Air Conditioning · Updated August 2026
Wallpapering Cost UK 2026
Wallpapering is priced per roll hung, £30–£60, not per square metre — a decorator hangs 10–12 rolls in a day. A typical room works out at £400–£900 all-in once stripping the old paper and lining the walls are counted, and the paper itself is bought separately by you.
Wallpapering cost by paper and by job — 2026
The rate is set by how hard the paper is to hang, not by what it costs to buy. A pattern that has to line up across every drop is slower than a plain one, and that is what you are paying for.
| Paper or work | Cost | Why | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain or random-match paper | £30/roll hung | No pattern to line up | Plain walls, budget jobs |
| Patterned paper | £45/roll hung | Pattern repeat means waste and slower hanging | The usual choice |
| Heavy, textured or grasscloth | £60/roll hung | Paste-the-wall care and delicate seams | Feature walls, period rooms |
| One feature wall | £140–£250 | Added to a room repaint — one set-up | A single wall behind a bed or sofa |
| A whole room, all-in | £400–£900 | Four walls plus the usual prep | Bedroom or lounge |
| Strip the old paper first | +£150–£300/room | Strip, wash down and make good | Anything already papered |
| Lining paper | +£80–£150/room | A smooth base over tired old plaster | Older walls, before paper or paint |
| The wallpaper itself | £25–£100/roll | You buy it, not the decorator | Budget through to designer |
Source: Best Builders 2026 quote data across 519 UK towns.
What changes the cost
| Cost factor | Typical impact | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Pipe run length | +£150–400 | Runs over ~5m need extra refrigerant pipe, insulation and labour; long vertical runs in flats cost most |
| Condenser siting & access | +£100–600 | Ground level next to the room is cheapest; roof, height or scaffold access adds cost |
| Number of indoor units | +£700–1,500 each | Each extra head adds unit, pipework and commissioning time |
| Electrical work | +£150–500 | A dedicated spur, consumer-unit way or isolator may be needed |
| Capacity (kW / BTU) | +£200–1,200 | Oversizing wastes money up front and on running cost |
| Brand & range | +£400–800 | Premium Daikin/Mitsubishi designer ranges vs value Samsung/LG |
| Making good | +£0–300 | Trunking, core-drilling, plaster patching or repainting around the route |
Air conditioning cost by UK region — 2026
Labour rates and access drive most of the regional spread. Figures below are for a single-room split; the same percentages apply across the other system types.
| Region | Single-room split (installed) | vs UK average |
|---|---|---|
| London | £1,900–3,600 | +25–30% |
| South East | £1,750–3,300 | +15–25% |
| South West & East | £1,550–3,000 | +5–10% |
| Midlands | £1,450–2,800 | Baseline |
| North of England | £1,400–2,700 | −5% |
| Wales & Scotland | £1,400–2,750 | −5% to baseline |
Getting it priced properly
1. Size it first
Capacity comes from room size, glazing and aspect — not from guesswork. An installer who quotes without asking about the room is guessing.
2. Check F-Gas registration
Anything touching the refrigerant circuit legally requires an F-Gas registered engineer. Ask to see it and check it on the register.
3. Compare like for like
Get three itemised quotes covering the same capacity, brand tier and pipe run, so you are comparing the job and not the wording.
Wallpapering costs compared
Where this job sits against the other painting & decorating jobs, on 2026 UK prices. Your own quote depends on size, access and spec.
Wallpapering — frequently asked questions
£400–£900 for a typical bedroom or lounge, all-in. That is about 10–12 rolls hung at £30–£60 a roll, plus stripping the old paper and lining the walls where they need it. The paper itself is on top and is bought by you.
Because the work is in the drops, not the area. A decorator hangs 10–12 rolls a day whatever the room shape, and a patterned paper that has to match across every drop takes longer and wastes more than a plain one of the same size.
Around £140–£250 on top of a room repaint. It is a small job with a full set-up, so doing it at the same time as the rest of the room is much cheaper than calling someone back for it.
On older walls, usually. Lining gives a flat, even base so the finish paper does not telegraph every hairline crack, and it is £80–£150 a room. Some decorators quote stripping and lining as one line and some as two — ask which, or you will be comparing two different jobs.
You do, normally. Budget £25–£100 a roll, order 10–15% more than measured for pattern repeat and mistakes, and buy it all at once so the batch numbers match — shade varies between production runs.
Usually yes on the day, and the gap widens if the walls need stripping first. Paper earns its money on a feature wall or where the plaster is poor, because it hides a surface that paint will show up.
Related air conditioning guides
Every system type priced side by side.
What it costs per hour and per summer.
When an external unit needs consent.
Wallpapering — guides and detail
The detail behind the number: what changes the price, the planning position, and how to check a quote before you accept it.
Reviewed by the BestBuilders editorial team on 9 August 2026 · Next scheduled review: November 2026 · See our editorial standards.