Picture three quotes for the same three-bed semi: £2,800, £4,600 and £6,900. The typical cost to paint a house interior in the UK runs from about £3,000 to £7,000 for a three-bed home, and the gap between quotes comes from choices you can control.
This guide shows where the money goes, so you can read a quote line by line. If you plan to hire painters and decorators, it also covers what to ask before anyone lifts a brush.
Price bands by property size
Published 2026 guides disagree, so treat these as ranges rather than promises.
- Two bed flat: about £1,500 to £2,500 (Checkatrade)
- Three-bed house: about £3,000 to £7,000, usually one to two weeks with a small team
- Five bed house: about £5,500 to £7,500 (Checkatrade)
The three-bed range is wide because finish, preparation and number of coats vary so much.
Where your money goes
Labour makes up about 80% of the bill, according to Screwfix. Day rates outside London mostly sit between £180 and £300, and London and the South East often charge a fifth to a third more. Some guides quote lower figures and some higher, so get the rate and the number of days in writing.
Per room, most quotes land between £350 and £600. A room of 15 square metres often costs £360 to £465 nationally, while a large living room with ceiling and woodwork can pass £1,000.
What pushes a quote up
- Heavy preparation, such as filling, sanding and stain-blocking over damp marks or smoke.
- Big colour changes, like dark to white, which need extra coats.
- Skirting boards, doors and frames take longer per square metre than open wall.
- Awkward access, including high ceilings, stairwells and landings.
- Furnished rooms, because someone has to move and cover everything.
What the paint costs
Many emulsions cover 10 to 14 square metres per litre for one coat. A bedroom with about 37 square metres of wall needs roughly six litres for two coats.
Trade paint usually costs less than premium retail brands. Check whether your quote lists paint as its own line, so you can see what you pay for materials.
Quick answers on pricing
Is a day rate or a fixed price better?
A day rate suits open-ended work such as a whole house. A fixed price per room is easier to budget once the decorator has seen the walls.
Does the price include VAT?
Only if the quote says so. A decorator registered for VAT will normally add it unless the written price states otherwise.
How long does a whole house take?
A professional team usually needs one to two weeks for a three-bed home.
Comparing quotes without getting caught out
Ask every decorator the same questions. How many coats? What preparation is included? Which paint, and who buys it? Is VAT included? Do they hold public liability insurance?
A quote that answers none of these is guessing.
The cheapest quote often leaves out preparation, which then returns as an extra. Compare scope first and price second. Book several rooms together if you can, because dust sheets and setup cost the same whether the decorator paints one room or five.
Setting your budget
Find your size band, add VAT if it applies, then keep about 10% back for surprises such as patch repairs behind old wallpaper.
The cost to paint a house interior in the UK is easiest to control when you request three itemised quotes from local painters and decorators. Send each of them the same room list and the same finish, then compare the quotes line by line.