Living room and passage decoration

A professional decoration job goes far beyond simply rolling paint onto walls. It involves meticulous surface preparation, repairing minor structural imperfections, and applying specialist finishes to woodwork and masonry to ensure a long-lasting, premium result.

What Does the Work Involve?

• Protection: Laying heavy-duty drop cloths, taping off skirting boards, and covering furniture or flooring to prevent paint splashes.
• Surface Preparation: Stripping old wallpaper, scraping away flaking paint, and degreasing surfaces (especially near kitchens or fireplaces).
• Repairs: Filling hairline cracks, raking out larger gaps, and sanding surfaces to a perfectly smooth "P120" grade finish.
• Mist Coating: Applying a thinned layer of emulsion to new plaster to ensure the topcoats adhere correctly and don't peel.
• Cutting In: Using precision brushes to create sharp lines around ceilings, sockets, switches, and architraves.
• Woodwork: Sanding, priming, and painting skirting boards, door frames, and radiators with hard-wearing satin or gloss finishes.
• Feature Walls: Specialist application of high-end wallpaper or bold accent colours to create a focal point in the living room.

Typical Costs

Pricing for UK decoration varies based on the size of the rooms, the condition of the existing plaster, and your choice of materials. High-end designer paints (e.g., Farrow & Ball or Little Greene) will increase material costs compared to trade-standard emulsions.

The condition of your walls is the biggest price driver. If the plaster is "blown" or heavily cracked, you may need a plasterer to skim the walls before the decorator can begin, which can add £400–£700 to the total project cost.

How Long Does It Take?

• Small Living Room (Refresh): 1.5 to 2 days for two coats of emulsion and woodwork.
• Standard Living Room + Hallway: 3 to 5 days, allowing for drying time between coats and prep.
• Full Strip and Redecorate: 5 to 7 days if extensive wallpaper removal and wall repairs are required.
• Hallway with High Stairwells: Adds 1 day due to the complexity of moving equipment and painting at height.

DIY or Professional?

While many UK homeowners tackle painting as a DIY task, the difference in finish is often stark. Professionals have the tools to achieve perfectly flat finishes on woodwork and razor-sharp lines at the ceiling edge.

Expert Tip: Hallway stairwells present a significant health and safety risk. Working at height on stairs requires specialist "ladder stay" equipment or internal scaffolding, making it a job best left to professionals.

If your home was built before 1960, be aware of Lead Paint. Sanding old layers can release toxic dust, requiring professional abatement and HEPA-filtered extraction which DIYers rarely possess.

Choosing the Right Tradesperson

• Check Credentials: Look for members of the Painting and Decorating Association (PDA) or Dulux Select Decorators.
• Public Liability Insurance: Ensure they have at least £1 million in coverage to protect against accidental damage to your home.
• Detailed Quotes: A professional should specify how many coats of paint are included and which brands they intend to use.
• Questions to Ask:
  • "How do you handle dust management—do you use 'dustless' sanding machines?"
  • "Will you remove the radiators or paint behind them?"
  • "What is your process for treating damp or water stains on the ceiling?"

UK Regulations

• Health and Safety: The "Working at Height Regulations 2005" apply to any professional using ladders in your stairwell.
• VOC Compliance: UK law limits Volatile Organic Compounds in paint. Ensure your decorator uses compliant, modern water-based or low-solvent products.
• Waste Disposal: Trade waste cannot be put in domestic bins. Ensure your decorator has a Waste Carrier Licence if they are removing old wallpaper or paint cans.

Common Problems

• Flashing: This occurs when paint is applied unevenly, causing shiny or dull patches. It is usually caused by poor technique or failing to maintain a "wet edge."
• Blistering: Bubbles forming in the paint, often caused by applying oil-based paint over damp surfaces or in humid conditions.
• Poor Adhesion: Paint peeling off in sheets, typically because the surface wasn't cleaned of grease or a mist coat wasn't applied to bare plaster.
• Bleed-through: Stains from old water leaks or smoke showing through new paint. These require a specialist "stain-block" primer before the topcoat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to move all the furniture out of the room?

Most decorators prefer the room to be as empty as possible, but they can usually work around large items moved to the centre of the room and covered with plastic sheeting. Always agree on who is responsible for moving heavy furniture before the job starts.

How long does paint take to dry in a typical UK climate?

Modern water-based emulsions are touch-dry in 1-2 hours but require 4 hours between coats. In winter, you must keep the heating on at a low, steady temperature (around 15-18°C) to ensure the paint cures correctly without cracking.

Can a decorator fix large cracks in my ceiling?

Decorators can fix "settlement" cracks using flexible fillers and scrim tape. However, if the crack is wider than a 50p piece or the plaster feels "bouncy" to the touch, you may need a plasterer to replace the board or reskim the area first.

Is it better to use water-based or oil-based paint for skirting boards?

Modern water-based "satinwood" is now preferred by most UK decorators. Unlike traditional oil-based gloss, it does not yellow over time, has very little odour, and dries much faster, allowing for two coats in a single day.

Should I buy the paint myself to save money?

Generally, no. Professionals usually get trade discounts at merchants like Brewers or Dulux Decorator Centres. Furthermore, they know which specific products work best for your wall type. If you buy the wrong finish, you may end up paying more in labour for extra coats.