“How much will it cost?” is usually the first question anyone asks before getting a painter in, and it’s surprisingly hard to find a straight answer that accounts for local factors rather than a generic UK-wide calculator. Here’s a realistic breakdown based on the kind of properties and jobs we see regularly across Wandsworth.
These are guide prices for budgeting — every property is different, and the only way to get an accurate number is a proper look at the job, whether that’s a visit or a clear set of photos.
Cost by Room
Single room (bedroom, home office, small reception room): roughly £350–£650, assuming walls and ceiling are in reasonable condition with no major prep needed.
Living room or larger reception room: roughly £500–£950, depending on size, ceiling height, and how much woodwork is included alongside the walls.
Kitchen: roughly £400–£800. Kitchens usually take longer than the room size suggests, between cutting in around units and extractor fans and dealing with grease build-up on the ceiling that needs proper preparation before paint will hold.
Bathroom: roughly £300–£550, typically needing moisture-resistant paint and careful prep around sealant lines and tiling.
Hallway and staircase: roughly £450–£950. Wandsworth has a lot of period terraces with tall stairwells, and where towers or ladders are needed for a high ceiling this pushes towards the top of that range.
Cost by Property Type
One or two-bedroom flat, full interior repaint: typically £1,200–£2,400, in line with what we’d expect for the borough’s mix of period conversions and newer riverside developments around Wandsworth Town.
Three-bedroom terrace or semi, full interior repaint: typically £2,200–£4,000. Wandsworth’s Victorian terraces around Wandsworth Common and Earlsfield often have higher ceilings and original cornicing that add time compared with a standard modern property.
Full exterior repaint (terraced or semi-detached house): typically £1,800–£3,600, depending on the number of storeys, access, and the condition of the existing brick, render, or masonry.
What Actually Moves the Price
- Preparation work. Filling cracks, sanding, and treating damp or staining all add time before painting starts — this matters particularly for older properties near the river around Wandsworth Town, where damp and condensation can be more of a factor than in newer builds further from the water.
- Number of coats. Covering a dark or patchy colour typically needs three coats rather than two, which is genuine additional time and material, not padding.
- Access. High ceilings, stairwells, and multi-storey exteriors sometimes need towers or scaffolding.
- Woodwork. Skirting, doors, and staircase spindles are usually priced separately from wall painting, since gloss and satinwood finishes take longer to apply neatly.
- Tenant turnaround jobs. If you’re a landlord repainting between tenancies, timing and access windows can affect cost as much as the size of the job — see our landlord’s guide to repainting between tenancies for more on that specifically.
Getting an Accurate Quote
Because condition varies so much property to property, the most reliable way to budget is a short visit or a clear set of photos rather than a price based purely on square footage. If you’re planning a project anywhere in Wandsworth — from a single room refresh to a full exterior repaint — get in touch for a free, no-obligation quote and we’ll give you a realistic number based on your actual property.
