Headline figures
For a typical three-bedroom semi, a full interior repaint – every room, hallway, stairs and landing, walls, ceilings and woodwork – usually costs between £4,000 and £7,500. Painting the exterior walls, windows and fascias usually costs £1,800–£3,500, plus £800–£2,000 if full scaffolding is required. Doing the lot can easily come to £6,000–£11,000.
| Room | Typical cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Living room | £450 – £850 | 2 – 3 days |
| Kitchen / diner | £400 – £800 | 2 – 3 days |
| Main bedroom | £350 – £650 | 2 – 3 days |
| Second bedroom | £300 – £550 | 1.5 – 2.5 days |
| Box room | £220 – £420 | 1 – 2 days |
| Bathroom | £250 – £500 | 1 – 2 days |
| Hall, stairs and landing | £600 – £1,400 | 3 – 5 days |
Room-by-room costs for a 3-bed semi (2026, labour and materials, walls, ceiling and woodwork)
What changes the price
Two semis on the same street can have very different quotes. The usual reasons are the amount of woodwork, the state of the walls and ceilings, and the colours involved.
- Preparation: filling cracks, sanding, stain-blocking and repairing damaged plaster
- Woodwork: panelled doors, picture rails, dado rails and spindles take time
- Colour changes: dark to light often needs an extra coat
- Paint quality: premium brands cost more but often cover better and last longer
- Furniture: empty rooms are quicker to paint
- Location: London and the South East are typically 20–30% more expensive
The exterior of a semi
On the outside, a semi only has three elevations to paint – front, back and one side – which makes it cheaper than a detached house. Smooth render in good condition is the cheapest surface; pebble-dash and roughcast use far more paint and time. Timber fascias, soffits and window frames add cost, as does the access at the side and back.
Our detailed guide to the cost of painting a 3-bed house exterior covers the outside in more depth.
Rather leave it to a professional?
Doing it in stages
Very few people repaint an entire house in one go. A common approach is to do the hallway, stairs and living room first – the rooms everyone sees – then the bedrooms, and the exterior when the weather and budget allow. Painters usually prefer bigger jobs, so you may get a better day rate if you book several rooms together.
Day rates vs fixed prices
Most decorators quote a fixed price for a defined job, which is the easiest to budget for. Some charge a day rate – typically £180–£280 per decorator outside London and £250–£350 in London. Day rates can work out cheaper on simple jobs, but make sure you know roughly how many days to expect.
Our painter and decorator cost guide has more on day rates and how they vary across the UK.
Comparing quotes
Ask for a room-by-room breakdown and a list of what's included – ceilings, woodwork, number of coats, paint brand, preparation. Without that, quotes aren't comparable. Our guide on how to choose a painter and decorator explains what to look for, and you can get free quotes from local painters and decorators.
