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Painting & decorating cost: what it really costs in 2026
Per m², with what actually happens.
£15 – £29 /m²
Interior painting starts around £15/m² for walls only, £21 with ceilings, and £29 for the full room including woodwork. Wallpapering runs £24–£60/m² by paper.
Price by spec
| Option | What it means | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Walls only | Refresh on sound surfaces | £15 /m² |
| Walls + ceiling | The usual full repaint | £21 /m² |
| Full room | Including woodwork and doors | £29 /m² |
| Wallpapering | Lining to mural papers | £24 – £60 /m² |
What actually happens
- Furniture out or covered; floors sheeted
- Old wallpaper stripped where needed
- Holes and cracks filled, then sanded smooth
- Surfaces washed down and dust removed
- Mist or first coat on — drying time matters
- Second coat for depth and an even finish
- Woodwork glossed or satinwooded last, then de-masked
Popular choices
Warm neutrals and off-whitesSage green and olive tonesTerracotta and clay accentsColour-drenched ceilings
Regulations to know
- No regulations for normal interior decorating — exterior changes to listed buildings are the exception
Tips from the trade
- Prep is 70% of a good finish — a cheap quote usually means skipped prep
- Buy a tester pot and check the colour at morning and evening light
Plan this project properly
Get a region-adjusted estimate, track budget against real quotes, and find local tradespeople -- free to browse on Qome.
Start planning on QomePrices on this page are approximate, region-adjusted guide figures built from cross-checked UK cost data. They exist to inform you, not to bind anyone. Actual prices are whatever you and your tradesperson agree, and a difference between a Qome guide figure and a real quote is not a fault in either.