Painting the inside of a 5-bedroom house in the UK typically costs between £6,000 and £15,000 in 2026 (excluding VAT), with many homeowners landing around £6,000–£7,500 for a straightforward job. Painting the outside is a separate bill: expect roughly £3,600 for the walls alone on a detached house, plus scaffolding. Your final price depends mostly on wall condition, paint quality, how many rooms and how much woodwork you include, and where in the UK you live.
5-bedroom house painting costs at a glance
| What you’re painting | Typical UK cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Interior only, 5-bed (full range) | £6,000–£15,000 + VAT | Rated People |
| Interior only, 5-bed (published average) | £5,500–£7,500 (average about £6,000) | Whito, citing Checkatrade |
| Exterior walls, detached (about 120m²) | £2,400–£4,800 (average £3,600) | Checkatrade |
| Decorator day rate | £250–£400 (average £325) | Checkatrade |
Treat these as ballpark figures. Different cost guides use different assumptions, which is why the ranges are wide. Always get written quotes before you commit.
How much does it cost per room?
A five-bedroom house is really a lot of separate rooms, so it helps to price them one by one. Based on quotes collected by MyJobQuote, typical room costs look like this:
- Box room (7–9m²): £175–£300
- Small bedroom (10–12m²): £250–£400
- Large bedroom (14–20m²): £350–£650
- Living room: around £475 on average, according to MyJobQuote
Add hallways, a staircase, landing, kitchen, bathrooms and a utility room and the total climbs quickly. Stairs and tall hallways cost more per square metre because they need extra access equipment and take longer to cut in.
What do decorators charge per day?
The average UK painter and decorator charges about £325 per day, with a typical range of £250–£400, according to Checkatrade’s 2026 cost guide. Location matters: Fantastic Services lists £230–£355 per day outside London and £280–£460 in London and the South East, with London adding roughly 20–30% overall.
Checkatrade also gives two handy rules of thumb for whole-house pricing: about £40–£60 per m² of floor space, or £10–£20 per m² of wall area for interior painting.
A worked example
Say your five-bed has about 180m² of floor space. At £40–£60 per m², you’re looking at roughly £7,200–£10,800. That’s an illustration based on the published rate, not a quote, but it sits comfortably inside the typical range above.
How long does it take to paint a 5-bedroom house?
It depends on team size and prep. Airtasker says a large house, such as a three-storey or five-bedroom property, can take up to two weeks. A single decorator working alone will take longer, and labour is usually the biggest part of your bill, so a longer job costs more.
What affects the price most?
- Wall condition and prep. Filling cracks, removing flaking paint or stripping wallpaper can add roughly £50–£300+ per room, according to MyJobQuote. Prep is the single biggest variable in most quotes.
- Paint quality and finish. Premium washable paints cost more per tin but usually need fewer touch-ups.
- Ceilings, woodwork and doors. Quotes that include skirting boards, doors and ceilings cost noticeably more than walls-only quotes.
- Colour changes. Going from dark to light often needs a primer or extra coat.
- Location. London and the South East are consistently more expensive.
- Access and height. Three-storey homes, high ceilings and open staircases need more equipment and time.
How much does it cost to paint the outside of a 5-bedroom house?
Exterior painting is priced separately. Checkatrade estimates £2,400–£4,800 (average £3,600, about seven days) for the external walls of a 120m² detached house, or roughly £20–£40 per m². A five-bedroom home is often larger than that benchmark, so expect your quote to land higher.
The big add-on is scaffolding. Checkatrade’s scaffolding guide lists £650–£1,100 per week for a two-storey semi-detached house, and a detached five-bed needs more coverage and usually longer hire. Guides disagree on pricing basis (weekly versus monthly), so ask every scaffolder exactly what’s included and for how long.
How much paint do you need?
Dulux explains the formula simply: measure your surface area, divide by the coverage rate printed on the tin, then multiply by the number of coats. As a rough guide, high-quality paint covers about 35m² per 2.5 litres across two coats. For a whole five-bed interior, that means dozens of litres once you include ceilings and woodwork. Buy a little extra for touch-ups, and keep the tin labels.
Is it cheaper to do it yourself?
Doing the work yourself removes labour, which is the largest cost, so you could spend a few hundred pounds on paint and kit instead of thousands. The trade-offs are time (a full house is a big job for one person), finish quality and, for exteriors, safety and scaffolding. A sensible middle route: do the prep and simple bedrooms yourself, and pay a decorator for stairs, ceilings and high-visibility rooms. Screwfix’s room painting guide is useful if you’re weighing it up.
How to save money without hurting the finish
- Get three itemised quotes and check each one covers the same rooms, coats and prep.
- Do the prep yourself: move furniture, strip wallpaper and take down fittings.
- Book off-peak. Many decorators are busiest in spring and summer.
- Phase the work: do the main living areas first and bedrooms later.
- Supply your own paint only if your decorator agrees, since some won’t guarantee the finish.
- Confirm VAT. Many quoted ranges exclude it, so ask whether the price is inclusive.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to paint the inside of a 5-bedroom house in the UK?
Most quotes fall between £6,000 and £15,000 excluding VAT, with a published average of around £6,000 for standard jobs.
How much does it cost to paint the outside of a 5-bedroom house?
Painting the walls of a detached house averages about £3,600 (£2,400–£4,800) for roughly 120m², and a larger five-bed will usually cost more. Scaffolding is extra.
How many days does it take to paint a 5-bedroom house?
Up to about two weeks for a team, depending on prep, number of coats and whether woodwork and ceilings are included.
How much do UK painters and decorators charge per day?
Around £325 on average, with a typical range of £250–£400 and higher rates in London and the South East.
Is paint included in the price?
Not always. Some quotes include materials and some charge paint separately, so check the breakdown before you accept.
Is it worth hiring a professional?
For a house this size, usually yes for stairs, ceilings and exteriors. A professional is faster, brings the right equipment and normally guarantees the finish.
Sources
Prices are estimates from published UK guides, checked in November 2026. They’re a guide only, not a quote.
- Rated People – How much does a painter and decorator cost in 2026?
- Checkatrade – Painting and decorating: Cost Breakdown 2026
- Checkatrade – How much does it cost to paint a house exterior?
- Checkatrade – Scaffolding costs: Price breakdown 2026 (UK)
- MyJobQuote – Room Painting Cost Calculator
- MyJobQuote – How much does it cost to paint a living room?
- Fantastic Services – Painting and decorating cost guide (2026)
- Whito – Interior painting cost UK
- Airtasker UK – How much does it cost to paint a house?
- Dulux UK – How much paint do I need?
- Screwfix – How much to paint a room: 2026 cost guide
