Decorating costs

lturneris40

Hi,

I live in a 70's town house, no high ceilings apart from the stair well which has 2 flights of stairs. I live west of London. Fairly good condition apart from some cracks in walls and between ceilings and walls. No windows to be painted as all UPVC

I want the walls, ceilings, and woodwork painted. I have had a Dulux Select Decorator recommended to me, and this is the quote he gave. This includes all materials

Lounge 4mtr x 4 mtrs - £475
Bedroom 3 mt x 4 mt - £375
Hall (long narrow) stairs (have narrow runner so side of each step needs painting) & Landing, including 11 doors - £1650, and painted banisters on one side.

In total he would be painting 5 rooms (similar sizes) plus hall stairs and landing for £3695.

I live on my own so would rather go with someone recommended but don't want to be taken for a ride, but am finding it difficult to get anyone else.

What do you think?

Many thanks

mosquita

This seems very overpriced. I paid £450 in central London for a staircase (2 flights, a radiator, skirting boards banisters and one door - all in gloss/high shine paint. There was a lot of wood work and it took 2,5 days. But by comparison, your lounge and bedrooms should only take 3 days combined as they are much more simple.

misgrace

[QUOTE=mosquita;5101786_There_was_a_lot_of_wood_work_and_it_took_2,5_days._But_by_comparison,_your_lounge_and_bedrooms_should_only_take_3_days_combined_as_they_are_much_more_simple.[/QUOTE]


You are joking I hope, lol 3.5 days to paint 5 bedrooms and 1 lounge, sheeting up, masking up, moving furniture,making good cracks, prep etc 2 coats on ceilings, at least 2 coats on wall, undercoat and top coat on all woodwork, on 5 bedrooms and 1 lounge.?

I am a qualified professional decorator, and I am fast and a perfectionist, and there is no way on this earth that to do a job to my standard, or any high standard would take 3.5 days.

misgrace

Hi there toots, I can only tell you how long I would take, as I work on my own, so I do everything.

But as its an empty property, no sheeting or masking up, moving furniture, hoovering every night etc.

When I decorate, and the majority of all decorators work this way, its always top middle and bottom.

So after you get your prep out the way say for one room, ie lounge, then you coat your ceiling, normally 2 good coats, then you do your walls,again at least 2 good coats, maybe 3, then the woodwork,window sill, doors frame skirtings etc, but you can in between do an undercoat, but must finish top coat on skirtings etc last.(if painting,) if wall papering, then top coats on woodwork out the way, as finish paper goes on last

So in theory, if the lounge doesnt need too much filling and prep to do, as you have to wait for your filler to dry, I could do the room in 2 days easy, taking into account good drying weather for the filler to go off, and the ceiling paint to dry, as you need the ceiling to be dry and finished before you do your cutting un between the wall and the ceiling.

But this is based on my speed of work, as I dont have a dinner break I always work thru lunch time, have a quick cuppa and a sandwich, normally drinking my tea and painting at the same time lol

Hope this helps.:D

BTW, if your woodwork is awful and needs a lot of prep, or your walls and ceilings need a lot also, then you would have to add on a bit extra time for the prep.

misgrace

Hi again Toots, I think your decorator did it quite fast, and also he hung paper, which you cant rush, so hang on to him.:D

As for the OP quote I think its quite high, infact I did PM them offering to go and give them a quote, as they live in west london and I can get there, they havent replied yet, so maybe they have had the job done or havent logged in, but I would charge a good bit less.

They were quoted £475 for lounge, and bedroom £375, so giving the benefit of the doubt re bedroom at 3 days, they would be charging £125 a day, which is sort of the average nowadays, I dont charge nearly as much as that, as I love doing what I do so much, that I would rather charge X amount less than be off work and stay at home, but then again I have a hubby so have another wage coming in, whereas the male painters are probably the bread winners.

The Hall stairs and landing I think is a ridiculous price,but they have 11 doors, they say if they are flush or panel doors, panel doors take longer, but I can paint a panel door in about 10 mins, like I said I am very fast, but I have been in the job for over 20 years, so I know my limits.

I do know that HSL is the most expensive job in the house, as you literally take your life in your hands, and some are so awkward that you cant put a board across, so you have to work off the ladder, and be an acrobat on the side lol.
But I still think its very expensive, if the person who quoted is going to have someone with him, then obviously he has to pay them a day rate, plus he will want a bit on top for himself.

I have painted a few town houses, and they are the worst to paint, but I wouldnt have charged that.

Decorators from the dulux site are vetted, and they will charge more, but the average painter could charge anything from £90-£150 per day.

Hope this has helped.:D