Painter & decorator day rates in London
Greater London · 2026
£245–£405
per day, ex VAT
£31–£51
per hour
+35%
vs UK average
A painter and decorator working in London typically charges £245–£405 a day (£31–£51 an hour), ex VAT — 35% above the UK average of £240 a day. London rates run 30–40% above the national picture. Higher living costs, congestion charging, ULEZ and parking all get passed into quotes, and competition from commercial and high-end residential work pulls experienced trades away from small domestic jobs.
The gap between the bottom and top of this range is mostly preparation and finish quality. Decorators who photograph their prep work and specialise in period property or high-end finishes sit well above the median.
What moves a painter and decorator's rate
- 01Interior versus exterior work — exteriors carry access and weather risk
- 02Preparation-heavy period properties, where prep is most of the job
- 03Wallpaper hanging, which is a premium skill priced above painting
- 04Whether materials are supplied by the decorator (with markup) or the client
London vs everywhere else
| London | £245–£405 |
| South East | £205–£345 |
| East of England | £190–£315 |
| South West | £180–£300 |
| Scotland | £175–£290 |
| West Midlands | £175–£290 |
| North West | £170–£280 |
| East Midlands | £165–£275 |
| Yorkshire | £160–£270 |
| Wales | £160–£265 |
| North East | £155–£255 |
| Northern Ireland | £150–£245 |
Charging £325? Prove it's enough.
The market range is the market's number. Yours depends on your overheads, your tax pot and how many days you actually bill. Run it through the calculator, then send the quote while the number's fresh.
Other trades in London
Painter & decorator rates in London — FAQs
- How much does a painter and decorator charge per day in London?
- A painter and decorator in Greater London typically charges £245–£405 a day, ex VAT — 35% above the UK average of £240 a day. Established tradespeople with strong reviews sit at the top of that range.
- What is the hourly rate for a painter and decorator in London?
- Roughly £31–£51 an hour, based on an eight-hour day. Short jobs and emergency call-outs are usually charged at a higher hourly rate or a fixed call-out fee rather than a pro-rata slice of the day rate.
- Is it cheaper to pay a day rate or a fixed price?
- For a clearly-defined job a fixed price protects you from overruns; for open-ended or diagnostic work a day rate is fairer, ideally with an agreed not-to-exceed cap. Most experienced painter and decorators quote a fixed price once they have seen the work.
- Do painter and decorators in London charge VAT on top?
- Only if they are VAT-registered, which is required once turnover passes £90,000 a year — then 20% is added. Many sole traders sit below that and don't charge VAT, so always confirm whether a quote is inclusive or exclusive of VAT.
- How do I know if a painter and decorator's quote is fair in London?
- Compare it against the £245–£405 local day-rate range and get two or three quotes. A written quote is binding, so the price shouldn't change unless you ask for extra work — treat a quote well outside the range, in either direction, as a prompt to ask why.
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Indicative ranges compiled from public cost guides, reviewed July 2026. Ex VAT. A guide, not a quote, and not financial advice.