subject: Is Painting A Pricey Home Improvement? [print this page] The cost of redecorating depends on several factors. Paying for someone else to do it for you is the most expensive option. If you do it all yourself, then the cost of the paints, papers and other materials, plus the level of redecoration (quick freshen up or total overhaul) will be the main things influencing the cost.
As well as the paints and papers, you'll need certain equipment to redecorate, meaning you'll need to spend some money before beginning unless you already have what you need, or you can borrow them from friends. It will cost from about twenty pounds for an average step ladder, from about ten pounds for set of brushes, and from five pounds for a paint roller with tray. If you have more elaborate plans then you might need more than this, and also bear in mind the need for dust sheets.
The materials themselves will vary greatly in price. A 2.5 litre tin of emulsion will cover up to 30 square metres, and cost around 10-20. Bear in mind you may need extra coats if covering dark colours. At the other end of the scale, a roll of hand-made wall paper may cost hundreds of pounds.
Just recovering walls isn't the whole story with decorating. Replacing fixtures such as carpets and curtains will increase costs considerably. The degree to which they do will depend on the quality you're willing to pay for. The finish of the existing decor can make a significant impact on cost too, as if surfaces are damaged then you'll need to strip paper or perhaps re-plaster.
A few hundred pounds should re-decorate an average family house, provided you don't want a full revamp including replacing carpets and resurfacing walls. One room can be given an overhaul for about fifty pounds upwards. These costs can increase as work progresses, so (particularly if budgets are tight), plan exactly what you need to do and don't rush to do work before you can afford it.
