To think these prices are steep?

[Whyohwhy65]

Go easy on me I've never had it done before so have no idea if these prices are about right. Got a few quotes for painter/decorator to wallpaper my hallway. Not a huge hall. Will only take 3 rolls of wallpaper to complete it. I will be buying all of the materials for it. I have been quoted 3 - £400 for it. Am I unreasonable to think that this is ridiculously high?
And I would do it myself but the part above the stairs is very high and there is no way I would be able to reach it

That's steep I would get more quotes

How long will it take? If less than a day then £400 is a bit steep. £300 per person per day is fine for any skilled trade imo. Factor out any VAT from your thinking.

Would definitely take less than a day

It completely depends on your walls.

If they are flat and smooth - yes.
If they are flat-ish then it may well be fair as the walls need to be properly prepped

Sounds about right.
When it comes to skilled trades.. remember if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys

£300 a day!!! Not where I live. For less than a day’s work and all materials provided? I’d be expecting less than half that.

Where in the country do you live?

WTF no way you're being ripped off they don't want the job. Do you need any other work doing that you could combine at the time? Be cheaper overall to get more done. Such a small job you want a quote off a local handyman someone that advertises no job too small etc rather than a proper painter decorated.

Also, you say it's "very high" a decent tradesman will want to work off a scaffold tower if a ladder is even vaguely unsafe. You've got to factor in if this is the case they've got to hire it in, take time to go collect it, time to drop it back, or pay for their own one in the first instance then pay to store it somewhere when not in use. Public Liability insurance, van and transport costs, no paid holidays or sickness etc if self employed. Etc etc. My hubbie is a tradesman, gets it all the time "it's not a big job / won't take you long / should do it in a day" etc etc etc. People forget the years of learning his craft (carpenter) and the 1,000's spent on buying every tool possible ... if you think it's high, keep shopping around, I'd say £300 is good, £400 on the dearer end. Xx

Live in the north west and the walls were plastered less than a year ago and haven't been painted so are perfectly flat

I asked on fb, so some are professional and other do it on the side but all the quotes are near enough the same

A local lady who is always busy just advertised - £12.50 per drop (£17.50 on stairs), minimim charge £100.

I would do it myself but the part above the stairs is very high and there is no way I would be able to reach it

There's the point. I could decorate a small bedroom, but I would be very nervous about doing stairs, with that drop - from a safety pov, as well as a 'skill' pov in hanging paper that long.
I would always get a few quotes for a job (3 minimum), but if they are all coming in about the same amount, I think that tells you something about the skills level - and also the equipment needed - to decorate a hallway / staircase.

Often tradespeople will overwuote work when they don't want it/more hassle than their worth. Even if it's a short job it'll potentially eat into a full day/longer job potential time.

We once had a quote of £700 for our box room to be plastered. We ended up paying £200.