Painting and decorating is preparing and finishing the surfaces of a home, including filling, sanding, priming and painting walls, ceilings and woodwork, hanging wallpaper and painting exterior walls and joinery, to protect them and refresh how rooms look.
Across Surrey, people look into painting and decorating to replace something worn out, to make the house work better for them, or to get it ready for a sale. We cover Woking, Guildford, Esher and Redhill and the smaller towns around them, working to the rules that apply in England. Expect a guide of £1,350–£3,400, VAT included, in the South East, and every quote follows a free visit.
- Guide price
- £1,350–£3,400 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–2 days per room; 3–7 days for a house exterior
- Planning rules
- England
- Price level
- About 12% above the national guide
- Towns listed
- 22
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does painting and decorating cost in Surrey?
Below is a breakdown of typical costs for painting and decorating in Surrey. Because rates in the South East are about 12% above the national guide, the overall guide comes to £1,350–£3,400, including VAT. Size, materials and access move the figure, and a free-of-charge survey settles it.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Surrey |
|---|---|---|
| Single room | Walls, ceiling and woodwork in one average bedroom or living room. | £400–£1,000 |
| House exterior | Masonry and joinery on a typical semi, including access equipment. | £2,800–£6,700 |
| Whole interior of a 3-bed house | Every room, hallway, stairs and landing, including woodwork. | £3,400–£7,300 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Number and size of rooms, including ceiling height
- Amount of preparation, filling and repairs needed
- Whether woodwork, doors and wallpaper are included
- Paint quality, colour changes and number of coats
What do you get?
- Survey of each surface and agreed colours and finishes
- Filling cracks and holes, sanding and spot priming
- Mist coat on new plaster before finishing coats
- Two finishing coats to walls and ceilings as standard
- Woodwork sanded, primed where bare, and painted
- Wallpaper stripped or hung where included
Housing across Surrey
Surrey has many Victorian and Edwardian villas, interwar semis in the commuter towns near London, and Arts and Crafts houses with tile-hanging and tall chimneys. Bargate stone appears around Godalming, and large detached homes are common in Guildford, Woking, Weybridge and the Surrey Hills villages.
Larger homes often take kitchen extensions, bifold doors, landscaping and driveway renewal. Interwar semis suit loft and side extensions, while tile-hung and period properties may need roof and hanging-tile repairs.
Mild and relatively dry, with clay soils in the north and Weald that can move in summer; mature trees near houses affect foundations.
Planning and building rules in Surrey
Planning law differs across the UK. For a home in Surrey, it is the England rules below that count, and we check them with the council ahead of any quote.
Internal work such as a new kitchen, bathroom, flooring, plastering or decorating does not need planning permission in England, unless the house is listed, when listed building consent may be needed even for internal changes.
Some internal work is covered by Building Regulations: new electrical circuits and work in bathrooms (Part P), new drainage, structural changes, extractor ventilation and any new window. Notifiable work is certified by a registered installer or by building control.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
The four stages
Survey and measure
We begin by looking at the job in person. During the free survey we discuss options, materials and budget for painting and decorating, and photograph or measure anything the quote needs to reflect.
Price and scope agreed
We put everything into a written, fixed-price quote: the specification, what's excluded, staged payments and the expected time on site. Take whatever time you need to decide; there's no pressure to commit.
Booking the work
We handle the paperwork side: checking whether planning permission or building control approval is needed, submitting applications where they are, and scheduling the trades and materials around your dates.
On site to finish
Our trades complete painting and decorating while your point of contact keeps you updated. When everything is finished, we clear the site, take away waste and go through the result with you before handover.
How we work
Frequently asked questions
What paint finish should I choose?
Matt emulsion hides imperfections and gives a soft look, which suits ceilings and living rooms. Eggshell or soft sheen finishes are more washable, so they suit kitchens, hallways and children's rooms. For woodwork, satin gives a modern low-shine look, while gloss is harder-wearing and more traditional. Bathrooms benefit from paints made to resist moisture and mould.
How much will painting and decorating cost in Surrey?
As a guide, expect to pay £1,350–£3,400 including VAT for painting and decorating in Surrey. That range is adjusted for the South East, which runs about 12% above the national guide. Where your project lands depends on size, materials, access and the condition of what is already there. We confirm a fixed price in writing after a free survey of your home.
Why is preparation so important?
Preparation decides how good the finish looks and how long it lasts. Filling cracks, sanding glossy surfaces, washing greasy areas and priming bare wood all help paint grip and dry evenly. Skipping it leads to visible repairs, peeling and patchy colour. Most of the time on a decorating job goes into preparation, and our quotes always allow for it.
Do I need to move my furniture?
You only need to remove small items, ornaments, pictures and anything fragile. We move larger furniture to the middle of the room and cover it, or into another room where agreed. Please empty bookshelves and cabinets that need moving. Let us know about anything very heavy, valuable or awkward, such as pianos or large wardrobes, so we can plan around it.
What happens at the survey?
We visit your home at a time that suits you, look at the area involved, take measurements and check access, condition and any services that might be affected. We talk through what you want from painting and decorating, explain the options and answer questions. There is no charge and no obligation; afterwards we send a written quote.
Towns in Surrey
Find your town below. Every place listed in Surrey is covered for painting and decorating, with the same survey, written quote and fixed-price process.