Updated 1 June 2026
How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Room in London? (2026)
A standard double bedroom costs £350–£550 to paint, including prep and two coats. A whole two-bed flat runs £1,800–£3,200 depending on condition. The main things that move the number: how much filling and sanding the walls need, and whether the colour change needs a third coat.
2026 London painting price ranges
These are labour-and-materials ranges for South and West London as of 2026, for a standard flat or terraced house in reasonable decorative order.
| Job type | Price range | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
| Single room, 2 coats | £350–£550 | 1 day |
| Whole flat (2-bed) | £1,800–£3,200 | 4–6 days |
| Woodwork & trim (per room) | £250–£450 | 1 day |
| Exterior render/masonry | £1,200–£2,200 | 2–3 days |
What moves the price up
A dark-to-light colour change, or painting over a patterned wallpaper, usually needs a stain-blocking primer coat plus an extra topcoat — often £80–£150 extra per room beyond a standard two-coat job.
Heavy filling and sanding, common in a Victorian terrace with cracked or uneven old plaster, adds a half to a full day of prep before any paint goes on.
Farrow & Ball and other premium paints cost more per litre than trade emulsion — worth factoring in if you have a specific shade in mind.
What moves the price down
Staying with a similar tone to the existing colour avoids the extra stain-blocking coat and cuts a day off a multi-room job.
Booking several rooms together in one visit is more efficient than separate single-room jobs, since setup and masking time is shared across the job.