Do you do your own decorating?

[MrBennOfFestiveRoad]

After using two different decorators where we’ve had to touch up missed bits ourselves, I’m coming to the conclusion that it’s better to do it myself, as DH hates painting. Not sure if I’m just too fussy or we have been unlucky. I would prefer to use decorators as I work full time and have small children but not sure if it’s actually worth it.

Thanks - the masking tape/small brush idea could work in some of our other rooms where there are inaccessible high ceiling areas.

Yes when I say walls matching ceiling I mean we tend to paint the walls white! Something like natural calico you can get away with a brush masking taped to a pole but I agree if you want to go dark you might need something more sophisticated.

Do it ourselves to keep costs down

We do it ourselves. We paid a well recommended decorator and were very disappointed - currently redoing most of what he did. The prep work is always the worst (sanding, filling etc) but worth it for a good finish. Painting itself is pretty easy once you get your technique right.

I do my own, but not the stairs bit. (Hence the stairs bit being considerably scruffier than anywhere else in the house.)

I enjoy it too. I'm always painting something. This weekend I'm painting my kitchen units.

Right now I'm just about to finish my boys room. I've done the woodwork, white walls and cutting in. Just the brights walls and stripes to go...

Thanks all, you’ve made me feel more motivated to get on with it myself

Always do it myself except years ago couldnt when I couldn't hang wallpaper on the hugh stairs parts. Now im more into paint on plastered walls with the odd wallpapered wall so its very easy to do myself.

I also couldn't afford to pay someone everytime i changed something as i like to keep things looking fresh and love interior design.

No- I think you can tell when people have done it themselves, doesn’t look as professional

We’ve done some ourselves but last time got decorators in and it was so much quicker. I’d definitely pay for them to come again rather than waste my weekends doing it.

I have very little patience when it comes to painting and would much rather have someone do it to a higher standard than what I could do. They sorted us all the paint at trade price as well.

I usually do walls and ceilings by myself, but recently we got someone in to do all the woodwork, ceilings, and the walls in the hallway. I'm so glad we had him do the woodwork as it would have taken us ages and we wouldn't have done as neat of a job.

I do think that most people aren't going to be as careful with your house as you would be. This is the first time I've been impressed by someone else's paint job, and I'd happily hire him again.

No way! We have excellent decorators, there's no chance we could get the perfect finish they do.

Always get someone in. The thought of spending days doing the decorating kills my soul. My DH loves it but does a shit job.

No- I think you can tell when people have done it themselves, doesn’t look as professional

I've seen shit professional jobs and perfect DIY. The right tools as a DIYer make a huge difference, plus not cutting corners. For example, we could have just repainted our doors/architraves/skirts and it'd be okay but we stripped it all right back. We know what we're doing and enjoy it.

Right, I have picture rail to hang...

We do our own, rarely have budget to pasy someone. We are pretty skilled after 3 houses.

We’ve used really good professional decorators in the past but you wouldn’t be able to tell that the last one was a professional - really rough roller marks, bits missed and he used the wrong type of paint. He has good reviews but I could definitely do better. Unfortunately we’ve already paid him and I don’t want to get him to fix it in case he makes it worse!

I'm planning on doing the living room starting next week. It's going to be a mammoth job the worse but is the prepping . Last year I did the kitchen , including replacing some tiles, dining room, toilet ( regrouted) and both the kids rooms.

yes but the novelty wore off long ago.

Nobody will take as much care in your house as you will yourself.

Preparation is what makes it a good job.

If you have got the walls and ceiling in really nice condition, it's a trifling job to repaint it next time.

If the ceiling is in poor condition, or artexed, get it skimmed. It might cost you a few £hundred. If you have several rooms done at the same time it should be better value. Move all the furniture and other stuff, and sheet it yourself with clean dustsheets. Plasterers' and decorators' filthy old dustsheets often distribute more dirt than they catch.

Yes. Satisfying. Because Dh and I do it properly.

Yes.

Always have. Wouldn't have had the money to pay someone when we were first married and now I don't want to when we can easily do it ourselves.

I have so much decorating to do - this thread is very inspiring.

So can you hand wallpaper on a painted wall - Matt paint.

Agree that good preparation is key and that getting walls skimmed can save so much time - after the first couple of coats, you can easily redecorate over smooth walls without needing to do much preparation.