Start a home painting and decorating business
Paint and decorate rooms, hallways and woodwork in local homes, working on your own.
- £400-2k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
16,319 UK companies in this field, 31% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 43341 “Painting”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
Interior decorating for households: preparing surfaces, filling and sanding, then painting walls, ceilings and woodwork. Some decorators also hang wallpaper.
Your first three steps
- Practise on friends' or family's rooms and photograph the before and after results
- Price up a basic kit (brushes, rollers, dust sheets, ladders) and check local decorators' rates before setting your own
- Get public liability insurance and post your work on local Facebook groups and Nextdoor
Who pays
Homeowners, landlords, tenants moving out and people preparing a house for sale.
How it makes money
A day rate or fixed quote per room or job, plus materials charged at cost or with a small mark-up.
Skills that help
- Neat, careful finishing
- Surface preparation and filling
- Quoting jobs accurately
- Reliable and tidy in people's homes
Watch out for
- Public liability insurance, and check whether clients or landlords expect a certain level of cover
- Older homes may have lead paint, so check safe sanding and disposal guidance before starting
- Underpricing jobs: allow time for prep, drying and second coats
- Register as a sole trader with HMRC and keep records of income and expenses
- Working at height: use suitable ladders or platforms and check safety guidance
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: home painter and decorator
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a painting and decorating business?
Startup costs are typically around £400 to £2,000, depending on the tools, ladders or platforms, dust sheets and insurance you need. Treat this as an estimate and price your own kit list before you begin.
How much revenue can a self-employed decorator make?
Monthly revenue is typically around £1,000 to £4,500, depending on how many hours you work, the jobs you win and how well you allow for prep, drying and second coats. This is revenue before costs, and only an estimate.
What should I check before starting as a home decorator?
Check public liability insurance and what clients or landlords expect, safe sanding and disposal guidance for lead paint in older homes, safety guidance for working at height, and registering as a sole trader with HMRC.
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Photo: MamaShaw on Pixabay