A typical price
a bedroom, 3 × 3 m
- London (outer)
- £3,800 to £5,000
- South East
- £3,600 to £4,700
- Midlands
- £3,400 to £4,400
- North of England
- £3,300 to £4,300
a bedroom, 4 × 3 m
- London (outer)
- £4,400 to £5,700
- South East
- £4,200 to £5,400
- Midlands
- £3,900 to £5,100
- North of England
- £3,800 to £5,000
a living room, 5 × 4 m
- London (outer)
- £9,800 to £12,600
- South East
- £9,400 to £12,100
- Midlands
- £8,800 to £11,400
- North of England
- £8,700 to £11,200
| Size | London (outer) | South East | Midlands | North of England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a bedroom, 3 × 3 m | £3,800 to £5,000 | £3,600 to £4,700 | £3,400 to £4,400 | £3,300 to £4,300 |
| a bedroom, 4 × 3 m | £4,400 to £5,700 | £4,200 to £5,400 | £3,900 to £5,100 | £3,800 to £5,000 |
| a living room, 5 × 4 m | £9,800 to £12,600 | £9,400 to £12,100 | £8,800 to £11,400 | £8,700 to £11,200 |
Including VAT, for: replaster, decorate, new radiator and door, carpet. Priced 6 October 2026 on published UK rates. A guide, not a quote.
More than it looks
The middle-size job above is 12 tasks, about 3 weeks on site:
- Prep and strip-out · 2
- First fix: pipes and cables · 1
- Plaster, insulation, floors · 1
- Finishes and second fix · 8
Plus site costs: skips, insurance, supervision, cleaning.
- The room is emptied and protected first.
- Plaster has to dry before decorating.
- Old walls often need more repair than expected.
What changes the price
The walls
- Why it moves the price
- A skim, or full replastering
- Ask
- “Skim or replaster?”
The floor
- Why it moves the price
- Carpet, laminate or timber
- Ask
- “What floor have you priced?”
Electrics
- Why it moves the price
- New sockets mean chasing walls
- Ask
- “Are any sockets changing?”
| What | Why it moves the price | Ask |
|---|---|---|
| The walls | A skim, or full replastering | “Skim or replaster?” |
| The floor | Carpet, laminate or timber | “What floor have you priced?” |
| Electrics | New sockets mean chasing walls | “Are any sockets changing?” |
Paperwork and certificates
- An electrical certificate if circuits change
Questions to ask for this job
- How long before decorating?
- Who clears the room?
- What if the walls are worse?
What would your job cost?
Describe it, and see a typical price for your area. Then ask builders who do this work.
Read next
How we wrote this
Written by Structa; prices from Structa’s engine, 6 October 2026. The rules come from the official pages below. General information, not legal advice.
- GOV.UK: When you need building regulations approval (checked 6 October 2026)