Paying someone to decorate - rough estimate?

[sja360]

The amount of work involved varies massively.

Our house is 1930s and the skirting and door frames have layers of paint probably from way back then . I stripped skirting and doorframes in hallway and it too me an absolute age with a heat gun and scraper etc.

There is a huge differences between rubbing woodwork with a sanding sponge and actually stripping everything back and starting fresh.

I assume it was totally worth stripping it back to bare wood?
I've painted over after giving skirting a light sand and I have thought maybe it's better to take it right back, I'm sure there's at least 10 layers of paint on it (the house is pre-1900's)

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Totally depends on your standards. If you’re happy to have a bucket of paint slapped on walls then yes a day for two coats of emulsion.

Isn't that what painting is?

Or is there something I'm missing here?

I've painted the majority of my own home myself and it's usually been buckets of paint I'm slapping onto the walls.

 

[Nitefly]

In my limited experience, painting a room always takes ~2 days including prep. Sometimes a third day if you're paining something a third colour, using zinzer or whatever. A week seems a long time for a professional!

Edit - can take longer if there's bare plaster, actually.

 

[GinG]

We pay anywhere between £80 - £120 per room, supplying our own paint (usually Valspar Premium).

This is a decorator who's quality of finish is A++ and having contacted him the other night is currently booked up until April.

I think your quote of £150 wouldn't be far off, although location is very much dependant I guess.

 

[GinG]

Isn't that what painting is?

Or is there something I'm missing here?

I've painted the majority of my own home myself and it's usually been buckets of paint I'm slapping onto the walls.

The key I believe is being able to use the paint in the most efficient way (therefore saving money on materials) and the cutting in.

We pay a decorator as the finish is superb but most of all I just can't be bothered!

It does seem however people get the wool pulled over their eyes in regards how long people quote to get things done... I'd expect my whole house painted in a week not just a room!

 

[Psycho Sonny]

The key I believe is being able to use the paint in the most efficient way (therefore saving money on materials) and the cutting in.

We pay a decorator as the finish is superb but most of all I just can't be bothered!

It does seem however people get the wool pulled over their eyes in regards how long people quote to get things done... I'd expect my whole house painted in a week not just a room!

I buy a decent roller and duck tape and use a brush for the edges.

Usually Harris brushes and rollers.

It's not rocket science. You mix the paint pour it out and put it on the walls using the tools above.

As for finish that's usually the paints fault or you aren't rolling in a uniform direction with just a small overlap.

Or if the previous paint used caused issues like bubbling so using good paint after bad.

If anyone took a week to paint a room even a large room questions would be asked.

Even if I won the lottery I'd still paint the majority of my home myself. I'd only get a pro in to do the hallway and stairs, etc. Basically the stuff that is hard to reach and awkward to get to especially with stairs involved.

It's not the money aspect I see it as part of your job as being a man. It's also good to be up and active and feel a sense a pride of doing it yourself and taking care. Nobody ever does a just as good as you will.

Paint I get a farrow and ball Swatch take it to Johnstone's and get them to mix it up in covapluss matte or whatever it is they call it.

Even if someone offered to do it for £50 I'd rather do it myself. I remember the days when a man could change a light fixture, switch, put new wiring in, change a smoke alarm, etc.

I even do minor work on the car myself. I actually enjoy that as I'm learning stuff and I know when I take my car to a garage when they try it on. I bet the folk on here paying £800 a room or for a week's work must be getting shafted by mechanics as well.

 

[fobose]

I normally decorate myself to save money but we had some painters in during Feb 2018 to paint the whole house (4 bed town house) before we moved in. £1200 for all walls and ceilings. The wood work still looked ok at the time and would double the cost.

There were 2 chaps for 4 days (a third chap for 1 of the days). The price also included the paint which was dulux trade in its various version (diamond, vinyl and the bathroom/kitchen stuff).

 

[Hedge]

I buy a decent roller and duck tape and use a brush for the edges.

Usually Harris brushes and rollers.

It's not rocket science. You mix the paint pour it out and put it on the walls using the tools above.

As for finish that's usually the paints fault or you aren't rolling in a uniform direction with just a small overlap.

Or if the previous paint used caused issues like bubbling so using good paint after bad.

If anyone took a week to paint a room even a large room questions would be asked.

Even if I won the lottery I'd still paint the majority of my home myself. I'd only get a pro in to do the hallway and stairs, etc. Basically the stuff that is hard to reach and awkward to get to especially with stairs involved.

It's not the money aspect I see it as part of your job as being a man. It's also good to be up and active and feel a sense a pride of doing it yourself and taking care. Nobody ever does a just as good as you will.

Paint I get a farrow and ball Swatch take it to Johnstone's and get them to mix it up in covapluss matte or whatever it is they call it.

Even if someone offered to do it for £50 I'd rather do it myself. I remember the days when a man could change a light fixture, switch, put new wiring in, change a smoke alarm, etc.

I even do minor work on the car myself. I actually enjoy that as I'm learning stuff and I know when I take my car to a garage when they try it on. I bet the folk on here paying £800 a room or for a week's work must be getting shafted by mechanics as well.

You know my justification for getting a decorator? I can't be arsed to spend my own time on it now.

Ive painted my whole house, fitted my own bathroom, landscaped my garden, replaced my air con compressor, shocks, pads, discs, crankshaft pulley and countless other "man jobs".

Just cant really be bothered to do my living room and landing this time.

 

[GinG]

I buy a decent roller and duck tape and use a brush for the edges.

Usually Harris brushes and rollers.

It's not rocket science. You mix the paint pour it out and put it on the walls using the tools above.

As for finish that's usually the paints fault or you aren't rolling in a uniform direction with just a small overlap.

Or if the previous paint used caused issues like bubbling so using good paint after bad.

If anyone took a week to paint a room even a large room questions would be asked.

Even if I won the lottery I'd still paint the majority of my home myself. I'd only get a pro in to do the hallway and stairs, etc. Basically the stuff that is hard to reach and awkward to get to especially with stairs involved.

It's not the money aspect I see it as part of your job as being a man. It's also good to be up and active and feel a sense a pride of doing it yourself and taking care. Nobody ever does a just as good as you will.

Paint I get a farrow and ball Swatch take it to Johnstone's and get them to mix it up in covapluss matte or whatever it is they call it.

Even if someone offered to do it for £50 I'd rather do it myself. I remember the days when a man could change a light fixture, switch, put new wiring in, change a smoke alarm, etc.

I even do minor work on the car myself. I actually enjoy that as I'm learning stuff and I know when I take my car to a garage when they try it on. I bet the folk on here paying £800 a room or for a week's work must be getting shafted by mechanics as well.

I just don't have the patience to paint, its the one job I am happy to pay out for.

Other jobs I try my hand at, any minor jobs on the car like brakes, battery change etc I do but I find them interesting. I just lose interest about half hour into the room and do a crap job.

 

[Cosmic182]

@Maccapacca is correct. @Psycho Sonny you're nuts!

A 3mt x 6mt room, done properly, walls filled and all lightly sanded, woodwork sanded, ceiling painted 2 coats, walls painted 2 coats, woodwork undercoated, woodwork satin'd, maybe 4 days depending on woodwork) for one. @Psycho Sonny if you can get all this done in a day/2 days, thank the lord you aren't painting/decorating for a living.

If you don't enjoy doing something you're not going to make a professional/good job, you're better off going to work (work from home) earning money, and paying someone to do a professional job and do it once.

 

[GinG]

You know my justification for getting a decorator? I can't be arsed to spend my own time on it now.

Ive painted my whole house, fitted my own bathroom, landscaped my garden, replaced my air con compressor, shocks, pads, discs, crankshaft pulley and countless other "man jobs".

Just cant really be bothered to do my living room and landing this time.

Seems like we have the same justification

 

[dlockers]

I just don't have the patience to paint, its the one job I am happy to pay out for.

Other jobs I try my hand at, any minor jobs on the car like brakes, battery change etc I do but I find them interesting. I just lose interest about half hour into the room and do a crap job.

haha, yes. Exactly this. Knackered about 3 minutes after finding the dust sheets and contemplating moving things out of the way.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

@Maccapacca is correct. @Psycho Sonny you're nuts!

A 3mt x 6mt room, done properly, walls filled and all lightly sanded, woodwork sanded, ceiling painted 2 coats, walls painted 2 coats, woodwork undercoated, woodwork satin'd, maybe 4 days depending on woodwork) for one. @Psycho Sonny if you can get all this done in a day/2 days, thank the lord you aren't painting/decorating for a living.

If you don't enjoy doing something you're not going to make a professional/good job, you're better off going to work (work from home) earning money, and paying someone to do a professional job and do it once.

4 days for 2 coats of paint lol.

There are these things called orbital Sanders which have been invented which can sand woodwork in a matter of minutes.

The last barbecue I had where I made all my garden furniture out of wood fr scratch everyone was impressed with the quality of the furniture and the paint job of said furniture.

4 days lol. That must be a lot of jock itch to take that long.

 

[Hedge]

4 days for 2 coats of paint lol.

There are these things called orbital Sanders which have been invented which can sand woodwork in a matter of minutes.

The last barbecue I had where I made all my garden furniture out of wood fr scratch everyone was impressed with the quality of the furniture and the paint job of said furniture.

4 days lol. That must be a lot of jock itch to take that long.

I have an orbital sander and its absolute no use for sanding the finer parts of our skirting and architrave.

People must love coming to your bbqs to listen to your stories.

 

[Regy53]

We have a 2200 sq ft house and had quotes of 4-5 k plus material to paint from 3 people.
Needless to say we didnt go ahead.
4 bedrooms, fully tiled en suite , a dressing room , fully tiled bathroom, office, dining room and the usual . Note the fully tiled room needed ceilings only.

I bought a cordless sander , lightly sand back the walls first to remove any imperfections , then use a good paint such as farrow and ball. The better the paint the easier it is.

Each room in my opinion takes two days to do especially if natural light is gone by mid afternoon, unless it’s huge which may then be 3. Also depends if your changing the colours as you may need 2-3 coats . I also found some tapes pull off the other paint which is a right pain. We do use duck tape as I hate cutting in. However recently this created more work than it’s worth

 

[Maccapacca]

The maccapacca decorating challenge. Anyone claiming they can decorate a room in less than two days to take a picture of a architrave, skirting and wall junction and a window cill radiator.

Let’s see the colour of your money

 

[200sols]

There are these things called orbital Sanders which have been invented which can sand woodwork in a matter of minutes.

Another useless Psycho post. Electric sanders are useless on most profiles architraves and skirtings.

and the paint job of said furniture.

Painting Garden furniture is hardly the same is it?

 

[dl8860]

The maccapacca decorating challenge. Anyone claiming they can decorate a room in less than two days to take a picture of a architrave, skirting and wall junction and a window cill radiator.

Let’s see the colour of your money

I'll have a go

Here's our bedroom which I redecorated with 8 month pregnant wife - she was better than me with the wall papering!, in fact the wall paper removal was the really tough part. In terms of the painting including prep (so not wallpapering activities) it was definitely < 1.5 man days' work. 1 coat emulsion on ceiling, 2 coats on walls, I think we got away with 1 coat on skirtings as they were already painted white. I think 2 coats on frames. 1 coat on coving.







Obviously not a professional job, but without getting the tooth comb out, it does the job.

I think (others may disagree!) that the day and a half of work and 20 quid of materials this cost is a hugely better value solution than a professional spending 4 days @ say 180 quid per day = 720 for a single room.

 

[dl8860]

Crikey those photos are large haha. Makes it look about 30x worse than any imperfections you'd spot day to day..

 

[Maccapacca]

Crikey those photos are large haha. Makes it look about 30x worse than any imperfections you'd spot day to day..

Good start