A guide of the process of hiring a painter & decorator to paint your living room, including the costs of labour and materials.
The front room of your home is seen by everyone. Any visitor that walks in, is going to walk through it. With this in mind, you obviously want the room to look good. If you don’t have a huge budget to remodel, a simple paint job might just be what you are looking for.
You can choose from various colours, can easily choose a paint which goes with your décor, and you can instantly change the entire vibe of the room, with a coat (or two) of paint. Better yet, it is a DIY job most owners can tackle, if the room isn’t too large, or doesn’t have too much trim and detail work.
Of course, the walls need be sufficiently sanded & plastered before painting. This is to ensure they are even and uniform throughout the room. Once this is done, a primer might be applied to the walls. However, with newer paint options, many have a built-in primer, so this isn’t always necessary.
If you are doing the work yourself, you want to lay out the painter’s tape, so you can work on floor and wallboards. Also, make sure you completely layout covers for your floors, ceiling, and other furniture, to avoid damaging them with paint.
Choosing the wrong paint colour is a huge mistake. Not only do you pay for an entire tub of paint, you also get stuck with having to repaint the walls afterward if you aren’t happy. So, before you do this project, really take the time to find a paint you love, and a colour you know is going to work in the space. Look at furniture, use online resources for matching colours, and take your time in choosing a colour which really does work.
If you purchase the wrong, or poor-quality paint, this can be an issue as well. It might require several coats, rather than one, which will end up costing you more money if you choose a very low-quality paint. If you don’t buy the proper gloss or shine, the walls won’t look good. Inform the cashier of the type of walls, surface, and how porous they are. They can inform you which paints to choose, to avoid making a big mistake when you are preparing to paint.
Indoor versus outdoor does make a difference. Do not simply choose the cheaper option. Remember, this is the front entrance of the home. You want it to look good, so you have to purchase a paint which is really going to shine through in the space. Don’t make it all about cost, and forget about the aesthetic appeal. It does matter, so shop, compare, and make sure you are buying the right paint, for the room you are going to be painting.
Trimming work can be done. It might take some extra time, but with painter’s tape you can buy, you can easily patch surfaces, and do fun detail work in the room. And, you can obviously avoid damaging floors, the light switches, and other surfaces, if you aren’t a professional painter, and are planning on doing the paintwork on your own in the front room of the home.
Other small tasks like changing light switches, lighting, or even a few small pieces of furniture, can go a long way in improving the look of your room. Even lamps or shades can completely change the look of a room. You are on a tight budget, however, there are small tasks you can do, which do not cost much, and are going to make a great deal of difference in the overall look and feel of the room, when you choose to complete all of the projects together.
If you DIY the project, set aside 3-5 days to complete. Even if the room is smaller in space, you should take your time, to avoid huge mistakes along the way. And, in terms of cost, you can expect to spend £150-£200, depending on the quality of the paint, tape, varnishes, and other equipment you buy when you are painting this room.
If you plan on hiring a painter, you will pay £150-£200 per day. But, they can also complete this project in 1-2 days max. Further, they guarantee their work, the paint, and quality. You will also pay for the paint, which can run £100 or higher, depending on quality. So, consider all costs if you choose to go this route.
We have hundreds of homeowners each day checking the prices on YourJobCost before hiring a tradesperson. That way they've already got a good idea of how much they should be quoted.
Here is a list of commonly asked questions in regards to having your living room painted.
Yes. However, make sure you buy the right paint, rollers, sprayers, and tapes, so you can properly paint all surfaces. Also, take the time to familiarise yourself with this type of project, to avoid delays or errors when painting.
A painter charges a flat labour rate, ranging from £150-250. This is typically what costs most per day. But, they guarantee their work, and they will finish it much faster than you will be able to complete the painting project on your own.
It depends on the type of wall and surfaces you are painting. An indoor paint is a given; but the gloss, shine, brilliance, and other details, will depend on the type of walls you are painting in the space.
Yes. Accent walls are a great way to really brighten up any room. Again, this will incur higher costs, more time to complete, and it will require more precision in your execution.
This depends on the quality of the paint you choose. Today, you can find quality paint products, which guarantee a lifespan of 5-10 years, and in some cases longer. They cost more, but they also look better, and you won’t have to touch up the walls every few months either.
