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Colt Property Improvement

74 review(s)
Based in: Dunstable, LU6 2PP
We are a family orientated company established in 1994. Utilising only the best quality materials and a highly skilled wo...
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Seb's Handyman Services

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Based in: Reading, RG2 0HX
Dear Madam, Dear Sir, Our company, based in Reading, specialises in the Extension, loft conversions, Refurbishment, Gar...
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DGN Building

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Based in: Braintree, CM77 8GF
All construction solutions
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BD Bathrooms

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Based in: Surbiton, KT5 9QL
Hi, I'm a experience buldier / tiler with many years of experience. All my jobs are clean and finished to highest standar...
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Attention2detail

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Based in: Stoke-on-trent, ST4 5PD
EXPERIENCED AND CREATIVE PAINTERS As a premier painting contractor, we are committed to delivering customer service that ...

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How much do Decorator services cost?

How much do Decorators charge? Prices for Decorators in 2025 can differ depending upon the sort of task that you need to have carried out in your house. It's the question we receive asked a great deal "how much do Decorators charge?".

Are you planning to hire the services of a decorator for your home or property? If yes, then you’d probably want to know just how much a professional will charge to help get your project over the line. While some home and property owners may prefer to take care of the decorations themselves, there are a number of benefits you stand to derive by calling in a reliable decorator. Not only will you be able to achieve the look and feel you want for your space, but you’d also get more options and varieties to choose from. In this post, we’re going to give you a good insight into decorator charges in the UK to help you make informed decisions moving forward. Let’s take a look!

Firstly, it should be noted that there are a lot of factors that determines the price charged by decorators to complete a project. These factors include the difficulty of the task, the materials required, the location of the property, the qualification and experience of the decorator and lots more. For example, if you happen to reside in the South East ( especially London), you can expect to pay a higher fee than other areas in the country such as Scotland, Northern Ireland and more.

In general, to hire a decorator in the UK will cost you within the range of £17 to about £30 per hour. However, it should also be noted that you can come across a number of methods of determining cost such as per hour, per day, per M2 or even per bedroom.

View our Decorator cost guide View our Decorator advice

The average price
of a Decorator is:

£2,132

Decorator job Decorator cost in 2025
Painting and decorating £254-£3,464
Exterior painting and decorating £536-£3,528
uPVC Window Spraying £150-£4,500

Decorator service qualifications and accreditations

Decorators breathe a new lease of life into everyday spaces. They beautify through preparation and application of paint, wallpaper as well as other finishes inside and out. Decorators do not only plan, but they also implement decoration schemes for both residential homes and commercial establishments like offices, shops, hotels, restaurants and the likes. They design and plan the overall aesthetic of a space while also supervising and coordinating the activities of tradesmen which includes painters as well as carpet layers.

There are a number of ways to become a decorator such as through a college course, an apprenticeship or a job training. These routes can be explored so as to find the one which is most suitable for you. As expected, some of these routes have some certain qualifications, however many employers are actually more interested in individuals who are enthusiastic, willing to learn and also follow instructions.

As a decorator, to be able to work on a construction site, you’ll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS). However, it should be noted that it’s very possible to work as a decorator without qualifications. However, several employers usually prefer individuals with qualifications in the field as it assures them of a top quality work. To achieve this, you can consider the following:

  • You can complete a qualification in Interior Decoration which could be a Certificate IV in Interior Decoration ( MSF40113 ) or a Diploma of Interior Design and Decoration ( MSF50213 ).
  • You can also consider getting an assistant role so as to build your practical experience as well as body of the entire decoration work.
  • Create a portfolio of work to show to prospective clients as well as employers.

Services offered by Decorator

A decorator is simply an individual trained in the beautifying a client’s home by dictating its look and feel through the selection and placement of decorative elements which includes textiles, paint, furniture and more. This profession involves meeting the client directly so as to get a sense of how they intend to make use of their space and also how they want it to feel. Decorators work within their clients’ budget to breathe a new lease of life into any particular space or property. The role of a decorator is often confused with that of a designer but the main difference is that decorators don’t make architectural changes but rather work to improve an existing space or property. You’ll find a lot of decorators to be freelancers or consultants, while others work within bigger organizations. In this post, we’re going to give you a good insight into some of the roles of a decorator. Let’s take a look!

Decorator FAQs

What questions should I ask a decorator?

Hiring a decorator for your project always seem easy until you get started. With a wide range of decorators available today, it can be quite tricky separating the boys from the men and selecting the right tradesman for your unique project. There are a number of things to put into consideration, questions to ask and lots more to ensure your decorating job is awarded to the right tradesman. In this post, we’re going to give you an insight on some of the essential questions to ask to make sure the prospective decorator is a good match. Let’s take a look!

  • What qualifications do you possess? With the pool of decorators around in the industry today, qualifications are needed to help you determine the true specialists. A qualified decorator gives you an assurance (to some extent) that a quality work would be done to your requirements. Decorators, generally, can earn a degree which includes course work in architecture and are also licensed.
  • How do you help me identify and communicate my style to you? If you have an idea and know what you want for your space, a good decorator should be able to get it out of you by showing you pictures and asking questions which can vary widely.
  • Do you have examples of previous work that are similar to my project in style, scope as well as budget? A decorator that answers yes to this question is a good indicator that they can handle your project. If they don’t, you can ask for pictures of projects they feel is quite similar to yours
How long should I wait after plastering to paint my walls?

You should always wait until plaster is dry before painting. The time this will take varies depending on the room and property, but in general, it will take about a week. Your plasterer will tell you how long it is best to leave it before covering or painting their work.

how to paint a ceiling?

How To Paint A Ceiling

If you’re a bit hesitant to take on the seemingly awkward task of painting your ceiling, you’re definitely not alone. However, there are ways in which you can make ceiling painting tasks one of the less strenuous tasks you’ll find around the house as they’ll help you get rid of most drips and also assist you to easily determine whether or not you’re covering the whole ceiling. In several cases, painting a ceiling simply means painting it white again and most same colour painting jobs are way easier than painting with a new colour entirely. When you have the right size of nap controller as well as the appropriate length of an extension pole, painting over your head will be a lot easier. Here’s how to paint a ceiling.

✓ Prepare the room. This include removing as many furniture and objects from the room as possible while also laying down plastic sheets on the remaining ones. And also cover the floor with paper or canvas drop cloths.

✓ Remove obstructions. Detach or remove everything that can make your work harder like light fixtures or smoke detectors.

✓ Protect surfaces. This includes protecting vertical surfaces like the windows and doors from ceiling paint.

✓ Prepare the ceiling. This involves vacuuming the ceiling to get rid of any dust or dirt, sanding any rough spots on the ceiling with a sandpaper and filling any small holes or cracks in the ceiling (optional).

✓ Prime the ceiling. Use an angled brush or paint edging tool or primer to cut in edges of the ceiling.

✓ Paint the edges of the ceiling. When the primer has dried, simply paint the edges of the ceiling to create a frame in which you can easily work in.

✓ Paint the ceiling in grids.

how to prep walls for painting?

How To Prep Walls For Painting

This is exactly the part of a wall painting job that can make or mar the whole project. To ensure that your paint project doesn’t end up being disastrous, the most important place to start is from room preparation which includes cleaning, sanding as well as priming the walls before painting. Not every wall will require to go through all the preparation steps as all walls are unique and some are in better conditions than others. However, it’s advisable to thoroughly inspect the surfaces before you proceed to painting and take the necessary actions where required.

This is a very simple DIY job that should be completed in little time, however it’s also perhaps the most important step of the entire painting project. Hence, if you lack the confidence to pull this off, then we’d recommend employing a painting expert who can guarantee the best results for help. In this guide, we’ll should you how you can prepare your wall for painting.

✓ Cleaning. There is no single best way to properly clean a wall, but most walls will be just fine with a sponge and warm water. For walls that have been stained with oil or grime such as kitchen walls, you can apply grease cutting detergent and water mixture to wash and follow up with warm water to clean the residues and a damp cloth wiping to finish it off. Then leave to dry off properly.

✓ Remove mildrew. Wipe out mildrew using a sponge and solution that’s three to four parts water to one part bleach. Apply this solution and scrub the affected surface with a soft brush.

✓ Sanding. This step is only meant for walls with rough spots on its surface. Dull the uneven spots with a sandpaper, wipe away the dust and leave to dry. Use a fine grit sandpaper to sand the surfaces and let it dry properly.

✓ Priming. Prime the wall to get the most out of your paint. They work to disguise imperfections and create a smooth surface on which you can work on.

how to paint exterior door?

How To Paint Exterior Door?

The front or exterior door is an excellent way to add to your house’s visual appeal. You choose to add a little style, think outside the norm and stand out in a lot of ways.

The front door or exterior door is what your guests are going to first come in contact with and can go a long way to shape their impression about you. It’s also one of the very things that grabs attention when looking at a house from a distance. So if you’re going to paint it yourself, you should know there’s no room for errors. However, if you’re not confident enough then we’d recommend you hire the services of a reliable professional who can guarantee the best results for help. Here’s some top painting advice aimed at helping you getting the project done in a quick and easy manner.

✓ Prepare the front door. Detach the doors from the hinges ( you may decide not to completely detach the door). However, there’s the need to tape off and protect the exposed hardware or windows if you won’t be detaching the door completely before painting.

✓ Start to paint the front door. Use a brush to run along the taped area to create a frame in which the roller can easily work in. What’s more? If the exterior door is metal or fibreglass, you can create a more natural look by painting in the direction that would be on a wood door.

✓ To fill and refine your front door painting, you can simply roll the paint directly on the surface for a flat one-panel door. However, if it’s a panelled door, then you’ll have to first make use of your brush to paint the inlaid regions before using the roller on the flat, outer regions.

can you spray white uPVC windows grey?

This is one of the most common questions when it comes to upvc windows. If you’re also interested in knowing the possibility of spraying white upvc windows grey, then you’ve come to the right place! In this post, we aim to answer this question once and for all.

 

The short and simple answer to this question is yes, you can definitely spray white upvc windows grey! In fact, you can spray white upvc windows with any colour of your choice. So far, the most used colour is the anthracite grey, but you’re not restricted to that. You can also make use of agate grey, French grey, window grey, battleship grey and lots more! However, it should be noted that spraying white upvc windows grey is in no way an easy task as it requires lots of experience and practice.

 

The spraying process usually starts with a thorough cleaning of all the surfaces to be sprayed using a specialist solvent upvc cleaner. Once done, you’ll have to get rid of any existing silicone from around the frames because the paint won’t adhere properly to silicone. Upon completion, you can then proceed to masking up the surrounding brick or stone, glass, openings into room, furniture, paths or plants and many more to protect them from potential paint overspray. Now to spray the paint, you can make use of a spray gun and spray painter. Before you start painting, you can apply a light dust or mist coat to identify any contamination left on the surfaces. Once this has dried without any negative reactions, you should spray two further coats (some colours may require up to 3). leave for up to 20 minutes to dry and remove all masking.

What sort of jobs will an interior painter and decorator carry out?

Interior painters and decorators will offer a wide range of services. These range from painting and wallpapering to other decorating jobs such as fitting skirting or architrave. Some painters and decorators will be trained to plaster as well, however, you should always ask them about this and not assume they will all be able to.

Which external areas can be painted?

This will depend on your property, but commonly painted areas include rendered walls, guttering, soffits and fascias, and window frames. Generally you can paint what you want but on older or listed buildings, you may be restricted. An experienced painter will tell you what is possible.

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