the cost of the project will be determined by several factors including the length of time it’ll take, your chosen materials, and the scope of the work. 

New properties with flat plastered walls will be quicker and easier to paint when compared with ageing, older walls in period properties. Older walls require more prep, but if they have recently been wallpapered and have lining paper, the job will be easier and quicker to complete. Older homes often have unusual obstacles to navigate around too, like awkwardly-shaped rooms and high ceilings, that add time and effort to the project. 

If woodwork requires stripping, this time-consuming job adds more expense to the project. You’ll pay about £100 more per room if stripping is needed. 

On average, it takes between £2000 and £3000 to complete a paint job on a 3-bedroomed property but if you want to include skirting boards, windows, and doors in the project, you’ll need to pay around double.

If you’re good at DIY, you may want to tackle your indoor paint job yourself. It will cost you about £30 or £40 to buy the equipment and emulsion to paint a room measuring 4m by 3m whereas a professional will charge you about £150 to £200 for the same room. 

What Do Painters And Decorators Charge?

On average, a decorator or painter in the UK will charge around £24 per hour, however this will vary wildly between different areas of the country. Professionals typically charge between £150 and £200 per day, equating to between £450 and £600 for 3 days of work. If painters are VAT-registered, the price differs too, so make sure to check when you ask for your quote. 

The hourly rate charged by a painter will usually apply to every job, so if the paint project is labour-intensive, it will take longer and the costs will be higher. Also, consider the intricacies of the paint job – will the ceiling be painted too? Are you using multiple colours? Will coving and woodwork need painting too? What size is the room? Ask the painter to break down the costs for you and, if they’re painting the exterior of the property, ask whether weather interruptions are going to have an impact on the cost.

In most cases, if you’re arranging a significant home painting job – for example, your entire property or several rooms – a painter often gives a quote for the entire job instead of breaking it down per hour.

If you’re considering painting your home yourself, be sure to consider all the advantages and disadvantages before you get started. While you may save some money on the cost of labour, you’ll need to buy not only the paint but also the equipment, and you’ll need to dedicate your own time to getting the job done. You may also simply not have the skill necessary to achieve the professional finish you desire.

Does Painting My House Add More Value?

Painting your home will almost certainly bring some extra value to your home, but how much extra is difficult to determine. However, a repaint will bring intangible benefits that are well worth the cost. If you’re selling your home, a repaint will give potential buyers a great first impression and they’ll also be more encouraged to buy as they’ll be able to just move with no extra work to complete. If you’re not considering selling, a repaint will make your home a better place to live. 

For More References:

How Much Is It Per Hour For UK Painters And Decorators?

How To Choose A Trustworthy Painter And Decorator

Painters And Decorators: What’s The Difference?

The Best Paint To Use For Every Decorating Project