Decorators

[Caran]

Anyone got any idea how much it would cost to one coat emulsion, the hall, landing and stairs in a smallish house.

[emmie]

perhaps depends on where you live, but i was quoted a grand to do the hall, which i thought was way too much.

[Caran]

I live in Gloucestershire, and I think a grand is way too much too.

[Ken4155]

Many decorators will charge by the metre

[Caran]

How do you work that out Ken4155?

[emmie]

have you checked out your local papers for decorators, and got a few quotes, that is how i found mine.

[Tilly2]

You don't work it out, Caran, they do.

Get a few quotes.

[Buenchico]

The 'Which?' website carried out a survey of decorating prices in mid-2012. Their price range for the job you're interested in was £240 to £480, with a typical figure of £350:
https://local.which.co.uk/advice/cost-price-information-painters-decorators

[Ken4155]

With a tape measure, Caran. They will also take into account the accessibility (do they need to work off a plank, etc) of the area that needs to be painted and any prep work that needs doing. Your best bet would be to try and get someone who will give you a free quote. Then, even if you cannot (or will not) meet his price, you can always use his measurements when contacting the next decorator on the list. Better still, do you not know someone who knows someone who knows someone who will do a decent job for a bit of spending money. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

[nailit]

Id do it for £150 (cash in hand of course) but I live in stoke, not Gloucestershire. Do a good job as well, not like some of these fly by nights who cant paint for toffee.

[Tilly2]

Do you want a lodger for a few days, Caran? Invite Nailit to stay.

[nailit]

//Do you want a lodger for a few days, Caran? Invite Nailit to stay//
LOL Tills, forget the £150, just get a few beers in (and maybe the cheeky bottle of vodka)...

[ducksie]

If you were to get in a decorator and he asked you the measurement of the area you needed to decorate this is how to tell him, I've C&P it as it explains better than I could Caran "A floor or ceiling can be easy to figure out. Just multiply length times width. As an example, if your living-room is 15 feet long by 20 feet wide the calculation would be 15' x 20' = 300 sq ft of floor or ceiling area.

Walls can be a little more difficult to measure, especially, when you're considering decorating an entire room. To figure out wall area multiply height times width of each wall section, from corner to corner. Once you have calculated each section add the calculations together.

Here is an example; if the living-room mentioned above is a rectangle room with 8 foot high walls then the calculation would be as follows.

Two walls at 15' (long) x 8' (high) = 120 sq ft of wall area + two walls at 20'(long) x 8'(high) = 160' of wall area or 120 sq'(wall #1) + 160 sq' (wall #2)+ 120 sq'(wall #3) + 160 sq'(wall #4) = 560 sq'. So what that means is you have 560 square feet of wall area to coat or cover with product or materials."

[nailit]

Ducksie, its even simpler than that...
When I worked as a decorator it was a case of how quick can I get this job done, and charge accordingly (adding a few quid on just in case...)

[ummmm]

Emmie - that's a crazy amount considering I paid a plasterer to plaster the hall, stairs, landing and both ceilings upstairs and down - £700

[ducksie]

When I sold paints and wallpapers that's how people knew the amount they needed to cover, was just LxBxH it's how I do my own now

[Ken4155]

Exactly what i used to do, nailit:-) Cash in hand, of course:-) :-)

[emmie]

ummm i know, its why i didn't get back to them

[Caran]

Thank you all. Lots to think about.