How much to line a wall vs skimming

[SunnyUpNorth]

I am renovating a two bed flat. I’ve stripped the 70s woodchip off one bedroom so far and got a quote just to line the walls in that room and then I’ll paint it.

Will need to do the same in the second bedroom and then in the open plan living dining room too.

The bedroom I’ve been quoted for is quite small but high ceilings. I’m not getting the ceiling done. The windows are tall and panelled beneath so there isn’t much cutting of paper to do as it is almost all straight drops apart from a bit above the doorframe.

I’ve been quoted £300 for labour only and paper and paste will be on top. I’m really surprised as thought t would just be a days work.

That must be a similar price to skimming the walls?

It's quite easy to line yourself (just a suggestion, if you have time and want to save the money). I lined our 16x10 foot bedroom over a weekend.

Yes I'd have thought you could get it skimmed for that.

The advantage of lining is it's a DIY job. The cost of just lining paper and paste is very little.

I keep reading that it’s quite easy but have vision so of myself up a ladder covered in paper and paste. I am reasonably handy and practical but have never attempted this.

Is a paste the wall version better? With a reasonably thick but not too thick paper?

No lining done properly is not a DIY job. Tell an apprentice trained decorator that! Yes you can give it a go, like you can give skimming a wall a go, but it will probably look shit.

Personally if you are doing a renovation I wouldn’t settle for lined walls.

BTW, when you line a wall, the paper is hung horizontally and not vertically and then the joins are all filled and finely sanded, hence the amount of time involved in doing a proper job.

Any idea how much it would be in comparison to get it skimmed?

Skimming costs totally depends on the size of the room & location. We got quotes for skimming & proper lining in London & there wasn't much in it so went for skimming as the finish is so much better/longer lasting.

The reason this needed doing was to rectify previous owners DIY lining job...its harder than it looks if you're looking for a good finish. Big respect to pp who managed themselves.

I’m in Yorkshire and we’ve had some walls/ceilings skimmed in the last few years. High ceilings, no enormous rooms though.

Costs have varied from £300-£400 per room. Lining wouldn’t have worked for us as chunks of plaster came away when we took the old paper off.