Cost of Painting a Room

Cost of Painting a Room in 2025 (UK Guide)

Painting a room is still one of the quickest ways to change how your home feels – but in 2025 the cost has definitely crept up. This guide walks through realistic current prices, how they’re worked out, and what affects the final bill so you can budget without nasty surprises.

 

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At a Glance: How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Room in 2025?

Across recent 2024–2025 UK price guides, the average cost to have a single room painted by a professional (labour + standard materials) sits around:

• £250–£500 for a straightforward small/average room (walls + ceiling)
   
• £350–£650 for a room that needs some prep and includes woodwork
   
• £500–£800+ for large, high-ceilinged or awkward rooms, or those needing lots of repair and multiple coats
   

Several current guides now quote around £400 as a “typical” room painting cost for a standard double bedroom or small living room. 

Typical 2025 price ranges (per room)

• Small bedroom / box room (minimal prep): ~£250–£350
   
• Standard bedroom or small living room (4m x 3m): ~£300–£500
   
• Large lounge or master bedroom with more wall area and woodwork: ~£450–£750
   

These figures usually assume:

• 1–2 coats on walls
   
• 1 coat on ceiling
   
• Basic filling/sanding
   
• Mid-range trade emulsion and woodwork paint
   

Premium designer paints, poor wall condition, or lots of woodwork will nudge you towards the higher end.

 

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How Do Painters Charge? (Labour Rates in 2025)

Most professional painters and decorators price jobs based on an internal mix of time + materials, even if they give you a fixed quote.

Hourly rates

Current UK ranges are:

• £16–£40 per hour across the UK generally
   
• London & South East: typically £25–£50 per hour
   

Hourly charging is usually reserved for small jobs (touch-ups, a single wall, minor repairs).

Day rates

• Typical day rates for painters in 2025 are roughly £150–£325 per day across the UK
   
• In London and high-cost areas, you’ll often see £200–£325+ per day, sometimes higher for premium firms
   

Many decorators now simply quote a fixed price per room or per project, but those prices are based on these underlying labour rates.

 

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Example Room Costs & Timescales

Use the table below as a ballpark for an average UK property with standard ceiling heights and reasonably sound walls.

The house-level figures are in line with current price lists and decorators’ 2025 guides. 

 

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What Affects the Cost of Painting a Room?

1. Room size & layout

• More wall and ceiling area = more paint and more time.
   
• Tall ceilings, awkward alcoves, or lots of nooks and crannies make the job slower.
   
• A compact bedroom with four simple walls is always cheaper than an open-plan lounge with lots of corners and features.
   

2. Condition of the walls

This is one of the biggest variables:

• Light filling and sanding = modest extra cost
   
• Cracked plaster, blown areas, or heavy repairs = significantly higher labour cost
   
• Stripping old paint or wallpaper can add a full day or more to the job
   

Many 2025 cost guides stress that prep work is now the main reason some “cheap” jobs quickly become expensive.

3. Location

• London & South East: expect to pay at the upper end (or above) of the ranges in this guide.
   
• North of England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland: generally cheaper, but still closer to modern labour rates than older £10–£15/hr figures.
   

4. Type of room

Some rooms are simply harder work:

• Kitchens & bathrooms often need:
   
  • Grease or mould treatment
     
  • Moisture-resistant paints
     
  • Careful cutting-in around cupboards, tiles and pipework
     
• Living rooms often have more woodwork, radiators, large windows and sometimes feature walls.
   
• Bedrooms are usually the simplest and cheapest.
   

5. Woodwork & extras

Adding any of the following will increase your quote:

• Doors and frames
   
• Skirting boards
   
• Window sills & frames
   
• Radiators, coving, picture rails, dado rails
   

Woodwork can easily add 10–30% to a room’s decorating cost, depending on how much there is and how many coats are needed.

6. Number of rooms

There’s often an economy of scale:

• One room only – higher cost per room
   
• Two or more rooms – better value per room, as the painter can work more efficiently
   

 

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Paint & Material Costs in 2025

Paint prices have also risen. The cost of materials affects your quote if the decorator is supplying them, or your own spend if you’re going DIY.

Interior wall & ceiling paint (emulsion)

From big UK DIY chains and trade suppliers:

• Budget/own-brand emulsion: from around £2–£5 per litre (often in large tubs)
   
• Mid-range trade paints (e.g. Dulux Trade, similar brands): typically about £8–£15 per litre based on common 2.5L and 5L pack prices
   
• Premium/designer or specialist paints (scrubbable, stain-blocking, eco-focused): £20+ per litre, sometimes much more
   

Most decent trade emulsion claims coverage around 12–15 m² per litre, so decorating a typical bedroom often takes 5–10 litres of wall/ceiling paint depending on the number of coats. 

Woodwork paint (eggshell, satin, gloss)

Prices vary, but broadly:

• £10–£20 per litre for good mid-range water-based woodwork paints
   
• High-end or specialist formulations cost more but are longer-lasting and lower odour.
   

Tools & sundries

• Rollers, brushes, trays
   
• Masking tape, filler, caulk
   
• Dust sheets, sandpaper, sugar soap
   

For a pro, this is baked into their labour/material estimates. For DIY, expect £20–£70 in extras if you’re starting from scratch.

 

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Types of Paint & Where They’re Best Used

Your original guide already covered this nicely – here’s an updated, streamlined version with 2025 pricing in mind.

Matte paint

• Finish: Flat, non-reflective; great at hiding minor surface imperfections.
   
• Best for: Bedrooms, living rooms, ceilings, low-traffic walls.
   
• Pros:
   
  • Hides bumps and hairline cracks better than shinier paints
     
  • Gives a soft, modern look
     
• Cons:
   
  • Marks and scuffs more easily
     
  • Not ideal for steamy kitchens/bathrooms unless it’s a washable/scrubbable formulation
     
• Typical cost: Often at the lower to mid-range of emulsion prices — think £2–£5/L for budget, up to £10–£15+/L for good trade or premium brands.
   

Satin paint

• Finish: Soft sheen – a gentle, velvety look.
   
• Best for: Woodwork, some walls in higher-traffic areas, children’s rooms.
   
• Pros:
   
  • More wipeable than matte
     
  • Brighter finish without being fully glossy
     
• Cons:
   
  • Touch-ups can show, as light reveals differences in sheen
     
  • Less forgiving on rough or uneven walls
     
• Typical cost: Often slightly higher than matte; roughly mid-range to premium, especially in durable scrubbable versions.
   

Gloss paint

• Finish: High sheen and very reflective.
   
• Best for: Door frames, skirting boards, railings, some feature woodwork.
   
• Pros:
   
  • Very durable and easy to clean
     
  • Works well in kitchens, bathrooms and high-traffic areas
     
• Cons:
   
  • Highlights every bump, brush mark and imperfection
     
  • Requires good surface prep (sanding, priming)
     
• Typical cost: Typically in the mid–high price band – durable glosses and oil-based or high-performance water-based products cost more.
   

Semi-gloss / eggshell

• Finish: Somewhere between satin and gloss (semi-gloss), or a low-sheen soft finish (eggshell).
   
• Best for: Woodwork, sometimes walls in hallways or kitchens.
   
• Pros:
   
  • Durable and wipeable
     
  • A good compromise if you want cleanable surfaces without high shine
     
• Cons:
   
  • Still shows surface defects more than matte
     
  • Touch-ups can be visible if you’re not careful
     
• Typical cost: Similar to or slightly higher than satin in many ranges.
   

 

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How Long Does It Take to Paint a Room?

For a professional decorator:

• Simple bedroom (walls & ceiling): 1 day
   
• Standard bedroom with woodwork and minor prep: 1–2 days
   
• Larger lounge/complex room with prep, multiple coats, lots of woodwork: 2–3 days
   

These timings line up with multiple 2025 room-cost guides that suggest around 1–2 days for a 4m x 3m room, including woodwork.

For DIY, you can double these times (or more), especially if you’re fitting it around work and life.

 

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Additional / Hidden Costs to Watch For

When comparing quotes, check whether these are included:

• Prep work – filling cracks, sanding, removing old flaking paint, stain-blocking
   
• Wallpaper stripping – can add a day or more per room in bad cases
   
• Woodwork – doors, frames, skirting, window sills, radiators
   
• Ceiling painting – sometimes quoted separately
   
• Travel / parking – especially in city centres
   
• Minimum charge – many decorators have a minimum daily or half-day fee (even for a tiny job)
   
• Furniture moving & protection – you’ll save money if the room is cleared and ready
   

Always ask for a written breakdown so you know exactly what your quote includes.

 

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DIY vs Hiring a Professional

DIY: cheaper, but more effort

Costs:

• Paint and materials: £40–£150+ depending on paint quality and room size
   
• Tools (if you don’t already have them): £20–£70
   

DIY makes the most sense when:

• You’re happy with a “good enough” finish
   
• You have time and patience
   
• The walls are in relatively good condition
   

Professional: more expensive, but higher finish & quicker

Worth the extra cost when:

• You want a crisp, long-lasting finish
   
• There’s significant prep work or tricky surfaces
   
• You’re working to a deadline (e.g. moving in / selling)
   

A good decorator will also advise on paint types, colour choices, and problem areas (like damp patches or hairline cracking).

 

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How to Get an Accurate Quote in 2025

When asking for quotes:

1. Measure your room – length, width, and ceiling height if higher than standard.
    
2. Describe the current condition – any cracks, flaking, stains, or existing wallpaper.
    
3. Specify what you want painted – walls, ceiling, woodwork, radiators, doors, windows.
    
4. Clarify who supplies paint – you or the decorator.
    
5. State any preferences – brand/finish of paint (matte vs satin, designer vs trade, eco options).
    
6. Ask for it in writing – with labour, materials, and any extras clearly itemised.
    

Getting 2–3 quotes from reputable, well-reviewed decorators will give you a solid sense of the going rate in your area.

 

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Final Takeaway

For 2025 in the UK, a realistic budget for painting a normal room is:

• £250–£500 for a simple room with standard paint
   
• £350–£650+ if you include woodwork, higher-end paints, or extra prep
   
• More for large or complex rooms, especially in London and the South East