Painting over wallpaper - DIY or tradesperson?

[kiwidreamer]

Landlords have given go ahead to paint over nasty wallpaper in dining and living room, we have no gear and no experience but would thus be a fairly easy undertaking for us or should we just get a professional in? I've got access to good local recommendations and we can probably afford it but if its easy to do we could give it a whirl ourselves (at night when toddler asleep!)

Any advice?

Wouldn't it be better to strip the paper then paint?

Hi I can only give you advice based on my own experience.
I had horrid flowery wallpaper feature walls (left over from previous owners) in dining and living rooms. I have painted over both of them with no problem. one took 2 coats of paint one took 3 coats. I did the first coat quite thin. I did them both in a few hours. looks great imo.

If you are painting over wallpaper it is a bit bodgy.

For economy, give it a couple of coats of matt white (which is very cheap) to obliterate patterns and colours. It will also highlight to the eye any defects you need to correct. You will probably need a seam adhesive for lifted seams. When you are satisfied with the surface, apply your finish colour.

Do all the edges and fiddly bits with a brush, then fill in with a roller.

The walls will be dirty near the top.