Interior painters and decorators

Interior painters give rooms a fresh look and can instantly transform your home. Hiring a professional interior painter is the perfect solution if you can’t do it yourself.

Using My Local Toolbox, you can easily find and hire interior painters near you. You can rest assured that we’ll only match you with experts in the trade, and there’s no obligation to hire them for your project if you’ve found someone else.

What jobs do interior painters and decorators do?

Whether you’re looking to give your hallway a fresh lick of paint or renovating your living room, interior painters and decorators can help.

Whilst painters are there to apply paint and other finishes to interior walls, ceilings, doors and wood work. Decorators can complete projects such as hanging wallpaper, repairing ceiling panel mouldings, and even provide some inspiration on colour schemes.

What’s involved in painting and decorating a room?

When you employ an interior painter or decorator, there are some steps they are likely to carry out to ensure you receive a flawless finish:

• Measuring the space
• Calculating how much paint or wallpaper is required
• Buying the materials (although not always, so double check what your quote includes)
• Clearing the space or covering furniture with dustsheets
• Stripping old surfaces
• Filling or repairing surfaces
• Rubbing down any door frames, skirting boards, windowsills etc that require painting
• Priming surfaces or undercoating surfaces
• Mixing and applying paint or hanging wallpaper
• Applying necessary topcoats
• Applying decorators caulk where applicable
• Tidying up and placing furniture back in the room

Before hiring an interior painter or decorator you should ask what their process will be and their estimated time frame for completing the job.

If they’re expecting you to purchase the materials or remove any furniture etc, you’ll need to ensure that you are ready for their arrival as any delays could end up costing you precious time and money.

Why hire a professional interior painter or decorator?

Interior painting and decorating is a great way to change the look and feel of your home, but doing it yourself can be time-consuming and may not give you the final finish you were hoping for.

Professional interior painters can make the whole process of decorating a stress-free affair.

Thanks to their extensive experience and product knowledge, they’ll know exactly which products you’ll need for each room and each surface and will know the steps they need to follow in order to achieve a professional and long-lasting finish.

Interior painter and decorator FAQs

How much does it cost to paint a house interior?

The cost varies depending on your requirements. You should expect to pay anything from a few hundred pounds for a single small room to beyond £5,000 for a large house with four or more bedrooms.

Every house is different and the cost to paint a house interior will be dependent on a number of factors:

• Size of room
• Number of coats of paint required
• Condition of the walls
• Type and quality of paint
• What needs painting

We’ve created some handy cost guides with additional information. But for a free quote from a local interior painter or decorator, post your job today and receive up to three free quotes.

How long does it take professional painters to paint a house interior?

Just like the cost of painting a house interior is dependent on several factors, so too is the duration of the project. Here are some things that affect how long it will take a professional painter:

• If there’s lots of repair work to do on the walls
• Preparation – for example, wood will often require more preparation that plaster
• The size of the rooms
• How many rooms there are
• The number of coats of paint and drying time

What are the different types of paint finishes?

It’s not just choosing the right paint colour for your scheme that can be confusing but also knowing which type of paint finish to choose. There are five different finish and sheen options to choose from, and each one will provide a different look and feel to your interior.

Flat and matte

Flat and matte finishes are non-reflective and are great for low-traffic areas of your home, like bedrooms, formal dining rooms, living rooms and offices. They provide interiors with a contemporary finish and look great with antique brass fixtures and finishes.

Eggshell

The go-to paint finish for most interior paint projects. It’s low-lustre sheen gives off a soft, muted look and delicately bounces light around a space. Eggshell is ideal for busy family homes and can be used in virtually every room in the house.

Satin

More reflective than eggshell, satin tends to be more durable and easier to clean making it a great choice for kitchens and bathrooms. Thanks to its reflective qualities, satin is also great in low-light level spaces like interior hallways.

Semi-gloss and high gloss

Like satin, semi-gloss and high gloss paint finishes are great for high traffic areas. Providing a reflective surface, it’s also easier to clean compared with flat finishes.

However, semi-gloss and high gloss finishes show every wall imperfection and brushstroke, so it’s worth hiring a professional interior painter for a flawless glossy finish.

How much paint do I need?

If your painter isn’t buying the paint for your project, you’ll need to work out how much you’ll need.

1. Measure your space: Work out the height and width of the space being painted, then multiply the height and the width together to get the square metre measurement.
2. Subtract any windows and doors from the total amount: It’s easier than trying to measure around them.
3. Add in number of coats: You’ll need to check-out how many coats of paint you’ll require. The general rule is two coats, however, some surfaces may only require one, whilst others might need more. Multiply your square metre measurement by the number of coats and that will give you your paint coverage figure.
4. Check the tin: The tin of your paint will tell you how many square metres per litre it can cover. Divide your paint coverage figure by the value listed on the paint tin and you can calculate the number of tins you’ll need.

Is expensive paint and wallpaper worth it?

In general, more expensive paint and wallpaper tend to be of higher quality and therefore more durable.

More expensive paints and wallpaper also tend to have more pigmented colours, providing you with more bang for your buck.

Cheaper paints tend to be thinner, which often means having to apply more coats. Equally, cheaper wallpaper tends to be thinner and tends to rip more easily – especially if too much paste is used.

However, expensive papers can also be tricky to hang, so if you’re spending a lot of money on a roll, it may be worth hiring a professional decorator to hang the wallpaper for you.

Can I paint and decorate myself?

Of course. Many people do decide to paint and decorate themselves, especially if they have a limited budget and don’t have a set deadline.

However, if you’re not a dab hand at DIY or don’t have the time to commit to your project, professional interior painters will save you time.

If you choose to decorate your self, you’ll have to invest in all the right tools, from masking tape to paint brushes, ladders to Polly filler – and these costs can soon mount up. You also might not get the professional finish you’re looking for either.

If you’re unsure whether to paint and decorate yourself, why not post your job today. You’ll get up to three free quotes from local painters and decorators near you and you can then decide whether to decorate yourself or call in the professionals.

How can I save money on painting and decorating my home?

Regardless of whether you’re on a tight budget, you’ll want to save money on any renovation project where possible, especially as unexpected costs can soon spiral. Here are some of our top tips to help you save:

• Calculate wall space: Don’t just guess how many tins of paint or rolls of wallpaper you need, work it out.
• Choose quality paint: It really does pay dividends to invest in quality materials. If you’re interior painter is supplying paint, ask which brand they’re using and why.
• Be ready for your decorators start date: If you’re hiring an interior painter or decorator, make sure you have all the materials ahead of them starting.
• Move furniture: Where possible remove furniture or move it to the middle of the room, so they don’t have to waste their time (and your money) doing it for you.

To get quotes from painters and decorators near you – post a job now.