How to Choose a Painter and Decorator in London
What to look for when hiring a painter and decorator in London — questions to ask, red flags to avoid, what a good quote looks like, and how to check references properly.
How to Choose a Painter and Decorator in London
Hiring a decorator in London can feel daunting. There are thousands of people calling themselves decorators, and the range of quality is genuinely enormous — from skilled tradespeople who take real pride in their work and deliver consistently excellent results, to cowboys who will collect a deposit and disappear, or produce work that looks shabby within months. Knowing what to look for, what questions to ask, and what the warning signs are will save you significant time, money, and frustration.
Where to Start Looking
Personal recommendation remains the most reliable way to find a good decorator. If a friend, neighbour, or colleague has recently had work done they're pleased with, that's worth far more than any online review. Ask who did the work, what the job involved, whether it came in on time and budget, and whether they would use the same decorator again.
If you don't have a personal recommendation, look for decorators who are members of a recognised trade body — the Painting and Decorating Association (PDA) and the Dulux Select Decorators scheme are both worth checking. Membership doesn't guarantee quality, but it does indicate a professional commitment to the trade and access to dispute resolution if things go wrong.
Online reviews on Google, Checkatrade, or similar platforms are useful, but treat them with appropriate scepticism. Look for decorators with a reasonable number of reviews (not just two or three), look for specific detail in the reviews (what job was done, what the decorator did well), and look at how the decorator responds to any negative reviews.
Getting Quotes: How Many and What to Expect
Aim to get at least three quotes for any significant decorating job. The variation between quotes can be substantial, and understanding why will tell you a great deal about what each decorator is actually proposing.
A good quote is a written document, not a number scrawled on a piece of paper or texted to you. It should:
- Be broken down by area or room, not a single lump sum
- Specify what preparation work is included
- State the number of coats proposed and what paint system will be used
- Make clear what is and isn't included (Is moving furniture included? Cleaning up? Making good any minor repairs?)
- Give a proposed start date and duration
If a decorator cannot or will not provide a written, itemised quote, move on. This is basic professional practice.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
Before committing to a decorator, have a proper conversation. The questions worth asking include:
Do you carry public liability insurance? Any professional decorator should carry at least £1 million public liability cover. Ask to see a certificate. If they don't have one, don't hire them.
Can you provide references from recent, similar jobs? Not a list of names — actual contact details for clients willing to speak to you. And then follow through and call them.
Who will actually be doing the work? Some decorating businesses quote, win the job, and then subcontract it to someone else. If continuity and personal accountability matter to you, establish upfront who will be on site.
How do you handle preparation? The answer to this tells you a lot. A quality decorator will explain their approach to surface preparation — filling, priming, sanding — in detail. If the answer is vague or dismissive, the preparation will be vague and dismissive in practice.
How do you protect floors and furniture? This sounds trivial but it reveals attitude to care and professionalism.
What do you do if you encounter a problem mid-job? Unexpected issues arise in period property work — hidden damp, plaster in worse condition than expected, lead paint. How a decorator handles the unexpected is important.
Red Flags to Watch For
Some warning signs are clear and should be taken seriously:
Very large cash deposit requested upfront. A reasonable deposit for a small job is 10 to 20 percent. Requesting 50 percent or more before work starts is a significant red flag.
Unusually low quote. If one quote is dramatically lower than the others, there is a reason. Usually it means preparation is being skimped, fewer coats are being applied, cheaper materials are being used, or the job is being done by unqualified labour. Occasionally it means someone is hungry for work and genuinely competitive — but the gap needs to be explained.
No written quote. As above — this is not acceptable practice from anyone working at a professional level.
Vague about the paint system. Professional decorators know and care about what goes on the walls. Vagueness about which products will be used suggests the decorator either doesn't know or doesn't care.
Pressure to decide immediately. High-quality decorators tend to be booked ahead. Anyone who needs an answer today to give you their best price is using a sales tactic.
No fixed address or landline. This doesn't mean they're bad — many excellent one-person operations work from mobile only — but combined with other red flags it should increase your caution.
What a Good Quote Looks Like
Compare quotes on a like-for-like basis. The cheapest quote is often the cheapest because it's assuming fewer coats, less preparation, cheaper paint, or faster (and therefore rougher) work. The most expensive is not necessarily the best.
When comparing quotes, check:
- Is the same number of coats specified? Two coats of finish emulsion is standard; one coat is not sufficient.
- Is preparation time included? Proper filling, sanding, and priming takes significant time.
- Which paints are specified? Dulux Trade, Little Greene, and Farrow & Ball products cost more per litre than basic retail paint for good reason.
If you can't tell from the quote, ask. A professional decorator will be happy to explain.
Checking References Properly
Most people get references and never call them. Call them. Ask specific questions: Was the work completed on time? Were there any problems? If so, how were they handled? Was the decorator tidy and professional on site? Would you use them again?
The answer to the last question — would you use them again — is usually the most informative of all.
Once You've Hired
Get everything in writing before work starts: the quote, the agreed programme, the payment terms. Agree on a final walkthrough at the end of the job before you make the final payment. A good decorator will expect and welcome this — it's the professional way to close a job. Be specific about anything that isn't quite right; most quality decorators would rather put something right immediately than leave a client unsatisfied.
Good decorating is a skilled trade, and skilled decorators are worth paying properly. The relationship between client and decorator, when it works well, is genuinely collaborative — and a decorator who has done a good job for you will be your first call for years to come.