Short answer: a professional painter costs more on the quote and less over the life of the job. In Leicester a professional room repaint is typically £180–£650 with trade paint included and should last 5–10 years. A rushed, cheap job often needs redoing within a year or two, so you pay twice.
What "professional" actually means (and why it matters)
In the UK anyone can call themselves a painter and decorator tomorrow. There is no licence and no register. So "professional" is not a title, it is a set of things you can check:
- Preparation they can describe in detail: washing down, filling, caulking, sanding, spot-priming. Preparation is up to 80% of a finish that lasts.
- Trade paint, named on the quote: trade emulsions carry more pigment, cover in fewer coats and stand up to scrubbing. See trade vs retail paint.
- Two proper coats, not one thin coat that looks fine on the day and wears through in the hallway.
- Insurance you can see: public liability, ideally £2m, before anyone comes into your home.
- A fixed, written price and a written warranty, not a day rate and a handshake.
- Independent, verified reviews, not just testimonials on their own website.
Professional painters vs cheap painters vs DIY
| Professional painter | Cheapest quote / DIY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price you see | Fixed, itemised, materials included | Rough number or day rate; paint often extra |
| Preparation | Fill, caulk, sand, prime on every job | "Quick rub down", or skipped |
| Paint | Trade paint, two full coats | Economy or retail paint, often one coat |
| Your home | Furniture moved and covered, floors sheeted, tidy daily | Little protection, mess to clear up |
| Insurance & warranty | £2m insured, written warranty | Often none |
| How long it lasts | 5–10 years in most rooms | Marks, cracks or peels within 1–2 years |
| Your time | None: you come back to a finished room | DIY: weekends of prep, painting and clean-up |
What professional painters cost in Leicester (2026)
| Job | Professional price, materials in |
|---|---|
| Small bedroom | £180–£280 |
| Double bedroom | £280–£450 |
| Living room | £380–£550 |
| Hall, stairs and landing | £350–£1,200 |
| Full 3-bed house interior | £2,200–£5,500 |
📅 2027 prices: expect around 4% more from January 2027. See the 2026–2027 price list.
Day rates for a sole decorator in Leicester run about £160–£220, but they usually exclude materials (often £350–£700 extra on a 3-bed house) and say nothing about how many days. Compare total job prices, not day rates. More detail: price list and day rate vs fixed price.
The real cost of a cheap paint job
An example using a living room. A professional repaint at around £450, with trade paint and full preparation, should look right for 7–10 years: roughly £45–£65 a year. Now say a cheaper quote is £300, labour only, and you buy the paint. If thin prep means it starts marking and cracking along the skirting within two years, you are paying for the room again, and the second decorator has to undo the first one's shortcuts before they start. The cheap job ends up the most expensive one.
Why hire us as your professional house painters
- 9.88/10 on Checkatrade from 100+ verified reviews, 250+ Leicester homes decorated.
- £2m public liability insurance, CSCS registered, work covered by the Checkatrade Guarantee (up to £1,000).
- Written workmanship warranty on every package.
- Fixed price before you book, online in about two minutes, no sales visit.
- Johnstone's Trade as standard, Dulux Trade and Dulux Heritage as upgrades, included in the price.
- Pay the balance after your walkthrough, when you are happy.
Do we cover your area? Check your postcode
Professional painters near you
Next steps: how to hire a painter this week · 12 questions to ask any decorator · house painters · interior painters.