Cost of painter

[PerkyOchrePeer]

I live in a flat with a small hallway and I want to paint it so I got a patron decorated to give me a quote. He came and had a look and he said it would need two coats of paint and the cost would be 200 pounds. I don't know if that's too much because the last time I had my hallway painted was about nine years ago and a friend's husband did it but they've moved away. The patron decorator who gave me the quote cccannot really tell me when he can come and do it so I don't want to wait forever so I'm thinking of trying to get somebody else and this painter and decorator told me to get the paint so that if he gets a cancellation he can suddenly call me and say Im in the area I can do the job and that means I've already got the paint here waiting because he can't do that if we don't have the pain so he needs to paint to be already here so he can say for instance I can come tomorrow but he's too unreliable and I think he's too expensive so can people tell me if he's overcharging

I have a friend whos son has just completed his painting and decorating course at college. He's 17 almost 18. He asked me if I had any painting and decorating I needed doing. I had to drive over and collect him and drop him off home afterwards and provide all equipment but he put paper with a pattern on one wall for me around the inglenook and painted two coats of paint on other 3 walls. Room dimensions 22 foot by 14 foot. He was here almost 10 hours. He cleaned up any mess afterwards too. He has done a lovely job. The paper match is perfect. He charged me £250. He's coming again week after next to do same in my dining room and paint both dining room and sitting room ceiling. He's coming again to pain hall, two flights of stairs and one landing. I'd ask at college if they have anyone just completed their painting and decorating course and give them a go. It's hard for youngsters starting out. He's asked if he can take before and after photos for his portfolio. He's saving to buy a van so he can get to jobs independently.

I have the same issue with a gardener who couldn't tell me when he could come round and every time I tried to ask him he kept making excuses so I got rid of him and found somebody else who could see yes I can come and do your garden I can do it this week so I'm looking for a new painter and decorator but first I want to find out if 200 pounds for a small hallway is too match and what he said to me is it would take two hours to paint this hallway with two coats of paint leaving the first one to dry so basically it adds up to 100 pounds per hour I think that's too much for the size of my hallway

He has to drive around to me so I'm not sure whether part of what his charging is is to cover his petrol

£200 for 2 hours seems excessive. Is he supplying the paint?

Do you think you might be out of his area? I guess if he drives for 40 mins to you, sets up, paints, clears up and drives back that's his entire day gone and I think £200 a day is possibly right.

Where are you based?

I’m West London and expect to pay circa £400 per room. As a guide - I’m currently having a v small 3 bed cottage pained, it’s 2 weeks work and will cost £4,500 (cash).

Not only does the tradesman have to travel to you (cost), pay for his insurance etc - but the preparation takes longer than the actual paining - sanding down & prepping the walls. £200 sounds too cheap. It’s at least one days work with all the prep.

That’s extortionate. Do you charge less if it’s for a tiny room? It seems unfair that a tiny bathroom and a huge living toom would cost the same price. Both are rooms.

OP I do think 200 for a small hallway is very fair. Nine years ago done by a mate is of course going to cost far less. However I would not be impressed with the lack of communication. Unfortunately some tradespeople don’t bother communicating if it’s a small job. We had a similar issue with a local tradesman who ignored us when he realised we only had a smallish job for him.

No if you read my post I said I got the pains and he lives in my area

I would get some other quotes. Your mates husband 9 years ago is obviously going to charge far less than a small business in 2025. £200 does sound fair to me.

Ignore the guy above though, London prices are usually twice as much as anywhere else.

My friends husband did the job for nothing because he does not work as a professional painter and decorator he just did it as a favour like my dad painted my parents house my dad is not a painter and decorator but he's good at painting so he just did it

And before you ask no my dad can't paint my hallway because that was years ago and my dad is no longer around

£200 is a good price in my opinion. My DP is a painter and decorator and would charge around £150 an hour. We’re in the south west. It’s a lot more work than just putting some paint on the walls.

The original man that was going to come and do my whole way who lives in my area keeps Fobbing me off and saying he's got too many jobs on at the moment and so I have a pot of paint sitting here waiting for him to suddenly say Can I pop round tomorrow and paint your hallway and that to me does not sound very professional and not only is he charging me 200 pounds for the job he's also asking me to pay £50 for the pot of paint on top which I have gone and bought

Would you expect a painter and decorator to wash the walls down with sugar soap before painting or don't they do that anymore

Ok. Well if you feel it’s an unfair price get some other quotes from those in your area. You’ll then get a ballpark figure of what you will be charged. I think £200 is fair.

It's not just the price it's the fact that all he keeps saying is he doesn't know when he can come so I'm getting rid of him and it's his loss

I did the same thing about the gardener who kept saying the same thing so I found somebody else. I don't want to or need to be treated like this from these so-called professionals

Well, the be fair to him, if he has jobs on that are going to earn him a lot more money, he’s not going to turn them down to come and do a hallway for £200. It is normal practice for the customer to buy the paint for the job and then pay the painter on top, unless you are a big company who can afford the cost of the paint upfront. As others have said, if you’re not happy then you need to look for someone else. Again, there is a lot more that goes into a job than just washing the walls down and applying paint. If you only want someone to do that then find a handyman.

Have you thought that by now you could have painted the hall yourself and it would have cost you nothing? There are plenty of You Tube videos to help you with good hints. We do all our own DIY and over the years have saved tens of thousands.

Ive currently got a decorator in. Had three quotes and all very similar. They charge £220 a day plus mileage if out of my immediate area as im very rural (Norfolk) I’ve supplied the materials.
£200 is close to a day rate. I would suspect if your walls are in need of painting then the woodwork would be ready too so it may be prudent to get that done so you have a lovely fresh hallway.

It would’ve been good practice to say sorry I can’t do it

only if necessary. i.e. pet tide line, smoker home. and that's another day's work (another £££)

good craftspeople have busy calendars.
they might be able to fit a small job in whilst waiting for paint to dry on another job nearby, or if a job unexpectedly take less time.
200£ is a good price ime.

£200 sounds pretty cheap to me but doing it in two hours seems very quick is he expecting you to do all the prep ? Prep alone would be a couple of hours unless it’s already done ie washing down thoroughly , removing anything , filling in any nail holes , sanding down filler etc etc

I've got extremely high ceilings and I haven't got a high enough ladder to reach the top of the ceiling anyway I would not make it look professional so I leave it up to The Professionals