Pay guide
Painter and Decorator Salary UK: Pay Guide for 2026
Source: National Careers Service: Painter and decorator. Starter-to-experienced annual pay guidance, not a current vacancy average or take-home pay.
Published by England’s careers service, not a separate regional or UK-nation pay survey. Source checked . How we review.
Overview
A decorator’s invoice is not their salary. The price may cover preparation, paint, wallpaper, access equipment and several visits, as well as labour. For employed work, compare basic pay and hours; for self-employment, compare what remains after the full job costs.
Next steps
Turn this guide into a plan
Check current painter & decorator jobs, set a weekly alert, or build the CV you will use to apply.
Check what the decorating offer includes
Use this to compare real work; it does not set prices for rooms, rolls or days.
- Work type
- Employed maintenance
- Scope question
- Decorating only, or repairs and other trades too?
- Pay question
- What are basic hours, travel arrangements and call-out terms?
- Work type
- Domestic room
- Scope question
- Which preparation, surfaces, coats and materials are agreed?
- Pay question
- Who pays for additional preparation or a changed finish?
- Work type
- Wallpaper
- Scope question
- What paper, pattern, wall condition and preparation are involved?
- Pay question
- Does the price include materials and extra visits?
- Work type
- Commercial or external work
- Scope question
- What access, working hours and site restrictions apply?
- Pay question
- Who carries the cost of delay or interrupted access?
| Work type | Scope question | Pay question |
|---|---|---|
| Employed maintenance | Decorating only, or repairs and other trades too? | What are basic hours, travel arrangements and call-out terms? |
| Domestic room | Which preparation, surfaces, coats and materials are agreed? | Who pays for additional preparation or a changed finish? |
| Wallpaper | What paper, pattern, wall condition and preparation are involved? | Does the price include materials and extra visits? |
| Commercial or external work | What access, working hours and site restrictions apply? | Who carries the cost of delay or interrupted access? |
The official painter and decorator salary range
Use the figure as broad career guidance. We have not verified a current regional sample or business-profit survey for this page, and an individual offer may differ. Apprentice wages and age-related minimum-pay rules are separate from this occupational range.
Preparation is part of the paid job
For wallpaper, agree the paper, pattern, surface preparation and responsibility for extra material before quoting. Do not use an unsupported universal price per roll. A decorative finish can need additional time and materials as well as skill; a higher price alone does not prove a better margin.
What a decorating invoice leaves for labour
Count preparation, agreed coats, visits and clearing up in the time. If the work takes another day with the same £700 remaining, the daily figure becomes £140. This is why estimating scope matters as much as the headline price.
Choose offers by fit, not a domestic-versus-commercial rule
Use local painter and decorator searches to inspect real terms. The self-employed decorator rate guide explains further pricing checks; the painter and decorator career guide covers getting started. Neither a general salary nor a large project invoice guarantees the income you will take home.
Before you accept an offer
Agree the preparation
Confirm surface condition, protection, finish and materials before accepting the price.
Count all visits
Allow for preparation, application, clearing up and agreed return visits.
Compare like with like
Keep employed wages, labour-only rates and materials-inclusive invoices separate.
Get these details in writing
- ✓Preparation and finish specification
- ✓Paint, paper and access-equipment responsibility
- ✓Working hours and property access
- ✓Variations, extra visits and payment timing
What makes the comparison useful
Useful signs
- A clear written scope helps prevent unpaid extras.
- Maintenance, site and domestic offers can suit different working patterns.
Watch for
- A high invoice can include substantial materials and equipment costs.
- Extra preparation or visits can reduce the amount left for your time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average painter and decorator salary in the UK?▼
The National Careers Service gives £21,000 to £32,000 a year from starter to experienced. It is broad career guidance, not a measured current average or a self-employed profit figure.
How much do self-employed decorators charge per day?▼
This guide has no verified current national day-rate sample. Compare scope, materials, paid time and costs using real local work rather than treating a quoted rate as take-home earnings.
Does wallpaper hanging always pay more?▼
Not necessarily after preparation, materials and time. Agree the paper, pattern and surface condition rather than using a universal price per roll.
Is commercial decorating better paid than domestic work?▼
There is no verified universal ranking here. Hours, access, preparation, materials and payment terms can change the result for either type of work.
More painter & decorator guides to compare
Good next reads if you want to compare routes, pay, training or live jobs before deciding.
Salary index
UK trade salary index
Compare trade salaries, day-rate ranges and earning levers across the main UK trades.
Read guide →Salary guide
Self-Employed Painter and Decorator Hourly Rate UK
Understand self-employed painter and decorator hourly rates, day rates, project pricing, costs and take-home pay in the UK. Use the figures as a guide.
Read guide →Career guide
From Call Centre to Painter & Decorator
Escape the call centre. Guide to retraining as a painter and decorator — one of the easiest trades to enter, with low training costs and quick earning potential.
Read guide →Results alert
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