How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Bedroom UK? (2026 Prices)
Updated May 2026 · Schneider Improvement Ltd., Glasgow
Short answer: in 2026, painting a typical UK bedroom costs £180-£450 for a single, £350-£700 for a double or master. Difference is mostly size, wall condition, and whether woodwork (doors, skirting, window frames) is included.
Want a number for your bedroom right now? Use the free calculator — enter dimensions, woodwork, and your local rate, and you'll get a quote in under a minute.
Bedroom cost by size (2026 UK averages)
| Bedroom type | Walls + ceiling | + Woodwork | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single (≈9-11 m² floor) | £180-£300 | £250-£450 | 1 day |
| Double (≈12-15 m²) | £280-£480 | £380-£600 | 1-1.5 days |
| Master (≈16-20 m²) | £400-£600 | £500-£800 | 1.5-2 days |
Two coats, mid-range matt emulsion (e.g. Dulux, Crown), one painter. Add 20-30% if you're in London or the South East.
What's actually in the price
A painter quoting £350 for your double bedroom isn't just selling you four hours of labour. They're covering:
- Prep — filling holes, sanding flaky bits, taping edges, covering floors and furniture. Usually 30-40% of the time.
- Materials — 5-7L of emulsion (£40-£90), undercoat or stain block (£20-£40 if needed), masking tape, sandpaper, dust sheets.
- Two coats — almost always required on a colour change or fresh plaster. One-coat looks patchy and won't last.
- Cut-in & finish — the slow, careful bit at corners, ceiling line, and around sockets. This is what separates a painter from a roller-and-pray DIY job.
- Insurance, fuel, tools — the bits no one quotes for separately.
Walls only vs walls + woodwork
"Walls and ceiling only" is the most common quote on a small bedroom. Adding the woodwork (door, frame, window, skirting) typically adds £70-£200 depending on how many windows and how scuffed the existing paint is. Skirting alone is fiddly — it takes longer than people expect because of all the cut-in.
What pushes the price up
1. Wall condition
Fresh plaster needs a mist coat (watered emulsion) plus two top coats — that's three coats, not two. Old wallpaper that needs stripping can add a full day's labour.
2. Dark or strong colour change
Going from a deep red or navy to white needs a stain block undercoat or three coats. Add £40-£80 for materials and half a day of time.
3. High ceilings or stairwells
A loft bedroom with sloped ceilings or a stairwell-adjacent room needs scaffolding or longer ladders — premium of 15-25%.
4. Furniture-in-place vs empty room
An empty bedroom is 20-30% faster to paint. If the painter has to keep moving a wardrobe and bed around, it costs you time.
5. Specialist finishes
Feature wall in chalk paint, lime wash, or magnetic primer? Premium materials and slower application — £100-£300 added on top.
The DIY question — is it worth it?
For a single bedroom, materials alone are £30-£60. A weekend of your time. If you've painted before and the room is in decent shape, doing it yourself saves £150-£300.
If you haven't painted before, or the walls are damaged, the maths shifts. You'll need to buy rollers (£15), brushes (£20), a paint tray, dust sheets, filler, sandpaper — easily £80 in tools alone. And the finish will likely not match a professional job. Most first-timers underestimate the prep, end up with visible roller marks, and either redo it or live with it.
Day rate vs per-room quote
Most UK painters charge one of two ways:
- Per-room fixed price — common for single-room jobs. You know the cost up front. Painter takes the risk if it takes longer than expected.
- Day rate — £180-£280/day for one painter, £350-£500/day for a team of two. More common on larger jobs (whole house, exterior, commercial). Cheaper per square metre if your job has a lot of repetitive work.
For a single bedroom, always ask for a per-room fixed price. You should never pay day rate for one room — you'll overpay.
How to get a fair quote
- Get 3 quotes. Painters vary wildly — same room can be quoted £200-£500.
- Ask if two coats are included. Always say yes.
- Ask about materials. Cheap trade emulsion vs premium matt is £40-£60 difference per room.
- Ask for a written quote, not estimate. A quote is binding. An estimate is just a guess.
- Use our free calculator to sense-check what a painter quotes you. If their number is more than 30% above the calculator's range, ask why.
Try it for your room: paintingquotation.com — add room dimensions, pick your unit (m or ft) and currency, see your number. Free, no signup, works on phone.
Related questions
- What size paint can do I need for one bedroom? — A standard 2.5L can covers ≈30 m² in one coat. A single bedroom (≈40-45 m² of wall + ceiling) needs 5L for two coats.
- Should I paint the ceiling the same colour? — White is safest for resale. Same-colour ceilings make a small room feel taller; off-white feels warmer.
- Can I paint a bedroom and sleep in it the same night? — Modern water-based emulsion is dry in 2-4 hours and safe to sleep in after 8-12. Oil-based gloss on woodwork — wait 24 hours.
Prices in this guide reflect 2026 UK quoting practice based on our work in Glasgow and feedback from painters across England, Scotland and Wales. Your local market may be 10-30% above or below these ranges — always get a written quote before agreeing a job.
Related: How much does it cost to paint a 3 bedroom house UK?