How much does a painter and decorator charge per day in Glasgow?
The short answer
Most painters and decorators charge £250 to £400 a day, with a UK average of about £325, plus paint. There is no separate Glasgow figure, so treat the national average as a guide. A medium room typically costs around £450 to paint, and a large room can reach £1,000, especially with high tenement ceilings and cornicing.
Key points
- The typical day rate is £250 to £400, averaging around £325, before materials.
- A small room costs about £350, a medium room £450 and a large room around £1,000.
- Wall painting averages about £15 per square metre; wallpapering about £14 per square metre for labour.
- Preparation is most of the job. A cheap quote often means less of it.
- Agree who buys the paint, and which brand, before work starts.
Typical prices
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Day rate | £250 to £400 (average £325) plus paint |
| Small room (about 8m²) | £350 |
| Medium room (about 18m²) | £450 |
| Large room (about 30m²) | £1,000 |
| Interior walls, per m² of wall | £10 to £20 (average £15) |
| Ceilings, per m² | £10 to £20 (average £15) |
| Wallpapering, labour per m² | £12 to £16 (average £14) |
| Exterior painting, per m² | £15 to £25 (average £20) |
Why tenement rooms cost more
- Height. Ceilings of 3 metres or more need towers or trestles and take longer to cut in.
- Cornices and woodwork. Deep cornices, picture rails, panelled doors, shutters and tall skirtings all add hours.
- Old surfaces. Cracked lath and plaster, flaking distemper and layers of old gloss need careful preparation.
- Stairs and access. Carrying materials up a four-storey close takes time.
If walls are in poor condition, a plasterer may be needed first. See what it costs to skim a room.
Day rate or fixed price?
A fixed price is easier to budget for and suits a clearly defined job, such as two coats on the walls and ceiling of a living room. A day rate suits smaller jobs, repairs, or work where the condition of the surfaces is hard to judge until the decorator starts.
Either way, get the scope in writing: which surfaces, how many coats, what preparation, and whether filling, sanding, caulking and protection are included.
What a good decorator does that a cheap one skips
- Moves and covers furniture and floors properly.
- Fills, sands and spot-primes before painting.
- Uses a mist coat on new plaster and the right paint for lime plaster.
- Cuts in cleanly around cornices and ceilings.
- Cleans up every day and leaves spare paint labelled for touch-ups.
Our ranked table of Glasgow painters and decorators checks reviews, vetting and track record for every firm.
Painting the outside of the building
Exterior work on tenements often needs scaffolding and a council permit; see our permit guide. If your building is in a conservation area or is listed, check the rules first. Our guide to painting windows and doors in a conservation area explains what needs permission.
Questions
Does a decorator's day rate include paint?
Usually not. Most decorators quote labour and either add materials at cost or ask you to buy the paint. Agree this in writing.
How long does it take to paint a room?
A typical medium room takes one to two days for walls, ceiling and woodwork. Tenement rooms with high ceilings often take longer.
Should I tip a decorator?
It is not expected. A good review and a recommendation to friends is often worth more to a small business.
Is it cheaper to hire a decorator in winter?
Some decorators are quieter in winter for exterior work and may be more flexible on interior prices. It is worth asking.
Sources
This guide is general information about Glasgow and Scotland, checked on 3 November 2026. Prices and rules change, so confirm anything important with the organisation named before you act.
