Painting & Decorating Cost Index UK 2026
How much does painting & decorating cost in 2026 — and how much more do you pay in London versus the cheapest UK regions? This BestBuilders study compares real 2026 quote data for a standard whole-house interior repaint across all 14 UK regions. The headline: it costs up to 54% more in London (£700 more in absolute terms) than in South Wales · North East · Merseyside & North Wales.
The regional gap: London pays up to 54% more for painting & decorating
A standard whole-house interior repaint starts at £2,000 in London versus £1,300 in South Wales · North East · Merseyside & North Wales — a £700 gap. That's a +54% London premium on the same job spec, driven mainly by labour rates and, on smaller jobs, access and permit costs. The pattern is consistent with RICS BCIS and FMB benchmark data.
Painting & Decorating cost by UK region, 2026
Typical "starting from" prices for a standard whole-house interior repaint, ranked most to least expensive region. Range shows the typical low-to-high spread within each region.
| UK region | Starting from | Typical range | Vs cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | £2,000 | £2,000 – £4,600 | +£700 (+54%) |
| South East | £1,800 | £1,800 – £4,200 | +£500 (+38%) |
| Southern (Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset) | £1,600 | £1,600 – £3,800 | +£300 (+23%) |
| Eastern (East Anglia) | £1,600 | £1,600 – £3,800 | +£300 (+23%) |
| East Midlands | £1,500 | £1,500 – £3,500 | +£200 (+15%) |
| West Midlands | £1,500 | £1,500 – £3,500 | +£200 (+15%) |
| Scotland (Highlands & North) | £1,400 | £1,400 – £3,200 | +£100 (+8%) |
| North West | £1,400 | £1,400 – £3,200 | +£100 (+8%) |
| Scotland (Central & South) | £1,400 | £1,400 – £3,200 | +£100 (+8%) |
| Yorkshire & Humber | £1,400 | £1,400 – £3,200 | +£100 (+8%) |
| South West | £1,400 | £1,400 – £3,200 | +£100 (+8%) |
| South Wales | £1,300 | £1,300 – £3,100 | baseline |
| North East | £1,300 | £1,300 – £3,100 | baseline |
| Merseyside & North Wales | £1,300 | £1,300 – £3,100 | baseline |
Want your local figure? Try our full painting & decorating cost guide or get three free quotes below.
What sets the price for painting & decorating?
The three main options homeowners typically choose from — and how they change the total:
- Interior. 3-bed house, walls + ceilings + trim — £1,500-£3,500
- Exterior. House exterior paint, walls + woodwork, 2 coats — £1,800-£4,500 typical
- Wallpapering. Feature wall or whole room, per room incl. stripping & hanging — £350-£850
London and the South East add 15-25% to labour; materials vary less regionally.
Why does painting & decorating cost more in London?
The +54% London premium on a standard whole-house interior repaint tracks the same four factors seen across BestBuilders' full 2026 dataset, matching the pattern in RICS BCIS and FMB benchmark data:
- Labour rates. Skilled-trade day rates in London and the South East run 25–40% above the national average, the single biggest factor on a labour-heavy job.
- Demand and backlogs. High demand and long waiting lists let installers in the South East price higher; quieter regional markets are more competitive.
- Access and logistics. Restricted parking, skip and scaffold permits, congestion charges and tight rear access add cost in dense urban areas.
- Property type. London's older housing stock often needs more preparation or bespoke solutions than newer regional housing, which pushes labour hours up.
The takeaway for homeowners: the regional figure is a starting point, not a quote. The spread within a region — between the cheapest and most expensive installer — is often as wide as the gap between regions, which is why comparing three quotes matters more than any headline average.
Key findings, 2026 — Painting & Decorating
- London is the most expensive UK region in 2026 for painting & decorating, starting at £2,000 for a standard whole-house interior repaint.
- The cheapest regions start from £1,300: South Wales · North East · Merseyside & North Wales.
- That's a £700 cash gap on the same job spec — a +54% London premium.
- Values are typical "starting from" prices from BestBuilders' 2026 quote dataset across 519 UK towns in 14 regions.
- Cross-checked against RICS BCIS building-cost data and FMB member surveys — the regional pattern is consistent with both benchmarks.
Citing this study
You are welcome to cite the BestBuilders 2026 Painting & Decorating Cost Index in articles and reports. Please credit BestBuilders with a link to this page (bestbuilders.co.uk/costs/painting-decorating-cost-index-2026).
The full regional dataset, charts and attributable commentary are available on request under a CC BY 4.0 licence — use the quote form below to get in touch and we will pass your request to our press team.
Painting & Decorating cost questions
How we built this index
Figures are BestBuilders 2026 "starting from" prices for a standard whole-house interior repaint, averaged by region across our quote dataset covering 519 UK towns grouped into 14 regions. Prices are rounded and are intended for budgeting, not as quotes. The regional pattern — London and the South East highest, Wales, the North East and Merseyside lowest — is consistent with independent benchmarks including RICS BCIS building-cost data and FMB (Federation of Master Builders) member surveys.
Last reviewed 2026 · Next scheduled review Q4 2026 · Published by BestBuilders, a UK home-improvement quote service. Editorial standards: figures are reviewed quarterly against live quote data and cross-checked against RICS BCIS and FMB benchmarks.
Explore the detailed cost guide: painting & decorating cost guide. Or see the UK Home Improvement Cost Index 2026 for the full nine-project cross-service comparison, and the cost guide hub for every service we track.