Question 1

How much does it cost to paint the interior of a house in the UK?

Accepted Answer

Checkatrade puts internal house painting at around £15/m² of wall area all-in (labour plus standard trade paint), with ceilings and woodwork each around £15/m². For a typical 3-bed house repainted in 2 coats — walls, ceilings, and woodwork — that works out at roughly £3,800 before VAT, so our estimate adds the standard 20% VAT on top to show the real consumer bill (about £4,600). Use the calculator above for a range matched to your wall area, prep level, and paint grade.

Question 2

Does the estimate include ceilings and woodwork?

Accepted Answer

Yes — toggle 'Include ceilings' and 'Include trim & doors' to add or remove those surfaces. Ceilings are estimated at roughly 35% of your paintable wall area and trim (skirting, architraves, doors) at 15%, both priced from Checkatrade's £15/m² rates.

Question 3

How does paint grade affect cost?

Accepted Answer

Standard trade paint is the baseline. Budget paint lowers the estimate by about 15%; premium brands such as Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, or COAT raise it by about 35%. Higher-grade paints often cover better and last longer, reducing how often you need to redecorate.

Item	Estimate
Surface prep & masking	£528
Primer coat	£323
Wall paint	£340
Wall painting labor	£1,368
Ceilings	£892
Trim, doors & windows	£383
Subtotal	£3,834
VAT (20%)	£767
Total inc. VAT	£4,601

Interior Painting Cost Calculator

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