# Camden Painters: full content Last updated: 2026-10-13 ## Home Camden Painters provides interior painting, exterior painting, commercial painting and end of tenancy decorating across Camden and North London. Fully insured. Free quotes. Monday to Friday, 9AM to 6PM. ## Heritage and Period Property Painting We paint and restore period properties across Camden and North London, from Georgian townhouses and Victorian terraces to stucco-fronted villas and mansion flats. Old brick and lime need breathable coatings, and original cornicing, panelled shutters and box sashes are cut in by hand. Every job is a fixed price in writing after a free survey. Exteriors: stucco rendered ground floors, moulded cornices, timber sash boxes and cast-iron railings over old lime and cement renders that are often chalky underneath. We scrape back flaking paint, cut out blown render, seal chalky surfaces with a stabilising solution and build the finish back up in breathable masonry systems. Exterior work is booked April to October. Interiors: high ceilings, deep cornicing, ceiling roses, picture rails and panelled doors over plaster that has shifted. Settlement cracks raked out and filled, old lath-and-plaster stabilised, detail cut in by hand rather than rolled past. Sash windows: treated as restoration rather than a recoat. Old paint drawn back, seized sashes freed, cord renewed, split cills made good. We do not cut glass. Conservation areas and listed buildings: experience of the stock, not a heritage accreditation. Consents rest with the owner or freeholder, and on a listed property the existing scheme is normally kept as it is. Concentrates in Hampstead, St John's Wood, Regent's Park, Primrose Hill, Highgate and Belsize Park. ## Commercial Painting We paint and decorate commercial premises across Camden and North London, from independent shops and offices to restaurants, communal stairwells and managed residential blocks. Work runs to a set programme, out of hours where you need it. A small office or shop takes two to four days, on one fixed contract sum agreed in writing. For occupied spaces we plan the work around how you trade. Early mornings, evenings and weekends are all on the table, prep and sanding are dust-controlled to keep retail and food areas hygienic, and large ceilings or open-plan offices are sprayed with fast-drying contract emulsion so the room is back in use quickly. Waste leaves site at the end of each shift and access stays clear throughout. Managing agents and portfolio landlords across the area book us for communal-area refreshes, HMO turnarounds and void properties on a fixed contract price. If you also need shopfront or railing work alongside the interior, we cover [exterior painting](/exterior-painting/) and [metalwork painting](/metalwork-painting/) under the same booking. Send us your scope and we will survey the site and come back with one fixed price. Leaving a leased unit? Our guide to [end of lease commercial painting](/blog/end-of-lease-commercial-painting-in-london/) covers what the lease clause and the landlord's surveyor will expect. FAQ: Q: Can you work outside business hours? A: Yes. Evenings, early mornings and weekends are all routine for us in occupied offices, shops and restaurants, so trade carries on uninterrupted, and we agree the full schedule with you before the job starts and stick to it. Q: Do you handle communal areas in residential blocks? A: Yes. Entrance halls, stairwells and corridors are regular work for managing agents and freeholders across Camden and North London, and we are used to occupied buildings, so stairs and access stay clear for residents throughout. Q: Are you insured for commercial work? A: Yes. Full public liability insurance covers both our commercial and residential projects, managed blocks and HMOs included. Details are available on request. Q: How much does commercial painting cost in Camden? A: Every commercial job is priced as a fixed contract sum. The total depends on floor area, the condition and colour of the surfaces, the number of coats needed and whether the work has to run out of hours, so we survey the site, assess the scope and give you one fixed sum before any work begins. ## Colour Consultation We plan paint schemes for homes across Camden and North London, reading how the light moves through each room, testing undertones on sample boards and matching the period of the building. A visit runs one to two hours. The consultation is a fixed fee, credited against your decorating quote if you book the work with us. Across Camden and North London no two rooms light the same way. A Hampstead reception with tall north-facing sashes wants warmth pulled back into it; a bright Belsize Park mansion-block flat can carry cooler, greyer tones that would feel flat elsewhere; a Camden Town conversion often needs colour to tie together rooms that were never designed to flow. We test undertones on movable sample boards rather than guessing from a chart, and we plan how each colour hands over to the next so the whole home reads as one scheme. Where a property's age matters, we lean on period-appropriate palettes, including Farrow & Ball alongside our trade ranges, that sit naturally against old plaster, cornicing and timber. Most clients book a consultation just before a full repaint, so the colours are settled before we start the [interior painting](/interior-painting/), and any heritage joinery like [sash window painting](/sash-window-painting/) is specified to match from the outset. You leave with a written palette, names, finishes and where each goes, and if you go on to book the decorating with us, the consultation fee comes off the quote. FAQ: Q: How much does colour consultation cost in Camden? A: A colour consultation is a fixed fee. It covers a visit of one to two hours, sample-board guidance for the main rooms and a written palette you can brief any decorator with. Larger homes or whole-house schemes take longer, so we confirm the fee when we book. Book a full repaint with us afterwards and the consultation fee comes off the decorating cost. Q: Do I have to book painting as well? A: No. It is a standalone service. Plenty of homeowners use it to brief their own decorator, or just to feel sure before buying paint. If you do book us for the work, the fee is credited against your interior painting quote. Q: Which paint ranges do you recommend? A: We work mostly with trade-grade Dulux, Crown and Johnstone's. Farrow & Ball comes in where the colour or the period of the room calls for it. We are not tied to any one brand, so the recommendation follows the room rather than a supplier. Q: How long does a consultation take? A: Most visits run one to two hours. It moves either way with how many rooms are involved and how settled you already are on direction. That is enough time to read the light, test undertones on boards and agree a palette you are happy to commit to. ## End of Tenancy Decorating We decorate rental properties to a lettable standard for landlords and letting agents across Camden and North London, working to the date in your diary. A standard one-bed flat takes two to three days for walls, ceilings and woodwork. Every quote is a fixed price agreed in writing up front. The service covers walls, ceilings and woodwork, skirting, doors and window frames, plus the minor filling and repairs that an outgoing tenant leaves behind. We use hard-wearing, washable Dulux, Crown and Johnstone's trade paints in neutral, deposit-ready colours that photograph well for listings and stand up to the next tenancy. Where a property needs more than a refresh, we slot end-of-tenancy work alongside a full [interior painting](/interior-painting/) repaint, and bring in [plastering](/plastering/) to make good blown or damaged walls so the flat goes back out in one clean run. We turn round void properties regularly in Kentish Town, Camden Town, Belsize Park and across Hampstead and Highgate, and many letting agents keep us on call for every vacancy they manage. Book your quote after a notice is served and we will have the property lettable before the next viewing. Handing back a shop or office rather than a home? See our guide to [end of lease commercial painting](/blog/end-of-lease-commercial-painting-in-london/). FAQ: Q: How quickly can you turn around a void property? A: Two to three days. That is a standard 1-bed flat, walls, ceilings and woodwork, and larger properties take longer, but you get a firm timeline at quote stage tied to your viewing or move-in date, so you can plan around it with confidence. Q: What neutral colours work best for rentals? A: White or off-white on ceilings. A warm light grey or clean white on the walls. That combination is the safe, lettable choice for Camden rentals, because it photographs brightly, suits most furniture and appeals to the widest pool of tenants, and if your agent or managing company has a house scheme we will match a specific shade. Q: Do you only paint, or can you fix minor damage too? A: We fix as well as paint. Minor filling, sanding and repairs are part of the decorating rather than an extra line, so picture-hook holes, scuffs, small cracks and tired plaster are all made good before any paint goes on. For anything structural we can bring in the wider Ferizi Property Services team. Q: How much does end of tenancy decorating cost in Camden? A: Every void is quoted as a fixed price after a quick site visit. What it comes to depends on the size of the flat, the condition of the walls and woodwork, the colours chosen and the number of coats needed to cover, so we look at the property, agree the price in writing and turn it around to your check-in date. ## Exterior Painting & Decorating We repaint exteriors across Camden and North London, covering rendered fronts, exposed brick, timber fascias and soffits, front doors, railings and gates on homes, flats and let properties. A typical terrace front takes three to five days once access is up. The price is fixed in writing after a free survey. The work that lasts happens before the topcoat. We scrape back flaking paint, cut out and patch blown render, treat damp and algae, and seal chalky or powdery surfaces with a stabilising solution so the new paint keys to something sound. Bare timber is sanded and primed, metalwork is rust-treated, and only then do two coats of trade-grade masonry or exterior wood finish go on. Access is planned into the quote up front, whether that means ladders for a low terrace in Kentish Town or a tower for a tall Primrose Hill front, and where a wall has been opened up it often pairs naturally with [plastering](/plastering/) or fresh [sash window painting](/sash-window-painting/) on the same visit. We paint exteriors right across North London, the painted stucco of Belsize Park, the brick terraces of Camden Town, the period frontages of Hampstead, booking the work for the drier stretch of the year so the paint cures the way it should. You get a fixed price agreed in writing, a fully insured local team, and a frontage left clean with all access and waste cleared away before we sign off. FAQ: Q: When is the best time to paint exterior walls in London? A: Late spring to early autumn, roughly April to October. Those drier months give the best conditions, because masonry paint needs the surface dry and above 10°C to cure properly, so we monitor the forecast and will move a start date rather than apply paint with rain due within 24 hours. A damp wall undermines even the best paint. Q: How long does exterior paint last? A: On London render or masonry, a well-prepared exterior repaint should hold up for five to eight years. Timber is different. Fascias, soffits, window frames and front doors take more weather, and may want refreshing every three to five years depending on how exposed they are. Q: Do you paint Victorian terrace facades? A: Yes. Victorian and Edwardian terraces are everywhere across Camden and we are set up for them. That means stucco-rendered ground floors, brick upper storeys, timber sash boxes and the cast-iron railings, gates and balconies these houses carry, all of it scraped back, with chalky render stabilised and the timber and ironwork weatherproofed. Q: How much does exterior painting cost in Camden? A: Exterior work is always quoted as one fixed price after a visit. The total depends on the size of the frontage, the condition of the masonry and timber, the colour and number of coats, and the access required, since some jobs need a tower or scaffold rather than ladders. The price you agree before we start is what you pay. ## Interior Painting & Decorating We paint and decorate homes and rental properties across Camden and North London, from a single room freshened up to a full flat repaint between tenancies. A typical room takes one to two days for walls and ceiling. You get a fixed price in writing after a free visit. Good interior painting starts with preparation. We fill and sand any cracks, prime bare patches and mask edges carefully before a drop of paint goes on the wall. That is what separates a finish that lasts from one that chips within months. We work across all Camden neighbourhoods including Hampstead, Primrose Hill, Kentish Town, Belsize Park and Camden Town. Most jobs are booked within a week of your quote. FAQ: Q: How long does it take to repaint a room? A: A standard bedroom or reception room takes one to two days for walls and ceiling, plus half a day if woodwork (skirting, doors, window frames) is included. We give you a timeline before we start. Q: What paint do you use? A: We use trade-grade paints from Dulux, Crown and Johnstone's. Eggshell for woodwork. Matt or silk emulsion for walls, depending on the room, and we are happy to match any colour or to use paint you supply. Q: Do I need to move my furniture? A: We ask that you clear small items and valuables. That is all. Larger furniture we move as needed, and flooring and anything left in the room is protected with dust sheets throughout the job. Q: How much does interior painting cost in Camden? A: Every room is quoted as a fixed price after a visit. What moves the figure is the condition of the walls, the colour you choose and the number of coats needed, and stained or damaged surfaces need extra prep, which affects the total. We visit, assess and give you the price in writing before any work starts. ## Kitchen Cabinet Painting We paint kitchen cabinets across Camden and North London, from terraced houses in Kentish Town to mansion-block flats in Belsize Park. Sound carcasses keep their doors, degreased, keyed, primed and finished in hard-wearing cabinet paint. Most kitchens take two to three days, on a fixed price agreed in writing after a free visit. The result only lasts if the groundwork is right. Kitchen units live in heat, steam and cooking grease, so a quick coat of ordinary emulsion peels within weeks. We degrease every surface, sand back the slick factory lacquer, fill any damage and seal it all with a proper adhesion primer before the cabinet paint goes on. Doors can be hand-painted for a classic Shaker look or sprayed for a flawless, glass-smooth coat, and Farrow & Ball colours are a firm favourite for the topcoat. It is a natural companion to a wider freshen-up. Plenty of clients pair new cabinet colours with [interior painting](/interior-painting/) of the surrounding walls and ceiling, or add [colour consultation](/colour-consultation/) to settle on a palette that works with the worktops and tiling. Most kitchens are finished in two to three days, and we walk the room with you before we sign it off. FAQ: Q: Can you paint over melamine or laminate cupboards? A: Yes. Melamine, laminate and previously lacquered units all take paint well once they are degreased, keyed by sanding and sealed with the right adhesion primer. That prep is the difference between a finish that lasts and one that flakes. It is never skipped. Q: Should I have my cabinets brushed or sprayed? A: Both give a tough, washable finish. Hand-painting suits Shaker and traditional kitchens and is easy to touch up later. Spraying lays down the smoothest, most uniform coat, ideal for flat modern doors. We will recommend the better option for your units at the quote. Q: Do I have to empty the kitchen while you work? A: We ask you to clear the worktops and the lower cupboards we are painting. The kitchen stays usable in the evenings. Doors go back on as coats cure, so you are never left without a working kitchen for the whole job. Q: How much does kitchen cabinet painting cost in Camden? A: Every kitchen is quoted as a fixed price after a visit. The final figure depends on the number of doors and drawer fronts, their condition, the colour chosen and whether you want a brushed or sprayed finish. We visit, count up and give you the price in writing before any work begins. ## Plastering and Skimming We plaster and skim across Camden and North London, from a single filled patch to a full reskim, making good settlement cracks, replacing blown lath-and-plaster, repairing water-damaged ceilings and skimming over tired artex. Most jobs take one to two days plus drying time, on a fixed price agreed in writing after a free survey. Much of the housing stock around Kentish Town, Belsize Park and Camden Town is well over a century old, and the plaster moves with the building. A skim that ignores what is going on underneath will craze and crack again within months, so we treat the background first: cutting out anything blown, reinforcing the worst cracks, beading damaged corners and keying the surface properly before we trowel up to a true line. The aim is a wall that still reads flat under low evening light, not just in passing. Because we are a decorating firm first, plastering and painting come as one joined-up job rather than two separate trades blaming each other. Once the plaster has dried out we can move straight on to the [interior painting](/interior-painting/), and if walls are coming back to bare plaster after older paper is stripped we will sort that alongside any [wallpaper hanging](/wallpaper-hanging/) you have planned. Quotes are free, prices are fixed, and we are fully insured. FAQ: Q: Can you skim over artex instead of removing it? A: Yes. In most cases we seal the artex, apply a bonding agent and skim straight over the top to give you a flat modern finish. It is cleaner and quicker than scraping it off, it avoids disturbing older coatings, and if the artex is badly damaged or loose we will tell you at the survey. Q: Do I have to wait before painting new plaster? A: New plaster has to dry out fully before it takes paint. Usually several days. It depends on the room, the ventilation and the time of year. Make the first coat a watered-down mist coat so the paint bonds rather than peels, and we will tell you when it is ready and can come back to paint it for you. Q: My ceiling has a crack that keeps coming back, what causes that? A: Recurring cracks are rarely just tired paint. In Camden's older houses they are often the building settling, or movement in original lath-and-plaster. Filling the surface alone will not hold it, so we trace the cause, reinforce or reskim properly, and finish it so it does not craze back along the same line within a season. Q: How much does plastering cost in Camden? A: Plastering is quoted as a fixed price after a survey. A small patch repair is a smaller job than a full wall or ceiling reskim, so the total depends on the size of the area and how much making good is needed. Water damage and blown plaster add prep time, and that affects the figure. You get the price in writing before we start. ## Metalwork & Ironwork Painting We repaint iron railings, gates, balconies and fire escapes across Camden and North London, taking the metal back to a sound surface, treating rust at the source and building up durable direct-to-metal coatings. Most jobs take one to two days. The price is fixed in writing after a free survey. Camden is full of classic black ironwork: the front-garden railings of Primrose Hill, the balcony balustrades and basement guards in Belsize Park, the gates and frontages of Kentish Town and Camden Town terraces. We wire-brush each surface back, neutralise active corrosion with a rust inhibitor, prime the bare metal and finish in two coats of satin or gloss black cut in by hand around every finial and scroll. The result is the deep, even black these period frontages were built for, not a gloopy mess of paint sitting over old rust. Ironwork rarely lives alone, so we often pick it up alongside a wider job. If you are having the render or timber refreshed we can roll the railings into the same visit as our [exterior painting](/exterior-painting/), and where front-garden ironwork sits beneath original timber windows we frequently combine it with [sash window painting](/sash-window-painting/). Whatever the scope, you get a free survey, a fixed price agreed before we start, and a fully insured local team. FAQ: Q: Can you save badly rusted railings, or do they need replacing? A: Most period railings are worth saving. As long as the bars and uprights are structurally sound, we can wire-brush back to clean metal, treat the rust and recoat, and at the survey we will tell you honestly if a section is corroded through and genuinely needs a metalworker rather than a repaint. Q: What paint do you use on ironwork? A: We use trade-grade direct-to-metal coatings over a metal primer. Typically satin or gloss black to match Camden's traditional railings, and they are formulated to flex with the metal through temperature changes and resist the rain and frost that quickly break down ordinary paint on iron. Q: Do you paint fire escapes and balconies as well as railings? A: Yes. External steel fire escapes, balcony balustrades, basement light-well guards, gates and front-garden railings all get coated, and for raised or hard-to-reach metalwork we use access towers or scaffolding where needed. All access is included in the fixed quote. Q: How much does metalwork painting cost in Camden? A: Metalwork is quoted as a fixed price after a survey. The final price depends on the length of ironwork, the colour and number of coats, and how much rust treatment it needs, because heavily corroded railings take more prep than a clean refresh. We always survey first and give you the price before any work starts. ## Spray Painting Services We spray ceilings, doors, woodwork, radiators and furniture across homes, offices and refurbishments in Camden and North London, using airless and HVLP equipment for a finish with no brush strokes or roller lines. Most jobs take one to two days, on a fixed price agreed in writing after a free visit. The result depends on what happens before the trigger is pulled. Most of a spray job is masking and dust control: sheeting floors and furniture, filming and taping everything that is not being coated, and sealing the work area so fine overspray stays where it belongs. We fill, sand and prime first, because a sprayed coat reveals every dent and ridge underneath. Then we build the colour in thin, even passes with trade-grade Dulux, Crown or Johnstone's, stepping up to Farrow & Ball where a premium colour is called for. It is the finish of choice for high-end refurbishments in Primrose Hill and Belsize Park, commercial ceilings and shopfronts around Camden Town and Kentish Town, and joinery in Hampstead period homes where no brush marks will do. For full repaints we often combine spraying with our [interior painting](/interior-painting/) work, and we handle larger sprayed ceilings and units as part of our [commercial painting](/commercial-painting/) service. Every job is fully insured, quoted at a fixed price, and booked to a date you can rely on. FAQ: Q: What is the difference between spray painting and brushing? A: Spraying atomises the paint and lays it down in a fine, even film, so doors, ceilings and woodwork come out perfectly smooth with no brush or roller texture, and while it needs far more masking and prep, the finish is the closest thing to a factory coat. That is the trade. Q: What can you spray? A: Ceilings, doors, skirting, architrave and other woodwork, radiators, fitted joinery and freestanding furniture, which is why it suits commercial ceilings and high-end refurbishments where no brush marks are wanted. Walls are different. For a full room of them we often pair spraying with our interior painting service. Q: How do you stop overspray getting everywhere? A: Heavy masking is the core of the job. Dust control too. Nothing is switched on until the whole area is sheeted, filmed and taped, adjoining rooms are closed off and the work zone is contained, which is what keeps the rest of the property clean. Q: How much does spray painting cost in Camden? A: Spray work is quoted as a fixed price after a visit. What drives the figure is what is being sprayed, the colour and number of coats, and how much masking the space needs, and a set of doors and frames is a different job from a full commercial ceiling. We visit, assess the access and prep, and give you the price before any work starts. ## Sash Window Painting & Restoration We repaint and restore timber box sash windows across Camden and North London, easing stuck sashes, renewing tired cord, raking out cracked putty and drawing back decades of old paint. A bay of sashes takes one to two days. You get a fixed price in writing after a free survey. This is patient, period-property work rather than a quick coat over the top. On the Victorian terraces around Kentish Town and Gospel Oak, and the Edwardian and Georgian stock across Hampstead, Primrose Hill and Belsize Park, the difference between a repaint that lasts and one that crazes within a season comes down to prep: freeing the moving parts, treating any rot, and laying the paint on sound, primed timber. We hand-cut the glazing bars and keep clean lines onto the glass, using trade-grade exterior finishes from Dulux, Crown and Johnstone's, or Farrow & Ball where you want a specific heritage colour. Sash windows are rarely the only job a period home needs, so we often pair the work with [exterior painting](/exterior-painting/) of the surrounding render, cills and ironwork, or pick up the [interior painting](/interior-painting/) of the reveals and shutters at the same time. Whatever the scope, you get a free survey, a fixed price agreed before we start and a fully insured local team. Call 07455 705074 to book a look at your windows. FAQ: Q: Can you fix a sash window that is painted shut or will not stay up? A: Yes. These are two of the most common jobs we get. A window painted shut is freed by cutting the paint seal and easing the sashes back, while one that drops or will not stay open usually needs new sash cord, which we replace with the window open for repainting. Both are sorted as part of the restoration. Q: Do you replace the glass or just the paintwork? A: Just the paintwork and the restoration around it. That means prepping the timber, renewing putty, easing the sashes, replacing cord and rebuilding the paint finish. We do not cut new glass, but if a pane is cracked we will flag it in the survey and can coordinate around a glazier so the repaint goes on cleanly afterwards. Q: Will repainting reduce draughts and rattling? A: To a degree, yes. Drawing back old paint, renewing putty and reseating the sashes tightens up a lot of the gaps that let cold air through, and renewing the cord stops the rattle. Careful reseating alone makes a noticeable difference. For a fully sealed result we can talk through draught-reducing measures during the survey. Q: How much does sash window painting cost in Camden? A: Sash work is quoted as a fixed price after a survey. The final figure depends on the number and size of the windows, the colour and finish, and how much prep the timber needs, since heavily painted, seized or rotten sashes take more work than a straightforward refresh. We survey first and give you the price in writing before any work starts. ## Wallpaper Hanging We hang wallpaper across homes and rental properties in Camden and North London, from a single feature wall to a whole reception room, in lining paper, paste-the-wall and traditional pastes. A feature wall takes about a day. The price is fixed in writing after a free visit. The difference between a wall that looks crisp for years and one that bubbles and lifts within months is almost always the preparation underneath. We strip old paper back properly, fill and size the plaster, and cross-line where the surface is uneven before the finish paper ever comes out of the roll. On a busy pattern that means plumbing the first drop dead straight and matching the repeat patiently across the wall, rather than rushing and chasing a misaligned seam into the corner. A papered feature wall pairs naturally with fresh paintwork elsewhere in the room, so we often hang wallpaper as part of a wider [interior painting](/interior-painting/) job. If you are repapering an awkward kitchen feature, we can coordinate it alongside [kitchen cabinet painting](/kitchen-cabinet-painting/) too. We work across Hampstead, Primrose Hill, Kentish Town and Camden Town, and most jobs are booked within a week of your quote. FAQ: Q: Can you hang wallpaper over uneven old plaster? A: Yes. Bowed and patchy plaster is normal in Camden's period homes, so we fill and sand what we can and then cross-line the wall with lining paper underneath so the finish paper sits flat over the top. On badly cracked walls we will tell you honestly if a re-skim is the better route first. Q: Do you supply the wallpaper or do I? A: Most clients choose and buy their own paper. That way they get exactly the colour and pattern they want, and we are happy to advise on how many rolls you need for the pattern repeat, where to source it, and whether paste-the-wall or a traditional paper suits the job. Q: Can you strip existing wallpaper as well? A: Yes. We strip old paper, clear the residue, make good the wall and prepare the surface before anything new goes up, and that stripping is included in the quote rather than added on afterwards. The price you are given covers the full job. Q: How much does wallpaper hanging cost in Camden? A: Wallpapering is quoted as a fixed price after we measure up, and the quote includes stripping, preparation and hanging. The final price depends on the wall's condition, whether cross-lining is needed and the pattern repeat, since large repeats waste more paper and take longer to match. 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Interior, exterior, commercial and end of tenancy painting in St John's Wood (NW8), Westminster. ## Painters and Decorators in Swiss Cottage (NW3) Painters and Decorators in Swiss Cottage (NW3). Interior, exterior, commercial and end of tenancy painting in Swiss Cottage (NW3), Camden. ## Painters and Decorators in Tufnell Park (N7) Painters and Decorators in Tufnell Park (N7). Interior, exterior, commercial and end of tenancy painting in Tufnell Park (N7), Islington. ## Painters and Decorators in West Hampstead (NW6) Painters and Decorators in West Hampstead (NW6). Interior, exterior, commercial and end of tenancy painting in West Hampstead (NW6), Camden. ## The Best Paint for a Victorian Terrace Exterior in London For a Victorian terrace exterior in London, the best paint is almost always a breathable masonry coating rather than a sealing plastic-film one. Old solid-wall houses around Camden were built with soft brick and lime mortar that need to let moisture out. A breathable mineral or silicate-based masonry paint over rendered or painted brick, paired with a tough acrylic or oil-based finish on the timber trim, will look right, last well, and avoid the trapped-damp problems that ruin cheaper jobs. That is the short answer. According to the [English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/chapters-for-english-housing-survey-2024-to-2025-headline-findings-on-demographics-and-household-resilience/chapter-1-profile-of-households-and-dwellings), 20 per cent of owner occupied homes in England were built before 1919, rising to 32 per cent of privately rented ones, so this is ordinary housing stock rather than a niche. Below is the longer one, written for the kind of stucco-fronted and London-stock-brick terraces you find across North London. ## Why breathability matters more than anything else Most Victorian terraces in Camden, Kentish Town and Tufnell Park have solid walls with no cavity. According to the government's [Household Energy Efficiency statistics (2025)](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67e511c9d052ace7e89776ed/HEE_Stats_Detailed_Release_-_Mar_25.pdf), an estimated 8.5 million homes in Great Britain had solid walls at the end of December 2024. They were designed to absorb a little rain and then dry outwards through soft lime mortar and porous brick. Modern non-breathable masonry paints form a plastic film that seals the surface. On a cavity-wall new-build that is fine. On a 1880s terrace it traps moisture inside the wall, which then shows up as blown render, flaking paint, spalling brick faces and damp patches on the inside of the front room. So the single most important choice is a paint that lets the wall breathe. Look for products described as mineral, silicate or high-permeability masonry paint. These bond to the masonry and let water vapour pass through, which keeps the wall dry over the long run. ## Choosing the best paint for a Victorian terrace exterior in London ### Rendered and stucco fronts Many North London terraces, especially the painted-stucco ground floors around Primrose Hill and Belsize Park, are finished in lime or sand-and-cement render. For these, a quality breathable masonry paint is the standard choice. Trade ranges such as Dulux Weathershield, Crown Trade and Johnstone's give good colour retention and weather resistance, and there are dedicated breathable lines where the underlying render is lime. A genuine silicate (mineral) paint is the most breathable option of all and is worth specifying where a wall has a history of damp. It chemically bonds to mineral substrates rather than sitting on top as a film. ### Bare or previously painted brick Bare London stock brick generally looks best left unpainted and simply repointed in lime mortar. Once a brick terrace has been painted, though, stripping it is rarely practical, so the sensible route is to repaint with a breathable masonry coating that keeps the existing surface protected without sealing it shut. We never recommend a standard exterior emulsion or a thick textured masonry paint over historic brick. ### Render coatings and "never paint again" systems Thick flexible wall coatings are heavily marketed as a permanent fix. On a solid-wall Victorian house we would steer you away from them. They are largely non-breathable, hard to overcoat later, and can lock moisture into the wall. A properly applied breathable masonry paint, maintained on a sensible cycle, is the safer long-term approach for period stock. ## Trim, sash windows and the front door The colours that make a London terrace look smart usually come from the joinery, not the walls. Timber sashes, the front door, the cornice details and the railings are where you add character. For timber trim, a tough acrylic or traditional oil-based gloss or satinwood from Dulux Trade or Johnstone's holds up well to London weather and pollution. On sash windows we prep, fill and protect the timber properly before finishing, which is its own craft. See our pages on [sash window painting](/sash-window-painting/) and [metalwork painting](/metalwork-painting/) for the railings and ironwork. On colour, off-whites and soft stones suit stucco fronts, while the trim and door carry the statement shade. Farrow & Ball exterior colours such as the deep greys, blacks and heritage greens are popular across Hampstead and Highgate for exactly this reason. We are happy to work to a specific colour or help you settle one. ![Brick terraced houses with painted window surrounds and ground floors in red, yellow and lilac](../../assets/images/painting-exterior-3.webp) ## Durability in London's weather London is wet, humid and grimy with traffic film. Three things drive how long an exterior repaint lasts here: - **Preparation.** Stripping flaking paint, treating any algae, raking out and repointing failed mortar, and stabilising chalky old surfaces does more for longevity than the paint brand. - **Breathability.** As above, a wall that can dry out will hold its finish for years rather than months. - **Timing.** Exterior work needs dry, mild conditions. Spring through early autumn is the realistic window in North London. With sound prep and a breathable system, a Victorian terrace front in Camden will typically look good for roughly eight to twelve years before it needs refreshing, and the trim a little sooner because it takes the most weather. According to [Dulux (2026)](https://www.dulux.co.uk/en/products/dulux-weathershield-all-weather-protection-smooth-masonry-paint), its Weathershield All Weather Protection Smooth Masonry is rated for 15 years of protection, which is the manufacturer figure rather than what we would promise on an exposed London front. These are honest ranges, not guarantees, since exposure and aspect vary street by street. ## Get a fixed-price quote Every Victorian terrace is a little different, so the right specification depends on what your walls are actually made of and what condition they are in. We will take a proper look, recommend a breathable system suited to your house, and give you a fixed price. We are fully insured, use trade-grade paints, and the team is local to Camden and North London. For more on the full process, see our [exterior painting](/exterior-painting/) service, or call us on **07455 705074** for a free quote. FAQ: Q: Can you paint over old masonry paint or pebbledash? A: Usually yes, once we know what is already on the wall. Old plastic masonry paint trapped on lime-based brick is the main thing to check, because it can hold damp in. We test and prepare the surface first, then use a breathable coating so the brickwork underneath can still dry out. Q: How long does exterior masonry paint last on a London terrace? A: A good breathable masonry coating on well-prepared brick or render typically lasts around ten years in London, sometimes longer on sheltered elevations. South and west faces that take the most sun and driving rain wear faster, so they are usually the first to need attention. Q: When is the best time of year to paint a terrace exterior? A: Late spring through early autumn is ideal, when surfaces are dry and temperatures stay above the paint's minimum overnight. We plan exterior work around dry spells and never paint over damp masonry, since trapped moisture is the quickest way to make a fresh coat fail. ## Breathable Paint for Old Houses, Explained Breathable paint lets water vapour pass through the paint film instead of sealing it inside the wall. Old houses need it because solid walls take up moisture and release it again, and a modern impermeable coating blocks that second half. Trap the moisture and it goes somewhere worse: into plaster, skirtings, joists and the masonry itself. If you own a period property in Camden, this is the single most consequential paint decision you will make on the outside of the building, and it matters inside too. ## Why old walls work differently Most buildings put up before 1919 have solid walls with no cavity, and they were built to get wet and dry out again. According to [Historic England](https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/your-home/looking-after-your-home/repair/walls/), older buildings were constructed so that moisture can enter the fabric and then evaporate away. Lime mortar, lime render and lime plaster are all absorbent and porous, and they let that happen. This is not a small niche of the housing stock. According to the [English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/chapters-for-english-housing-survey-2024-to-2025-headline-findings-on-demographics-and-household-resilience/chapter-1-profile-of-households-and-dwellings), 20 per cent of owner occupied homes in England were built before 1919. In Camden the local share is far higher, which is why the problem turns up on so many of the terraces we work on. A modern cavity wall handles water completely differently. It keeps the outside wet and the inside dry, with a gap between them. Paint that suits that system does not suit a solid wall, and this is where most damp problems in period homes begin. ## What "breathable" means in numbers Breathability is measured as vapour resistance, and lower is better. According to the [SPAB](https://www.spab.org.uk/advice/breathability-and-old-buildings), a material suitable for use on older buildings should have a vapour resistance of up to about 2.5 MNs/g, and 19mm of non-hydraulic lime render comes in at roughly 1.0 MNs/g. Standard modern paint systems sit well above that range. That is the whole problem in one number. The wall can still absorb moisture from driving rain and from the ground, but the coating slows its release to a crawl, so the moisture accumulates instead of cycling. ### What that looks like on a real house The damage shows up in an order you can almost predict. Paint blisters and flakes off in sheets, because moisture pushing outward has nowhere to go and lifts the film. Render cracks and hollows out behind. Internal plaster blows, salts appear on the wall, and skirtings and joist ends near the damp start to rot. The frustrating part is that the paint usually gets blamed for failing when it was doing exactly what an impermeable film does. ## Choosing the right paint outside For solid masonry and lime render, the workable options are mineral paints and traditional limewash. **Mineral paints** bond chemically into the surface rather than sitting on top as a film, and they stay highly permeable. They hold colour well and last considerably longer than limewash between repaints, which is why they are our usual recommendation on a Camden frontage. **Limewash** is the traditional finish and the most permeable of all. It suits lime render and soft brick, gives a depth of surface no modern paint reproduces, and needs refreshing more often. **Standard acrylic masonry paint** is the one to avoid on a solid wall, however good the coverage and however long the warranty. It is designed for a different kind of building. There is a separate question of whether you should be painting the brickwork at all. In Camden, often you should not, and there are planning rules that govern it. Our [exterior painting](/exterior-painting/) surveys cover both the material choice and the consent position before any work is priced. ## Breathability inside the house The same logic applies indoors on solid external walls, though the pressure is lower. If a wall is drying inward, a sealed vinyl emulsion on the inside face keeps that moisture in the plaster. Traditional heritage emulsions are formulated for this. Farrow & Ball's Estate Emulsion, for example, carries a Class 1 breathability rating in its [product data](https://www.farrow-ball.com/media/wysiwyg/Product-Advice-Sheets/Paint-primers/GBEEM.pdf), alongside a very flat 2 per cent sheen. Clay and mineral-based interior paints do the same job. On a wall that has already suffered, paint alone will not fix it. If the plaster has blown, it needs taking back and replacing with a lime-based system before decorating, which is [plastering](/plastering/) work rather than a painting job. Painting over blown plaster buys a few months at most. ![Decorator in a dust mask sanding a wall with an orbital sander](../../assets/images/painting-prep.webp) ## Why you cannot just paint breathable over sealed This catches people out. Applying a breathable finish on top of an existing impermeable coating achieves nothing, because the sealed layer underneath still controls what the wall can do. The vapour has to get through every layer, and it will only move as fast as the tightest one lets it. So the honest sequence on a wall that has been sealed is: remove the old coating, let the wall dry out, repair the render or plaster with compatible lime-based materials, then apply a permeable finish. The stripping is the slow part and it is where most of the cost sits. Any quote that skips it is quoting a different, shorter job that will not last. ## Getting it right on a Camden period property Most of the terraces, conversions and mansion blocks across Camden, Highgate and Hampstead are solid-walled and were built to breathe. We work on them every week, and we survey the existing coatings and the state of the render before recommending a system rather than after. Our [heritage painting](/heritage-painting/) work covers period exteriors and interiors across North London, using permeable systems on solid walls and conventional systems where the building is actually suited to them. For a free, no-obligation quote, call us on 07455 705074. We will look at the walls, work out what is already on them, and tell you honestly whether you need a full strip or just a repaint. FAQ: Q: What does breathable paint actually mean? A: It means the paint film lets water vapour pass through it rather than sealing it in. Older solid walls take up moisture and release it again, so the finish on them has to allow that movement. A paint that blocks it traps moisture in the wall, where it damages plaster, timber and the masonry itself. Q: Does my Victorian house need breathable paint? A: If it has solid walls rather than a cavity, almost certainly yes, and that covers most housing built before about 1919. Solid walls were designed to let moisture evaporate back out. Sealing them with a standard modern masonry paint removes the escape route and usually shows up as damp patches and blown plaster. Q: Can I put breathable paint over existing masonry paint? A: Not usefully. A breathable coat over a sealed one is still sealed, because the impermeable layer underneath governs what the wall can do. The old coating has to come off first, which is the slow and expensive part of the job and the main reason we survey before quoting this work. Q: Is breathable paint more expensive? A: The paint costs more per tin, and where an impermeable coating has to be stripped first the labour adds more than the paint does. Set against replastering a wall that has been sealed for years, it is the cheaper path. We price the stripping and the finish separately so you can see which part is which. ## DIY Painting vs Hiring a Decorator in Camden: The Honest Comparison For a single small bedroom in sound condition, DIY is a reasonable call: the tools are few and the risk is low. Hiring a decorator wins once you add high Victorian ceilings, cracked plaster, a stairwell, or a deadline. The honest split is about access, surface condition and how many free weekends you have. ## What a first DIY job actually needs A first repaint takes more kit than most people picture. For one room that is dust sheets, low-tack masking tape, filler and a filling knife, sandpaper in two or three grades, a sanding pole, a brush for cutting in, a roller frame, sleeves and a tray, a scraper, sugar soap, primer for bare patches, a stepladder that reaches the ceiling comfortably, and then the paint. Most of it is bought once and lives in a cupboard afterwards, which is the real argument for DIY: the second room is far less trouble than the first. The awkward part is that almost nobody gets the list right on one trip. The filler shrinks and wants a second pass. The bare plaster you did not notice needs a mist coat. The roller sleeve has the wrong pile for a textured ceiling. Two or three trips to the merchant is normal, and each one eats a chunk of the day you set aside. | | Doing it yourself | Hiring a decorator | | --- | --- | --- | | Tools | Around a dozen items for the first room | Nothing to buy or store | | Trips to the merchant | Usually two or three | None for you | | Preparation | The stage most often rushed | Filled, sanded and primed as standard | | Coats and drying | Spread across evenings, so a room runs over days | Two coats inside working hours | | Working at height | A household stepladder | Access equipment suited to the ceiling and stairs | | One standard bedroom | A weekend, often two | One to two days | | If it goes wrong | You sand it back and do it again | It is put right under the quote | ## The time is longer than the estimate Painting is mostly waiting. Emulsion needs time between coats and that time is not negotiable. According to [Crown Trade (2026)](https://professional.crownpaints.com/product/crown-trade-clean-extreme-stain-resistant-scrubbable-matt/), its Clean Extreme Stain Resistant Scrubbable Matt is touch dry in one to two hours and recoatable after four. Set that against a weekday evening. You get home, move furniture, mask up, cut in and roll one coat, and the second coat belongs to another day. For someone with a job, a room usually goes like this. Saturday morning is clearing, sheeting and masking. Saturday afternoon is filling and sanding, then a merchant run for the thing you missed. Sunday is the ceiling and the first wall coat. The second coat, the woodwork and the touching up land the following weekend. That is a fortnight of your free time for one bedroom, and the same room is a one to two day job for a decorator who is on it start to finish. ![Brush cutting in cream paint where the wall meets a white door frame](../../assets/images/painting-edge-detail.webp) ## Finish quality on period plaster and high ceilings Sound modern plasterboard is easy to paint. Camden's Victorian and Edwardian stock is not the same surface. Walls have moved over a century, so there are settlement cracks that need raking out rather than smearing over, patches of old lime plaster, and previous repairs at three different levels. Bare or freshly filled areas drink the first coat and dry back matt while everything around them stays flat and even, and that patchiness only disappears once the surface is sealed and the coats are consistent. According to [Crown Trade (2026)](https://professional.crownpaints.com/product/crown-trade-covermatt-drywall-primer/), its Covermatt Drywall Primer exists to level out surface porosity and to reduce the appearance of roller striping in critical lighting, which is the trade answer to exactly this problem. Ceiling height is the other divider. A period reception room can sit well above three metres, with deep cornicing and a picture rail to cut in around. Rolling that from a household stepladder means climbing down and moving it every metre, so you cannot keep a wet edge, and the lap marks show under low winter light. Cutting a clean line along original cornicing is a skill that takes a few hundred metres of practice, not a YouTube video. Where the plaster itself is blown or hollow behind the paint, no coating fixes it and it needs [plastering](/plastering/) first. ## Ladders, stairwells and converted flats Access is where DIY stops being a question of finish and starts being a question of safety. A domestic stairwell is not a gentler place to fall than a building site, and the people who paint them for a living use different equipment for a reason. Camden is full of converted flats with a shared stairwell, a half-landing and a tall void above the stairs. Painting that void is the single job we would most like people to stop attempting. A stepladder standing on steps of different heights is not stable, planks balanced between treads are worse, and the drop runs the full height of the stairwell. The proper answer is a stairwell platform or a ladder with adjustable legs, and a second person at the bottom. Same principle on a landing ceiling or a tall entrance hall. If you cannot stand square with both feet level and both hands free, that room is not a DIY room. ## Where DIY genuinely wins Plenty of rooms are worth doing yourself, and we would rather say so than pretend otherwise. - A small bedroom or box room in sound condition, standard ceiling height, walls already painted and only the colour changing. That is a reasonable weekend and a fair result. - Refreshing an existing colour with a single coat over a smooth, clean wall. - Utility rooms, cupboard interiors, garages and anywhere the tolerance for a perfect line is low. - A room you intend to rework in a few years anyway, where a decent finish now is enough. - Any job you actually enjoy. Some people find a Saturday with a roller restorative, and that is a real return that no quote competes with. If the colour is the part you are stuck on rather than the work, a [colour consultation](/colour-consultation/) on its own is an option, and you can do the painting yourself afterwards. ## Where hiring earns its place Hand it over when the room brings something a stepladder and a weekend cannot solve. High ceilings, stairwells and voids. Cracked, blown or previously patched plaster. Pre-1980s woodwork that may carry lead paint under the top coats. [Sash windows](/sash-window-painting/), which are a mechanism rather than a frame and are easily painted shut. A whole flat going from dark colours to white, where the coat count climbs and every wall has to match. And any job tied to a date, such as a tenancy start or a moving-in day, where running into a third weekend is not an option. ## Making the call for your room Be honest about which room you have. Small, sound and reachable from a stepladder is a DIY room, so buy the kit and keep it. High, cracked, over a stairwell or on a deadline is not, and the rework risk alone usually settles it. We give fixed-price, no-day-rate quotes free of charge across Camden and North London, and we are fully insured. See our [interior painting](/interior-painting/) service for what is included, then [get in touch](/contact/) or call us on 07455 705074 to arrange a free quote. FAQ: Q: Is it worth painting a room yourself? A: For a single small bedroom with sound walls, a standard ceiling height and no damage to make good, yes. The tool list is short, the work is forgiving and the room is reachable from a stepladder. It stops being worth it once you add high period ceilings, cracked plaster, a stairwell or a fixed date. Q: How long does it take to paint a bedroom yourself? A: Plan for a full weekend for your first room, and expect it to run into a second one. Filling and sanding take longer than people allow for, and emulsion needs several hours between coats, so an evening rarely gets you a finished wall. A decorator does the same room in one to two days because the drying time falls inside working hours. Q: Can I paint a stairwell in a converted flat myself? A: Not safely with a household stepladder. A stairwell needs level footing across steps of different heights, which means a stairwell platform or a ladder with adjustable legs. If you cannot stand square with both feet level and both hands free, stop and get someone in with the right access equipment. Q: What do professional decorators do that DIY usually misses? A: Preparation, mostly. Raking out and filling settlement cracks properly, sanding back the filler flush, sealing bare plaster with a mist coat and priming stained patches. That work is invisible when it is done and very visible when it is skipped, because the finish crazes or flashes within a season. ## End of Tenancy Decorating Checklist for Camden Landlords The fastest end of tenancy decorating checklist for landlords in Camden is this: repaint walls and ceilings in a neutral colour, switch any tired emulsion for a washable matt or eggshell, touch up all woodwork, and book the work into the gap between check-out and the first viewings rather than after a tenant has already moved in. Get those four things right and the flat photographs well, re-lets faster and gives a check-out clerk far less to flag. The detail below walks through each stage so nothing gets missed. ## Why decorating between tenancies pays off In a competitive lettings market like Camden and North London, a freshly decorated flat does two jobs at once. It removes the cosmetic faults a departing tenant's deposit can be charged against, and it lets the next viewing happen in a space that looks cared for. Scuffed magnolia and chipped skirting read as "tired" on a Rightmove listing, even when the flat is structurally sound. A clean, neutral repaint is usually the cheapest lever a landlord has to shorten a void period, and in a high-demand pocket like Camden Town or Kentish Town that saved fortnight often covers the cost of the work outright. ## The checklist Work through these in order. Each line is something a letting agent or check-out clerk will notice. ### Walls and ceilings - Repaint in a neutral, lettings-friendly colour. White, off-white and soft greys photograph best and suit the widest range of tenants. - Use a **washable matt** so the next tenant's marks wipe off rather than soak in. Standard contract matt looks fine on day one but marks easily. - Spot-prime any patch repairs, water stains or filler so they do not flash through the topcoat. - Reinstate one consistent colour if a previous tenant painted a dark feature wall. Strong colours date a listing and often need extra coats. ### Woodwork, doors and frames - Sand and repaint skirting, architraves, doors and window frames in **satinwood or eggshell** rather than gloss, which yellows on older Camden timber. - Fill knocks and dents in skirting and door edges, the spots check-out reports flag most often. - Check internal doors close and latch cleanly before they are painted shut. ### Kitchen and bathroom - Use a moisture-resistant **bathroom and kitchen emulsion** in steamy rooms so mould and condensation marks do not return between tenancies. - Repaint or touch up around extractor fans, behind hobs and along splashbacks where grease and damp build up. - Consider repainting tired kitchen cabinet doors instead of replacing the units. A cabinet respray is a fraction of a new kitchen and lifts the whole room. See our [kitchen cabinet painting](/kitchen-cabinet-painting/) service. ### Period features North London's Victorian and Edwardian stock comes with cornicing, ceiling roses, picture rails and timber sash windows that newer flats do not have. According to the [English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/chapters-for-english-housing-survey-2024-to-2025-headline-findings-on-demographics-and-household-resilience/chapter-1-profile-of-households-and-dwellings), 32 per cent of privately rented homes in England were built before 1919, against 20 per cent of owner occupied ones. - Cut in carefully around cornicing and roses; clogged plaster detail is an obvious sign of a rushed job. - Keep sash windows running freely. We restore and repaint them through our [sash window painting](/sash-window-painting/) service rather than painting them stuck shut. - Repair, do not just paint over, flaking lining paper or blown plaster on older walls. ## What a check-out actually looks for A check-out clerk compares the flat against the inventory taken at move-in and notes "betterment" versus fair wear and tear. According to the [TDS Statistical Briefing 2024/25](https://www.tdsgroup.uk/statistical-briefing), cleaning featured in 54 per cent of its insured deposit disputes in 2024-25, damage in 49 per cent and redecoration in 31 per cent. Honest cosmetic decorating helps you on both counts: a documented fresh repaint at the start of a tenancy gives you a clear baseline, and returning the flat to a clean neutral finish removes the marks, scuffs and mismatched touch-ups that disputes are usually argued over. Keep dated photos of the finished decoration and a note of the colours and paint brands used, so any future deductions are easy to evidence. ![Decorator rolling white paint onto the wall of an empty white room](../../assets/images/painting-white-finish.webp) ## Choosing colours that re-let Resist the urge to express personal taste. The brief for a rental is broad appeal, not a statement. Whites and warm off-whites keep rooms looking bright in north-facing Camden flats; soft greige and pale grey suit reception rooms with good light. We use trade-grade Dulux, Crown and Johnstone's as standard, with Farrow & Ball available where a higher-end flat justifies a premium colour. If you are letting at the upper end of the market and want a considered scheme, our [colour consultation](/colour-consultation/) helps you pick shades that read well in photos and in person. ## Timing the work around viewings Sequencing matters as much as the decorating itself. - Book the repaint into the **void window** between check-out and the start of viewings. Decorating around an in-situ tenant is slower and risks the work being marked before anyone sees it. - Allow roughly **two to four days** for a typical one or two-bed flat, depending on how much woodwork is included and the condition of the walls. - Schedule professional cleaning and any carpet work **after** the paint, so fresh emulsion does not get scuffed during the final clean. - Get the quote and dates locked in before the current tenancy ends, so the flat is finished and ready to photograph the moment it is empty. Doing it in this order means the listing goes live with the flat at its best and the void period stays as short as possible. ## Get a free quote We handle [end of tenancy decorating](/end-of-tenancy-decorating/) for landlords and letting agents across Camden and North London, fully insured and at a fixed price. Tell us your check-out date and we will turn the flat around in time for viewings. Call us on **07455 705074** or use the contact form for a free, no-obligation quote. FAQ: Q: How long does end of tenancy decorating take? A: Most one and two-bed flats are turned around in a few working days, depending on how much patching and woodwork is involved. We work to your check-out and check-in dates, so the flat is finished and dry in time for viewings rather than holding up the next tenancy. Q: What colours should a rental be painted? A: Neutral, washable finishes re-let best and photograph well for listings. Warm whites and soft greys on walls with a durable eggshell on woodwork hide everyday marks and suit most tenants. We keep a consistent scheme across a portfolio so touch-ups between tenancies stay simple. Q: Do landlords have to redecorate between tenancies? A: There is no legal duty to repaint every time, but fair wear and tear does not cover scuffs, marks and tired woodwork. A clean repaint protects the deposit position, helps a flat re-let faster and keeps the property presenting well, which is why most Camden landlords budget for it. ## Farrow & Ball vs Dulux Heritage vs Little Greene: Period Colours Compared Farrow & Ball, Little Greene and Dulux Heritage all make period-appropriate colours, and the difference that matters is finish rather than palette. Farrow & Ball and Little Greene lead on very flat, chalky finishes with almost no sheen. Dulux Heritage sits closer to a washable matt. For a Camden period home, pick by which rooms you are painting and how hard they get used. Here is how they compare on the things that change the result. ## The comparison | | Farrow & Ball Estate Emulsion | Little Greene Absolute Matt | Dulux Heritage Velvet Matt | |---|---|---|---| | Sheen | 2 per cent | 1 to 2 per cent | Soft matt, washable | | Coverage | 12 to 14 m² per litre | 14 m² per litre | See the current data sheet | | VOC content | Max 1 g/l | Max 2 g/l | Low VOC, water based | | Breathability | Class 1 | Highly permeable | Not published on the product page | | Washability | Gently wipeable, not washable | Low sheen, delicate | Formulated to be washable | | Best for | Reception rooms, bedrooms, period detail | Reception rooms, bedrooms, ceilings | Hallways, stairs, kitchens, family rooms | Figures are from the manufacturers' own published data: [Farrow & Ball's Estate Emulsion advice sheet](https://www.farrow-ball.com/media/wysiwyg/Product-Advice-Sheets/Paint-primers/GBEEM.pdf) and [Little Greene's Absolute Matt Emulsion page](https://www.littlegreene.com/paint/finishes/interior-paint-finishes/absolute-matt-emulsion). Dulux publishes the Heritage Velvet Matt technical data sheet through the [Dulux Decorator Centre](https://www.duluxdecoratorcentre.co.uk/paint-specification/heritage-velvet-matt) rather than on the consumer page, so check there for current figures before ordering. ## Farrow & Ball The chalky, almost powdery flatness is the point. Estate Emulsion sits at 2 per cent sheen, which is about as matt as a wall paint gets, and the colours are built from layered pigments so they move as the light changes through the day. In a north-facing Tufnell Park sitting room a Farrow & Ball grey will cool and deepen by late afternoon in a way a flat modern grey simply does not. It is also Class 1 for breathability, which matters on the solid walls in most pre-1919 Camden housing. The trade-off is durability. That flatness comes from a surface with very little binder sheen, and it marks. Farrow & Ball describe Estate Emulsion as gently wipeable rather than washable. On a hallway with bikes and buggies going through it, that is a real limitation rather than a technicality. ## Little Greene Very close to Farrow & Ball in character, at 1 to 2 per cent sheen and 14 m² per litre, with a maximum 2 g/l VOC. The palette leans differently: more strong historic colours drawn from documented archives, and a set of period-accurate greens and reds that Farrow & Ball does not directly match. In practice we choose between the two on colour rather than performance. If the shade you want is in Little Greene's archive range, the finish will behave much like Farrow & Ball on the wall. The same durability caveat applies. A 1 to 2 per cent sheen is a delicate surface wherever people touch it. ## Dulux Heritage Different proposition. Dulux positions Heritage Velvet Matt as a washable matt built with premium pigments and blended clays for an easy application and a soft finish. It is a period palette in a paint engineered to be cleaned. That makes it the pragmatic choice for the rooms that take punishment. Hallways, stairs and landings, kitchens, and any family house where walls get wiped are all better served by a washable matt than by a 2 per cent sheen. It is also easier to touch up, which matters more than people expect on a stairwell. If you want the visual authenticity of a heritage colour in a room you cannot treat delicately, this is usually the answer. ![Decorator rolling white paint onto the wall of an empty white room](../../assets/images/painting-white-finish.webp) ## How we actually specify a house Rarely one brand throughout. A typical period property in Hampstead or Highgate ends up mixed, and for good reasons. - **Reception rooms and main bedrooms:** Farrow & Ball or Little Greene, for the depth and the flat finish against original cornicing and picture rails. - **Hall, stairs and landing:** a washable matt. This is the highest-wear surface in a period house and the flattest finishes do not survive it. - **Kitchens and bathrooms:** a washable or moisture-resistant finish, whatever the palette. - **Ceilings, cupboard interiors, secondary bedrooms:** colour-matched trade emulsion. It saves a meaningful amount on a whole-house repaint and nobody has ever noticed on a ceiling. - **Woodwork:** matched to the wall scheme in an eggshell or satin, never left as brilliant white by default on a period property. That mix is not a compromise. It puts the expensive, delicate finishes where they earn their keep and durable ones where the house needs them. ## What the coverage figures do not tell you Published coverage assumes an ideal surface. New plaster drinks the first coat, strong colour changes need an extra one, and old porous walls take more than the tin suggests. A quote built straight off the published figure tends to be a quote that runs short. We allow for a mist coat on new plaster and two full coats on top, and the quantity goes in the written quote before we start. ## Choosing for your property If you are deciding between ranges, the useful question is not which brand is best. It is which rooms need to survive being cleaned, and which rooms you want to look right at four in the afternoon in November. Our [colour consultation](/colour-consultation/) narrows a whole-house scheme to a shortlist that suits your light, your original features and how each room is used, so you are not buying twelve sample pots to find out. For the work itself, see [interior painting](/interior-painting/) our [heritage painting](/heritage-painting/) service for period-specific projects, and our [high-end painters and decorators](/high-end-painters/) page for whole-house work. Call us on 07455 705074 for a free, no-obligation quote. We will walk the rooms with you and specify range by range rather than defaulting to one tin for the whole house. FAQ: Q: Is Farrow & Ball worth the money? A: For period rooms where you want depth and a very flat finish, usually yes, because the colours hold their complexity as the light changes. For a rental turnaround or a high-traffic hallway it is often the wrong tool, since the flattest finishes are the least washable. The question is the room, not the brand. Q: Which heritage paint is the most hard-wearing? A: Washability and flatness pull against each other. The flatter and chalkier the finish, the more delicate it is. Ranges sold as washable matt are built to take cleaning and suit hallways, stairs and family kitchens. Reserve the very flat finishes for rooms that do not get scrubbed. Q: Can you colour-match a heritage shade in a trade paint? A: Yes, and it is often the sensible route on ceilings, cupboard interiors and less visible rooms. A matched trade emulsion gets you close on colour at lower cost. What it will not always reproduce is the way a layered heritage pigment shifts through the day, so we tend to match the secondary rooms and keep the real thing where it shows. Q: How much paint will a room actually need? A: Published coverage figures assume ideal conditions and a sound, sealed surface. Fresh plaster, strong colour changes and porous old walls all use more. As a working rule we allow for two full coats plus a mist coat on new plaster, and we put the quantity in the written quote so there is no mid-job top-up conversation. ## Hanging Wallpaper on Old Walls: Rolls, Pattern Repeats, Lining Paper and Paste Wallpaper stays flat on an old wall when three things are right before the first drop goes up: the wall is sound, primed and cross-lined where it needs it, there are enough rolls from one batch to cover the pattern repeat, and the paper is hung with the paste method it was made for. When paper bubbles, lifts or shows a colour change halfway along a wall, the cause is almost always one of those three. Older Camden houses make the first one harder than it looks. Plaster bows, patches sound hollow where lath sits behind it, and walls have often been papered and painted more than once. ## Why wallpaper lifts on old walls Most failures start under the paper. Bare or patched plaster absorbs paste unevenly, so some areas grip and others dry out before the paper has bonded. Old paint or soft distemper underneath can let go and take the new paper with it. Our guide to [what period property painting involves](/blog/period-property-painters-hampstead-highgate/) explains why distemper catches so many people out. Cracked or bowed plaster keeps moving, and paper stretched across a moving crack eventually opens along it. That is why a good paper hanger strips old coverings back to a sound surface first, rather than papering over what is already there. ![Before and after of patchy plaster made good and the walls repainted](../../assets/images/showcase/hackney-plaster-repair-repaint.jpg) Where the plaster is loose or badly cracked, filling is not enough. It needs proper [plastering](/plastering/) before any paper goes on, and a re-skimmed wall will take paper better than a patched one. ## Lining paper and cross-lining Lining paper is a plain paper hung underneath the finish paper to give it an even base. On older walls it does most of the work. [Cole & Son's hanging instructions](https://cole-and-son.com/pages/hanging-instructions) say walls must be primed and, if necessary, cross-lined with lining paper, and that lining paper should always be hung horizontally and allowed to dry completely before the finish paper goes on. The reason for hanging it horizontally is practical. [Little Greene](https://www.littlegreene.com/advice-hub/wallpaper-faqs) explains that cross-hanging stops the paste on the top paper lifting the joints of the lining paper underneath. The joints of the two layers never line up, so neither one pulls the other open. If lining paper is going to be painted rather than papered, Little Greene says to hang it vertically with flush joints. Lining paper comes in grades. [Erfurt MAV](https://www.erfurtmav.com/erfurt-mav-wallpaper-products/accessories/product/503-professional-lining-paper-1700-grade) makes it in grades from 800 to 2500, and Cole & Son recommends a good quality 800 or 1000 grade under its own papers. The paper maker's instructions are the thing to follow. ## Paste-the-wall or paste-the-paper The paste method is set by the paper, not by preference. Paste-the-wall papers are usually non-woven. Little Greene describes a non-woven base as one that does not expand when wet, so the paste goes onto the wall and the dry paper is hung straight onto it. Little Greene notes this makes them easier to hang for someone with less experience. Traditional papers are pasted on the back and left to soak before they go up, because the paper expands as it takes up the paste. Hang one too early and it keeps expanding on the wall, then shrinks back as it dries, which is where bubbles and open seams come from. Hand-printed and specialist papers often carry their own instructions, including a specific paste, and those override any general rule. Using the wrong paste is one of the easiest ways to spoil an expensive paper, so check the label and the maker's hanging sheet before anything is mixed. ## Pattern repeats and how many rolls to buy The pattern repeat changes the roll count more than people expect. Cole & Son defines the four common matches. A random match has no pattern to line up at the edges, such as a vertical stripe. A straight match repeats across the roll, so the pattern joins at the same height on the next drop. A half drop repeats diagonally, so each drop sits half a repeat lower than the last, and a third drop steps down by a third. According to Cole & Son, a large repeat or a half or third drop can mean you need more rolls, and it recommends adding the size of the repeat to the height of the wall when working out how much paper you need. A worked example shows why. Take a wall 2.8m high and 4m wide, and a standard roll, which Little Greene gives as 52.5cm wide and 10m long. - The wall needs 8 drops, because 4m divided by 52.5cm is just over 7.6. - With no repeat to allow for, each drop is 2.8m, so a 10m roll gives 3 drops. That is 3 rolls. - With a 64cm repeat added, each drop is 3.44m, so a roll gives only 2. That is 4 rolls. That is a third more paper for the same wall, before any allowance for trimming. Little Greene recommends allowing an extra 10 per cent for trimming and pattern matching, and its product pages include a roll calculator. Batch numbers matter as much as the count. [Cole & Son](https://cole-and-son.com/pages/frequently-asked-questions) explains that a batch number identifies rolls produced together, and that rolls from the same batch should be hung together to avoid colour differences from roll to roll. Check every roll carries the same product code and batch reference before the first one is opened, and buy enough in one go. A roll bought later to finish a wall can come from a different batch. ## Feature wall or the whole room A single papered wall and a fully papered room need the same preparation. What changes is how the rest of the room is finished. On a feature wall, the other walls are usually painted, and the paint colour is best pulled from the paper itself. Our guide to [matching period paint colours](/blog/how-to-match-period-paint-colours-in-a-victorian-property/) covers undertones, and a [colour consultation](/colour-consultation/) settles the scheme against the actual paper in your own light. We often hang paper as part of a wider [interior painting](/interior-painting/) job so the paper and paintwork are planned together. For landlords, a papered feature wall can lift a letting between tenants without a full redecoration. Our [end-of-tenancy decorating checklist](/blog/end-of-tenancy-decorating-checklist-for-camden-landlords/) covers what else to do in the same window. ## What to ask before booking a paper hanger - **Will you check the plaster first?** Listen for a plan to strip back and deal with loose or cracked areas before hanging. - **Does the wall need cross-lining?** On most older walls the honest answer is yes. - **How many rolls do I need for this repeat?** A good hanger measures the wall against the repeat rather than guessing. - **Are all the rolls from one batch?** They should be checked before any are opened. - **Which paste method does this paper need?** The answer should come from the manufacturer's instructions. - **Is stripping the old paper included?** Get the whole job in one fixed price. ## Paper hanging across Camden We hang wallpaper across Camden and North London, including [Kentish Town](/areas/kentish-town/), [Primrose Hill](/areas/primrose-hill/), [West Hampstead](/areas/west-hampstead/), [Belsize Park](/areas/belsize-park/) and [Maida Vale](/areas/maida-vale/), in period houses and flats where lining and preparation decide the result. Our [paper hanging in Camden](/wallpaper-hanging/) service covers everything above: stripping and making good, cross-lining uneven walls, measuring rolls against the repeat and hanging traditional or paste-the-wall papers. Most clients choose and buy their own paper, and we will tell you how many rolls to order before you buy. FAQ: Q: How many rolls of wallpaper do I need? A: Measure the width of the wall and divide by the roll width to get the number of drops. For each drop, take the wall height and, if the paper has a large repeat or a half drop, add the length of the repeat. Then work out how many of those drops a roll gives you. Cole & Son recommends adding the repeat to the height, and Little Greene suggests allowing an extra 10 per cent for trimming and pattern matching. Q: Should lining paper go on horizontally or vertically? A: Horizontally if wallpaper is going over it. Little Greene says cross-hanging stops the paste on the top paper lifting the joints of the lining paper underneath. If the lining paper is going to be painted instead, it is hung vertically with flush joints. Q: What is the difference between paste-the-wall and paste-the-paper wallpaper? A: Paste-the-wall papers are usually non-woven. Little Greene describes non-woven as a base that does not expand when wet, so the paste goes on the wall and the dry paper is hung straight onto it. Traditional papers are pasted on the back and left to soak before hanging, because they expand as they take up the paste. Always follow the method the manufacturer gives for that paper. Q: Why does wallpaper bubble or lift on old walls? A: Usually because of what is underneath. Bare plaster soaks the paste up unevenly, old paint or distemper can let go, and bowed or cracked plaster moves. Priming the wall, cross-lining where the surface is uneven and using the right paste for the paper solves most of it. A wall that is badly cracked may need re-skimming first. ## How Long Does Exterior Paint Last in London? How long exterior paint lasts in London depends mostly on the surface beneath it. As a working rule, rendered and masonry walls hold a good finish for around 8 to 12 years, painted timber (sash frames, fascias, front doors) for roughly 4 to 8 years, and metalwork such as railings and gutters for 3 to 6 years before it needs attention. London weather, traffic pollution and the age of the building all pull those figures toward the lower end, which is why a well-prepped job on a Camden terrace will outlast a quick refresh by years. Below is a surface-by-surface guide, the things that shorten a paint job, and what you can do between repaints to make it last. ## Typical lifespans by surface ### Render and pebbledash Masonry paint on smooth render or pebbledash is the most durable exterior coating most homes have. On a sound, dry wall with proper preparation you can reasonably expect **8 to 12 years**. According to [Dulux (2026)](https://www.dulux.co.uk/en/products/dulux-weathershield-all-weather-protection-smooth-masonry-paint), its Weathershield All Weather Protection Smooth Masonry is rated for 15 years of protection, so the gap between the tin and the wall comes down to preparation and exposure. South and west-facing elevations that take the most sun and driving rain tend to fade and chalk first, so it is normal for one side of a building to need redoing before the others. ### Brick and stucco masonry Painted stucco is everywhere on Camden's stuccoed Georgian and Victorian frontages, and the front elevation often gets the most scrutiny. Good masonry paint lasts a similar **8 to 12 years**, but only if the wall can breathe. Many older walls have no damp-proof course, so a breathable mineral or silicate paint usually outperforms a heavy plastic coating that traps moisture and blisters off. ### Timber: sash windows, doors and fascias Timber is the surface that fails soonest because it moves with temperature and humidity. Painted softwood joinery typically holds for **4 to 8 years**, with the lower end common on exposed, weather-facing sash windows. Original Victorian and Edwardian sashes need the most care, since once water gets behind the paint the timber itself starts to rot. Catching flaking paint early is far cheaper than replacing a cill or a whole frame. According to [Historic England (2024)](https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/your-home/maintain-repair/windows/), the service life of PVCu windows is less than 25 years, while many well-maintained traditional windows survive for over 100, and keeping the paint intact is what buys that difference. ### Metalwork: railings, gates and rainwater goods Cast-iron railings, gates, downpipes and gutters are constantly exposed and prone to rust where the coating breaks. Expect **3 to 6 years** from a paint finish on metal. The key is dealing with rust properly at prep stage rather than painting over it, because rust spreads underneath a fresh coat and lifts it from below. ![Decorator in a mask and gloves spraying treatment along the base of a wall](../../assets/images/mold-proof-painting.webp) ## What shortens the life of exterior paint in London A paint job rarely fails because of the paint. It fails because of what was happening underneath or around it. - **Air pollution and traffic grime.** Camden's busy roads coat exterior surfaces in a film of soot and exhaust residue that dulls colour and attacks the surface over time. North-facing walls also hold damp longer, which encourages algae and green staining. - **Damp and water ingress.** Blocked gutters, cracked render, failed pointing and leaking downpipes let water sit against the wall. Trapped moisture is the single biggest cause of blistering, peeling and premature failure. - **Poor preparation.** Painting over flaking paint, dirty surfaces, damp timber or untreated rust guarantees a short life. Most of the value in a lasting job is in the prep, not the topcoat. - **The wrong paint for the surface.** A non-breathable coating on a solid period wall traps moisture and pushes itself off. Matching the product to the substrate matters as much as the brand. - **Sun exposure.** Strong UV on south and west elevations fades colour and breaks down the binder, so those faces always weather first. ## How to make exterior paint last longer You can add years to any exterior decorating job with a little upkeep. - **Keep gutters and downpipes clear.** Most timber and render failures start with water that should have drained away. Clearing them each autumn is the cheapest maintenance there is. - **Wash down surfaces yearly.** A gentle clean removes the pollution film and algae before they bite into the coating, especially on shaded north-facing walls. - **Deal with small failures early.** A patch of flaking paint on a sash horn or a chip on a railing is a quick touch-up now and a major repair if left to let water in. - **Repaint timber before the old coat breaks down completely.** Recoating sound paint is straightforward. Stripping back to bare, weathered timber and rebuilding the system costs far more. - **Choose breathable products on period walls.** On older Camden and North London stock, a breathable masonry finish nearly always outlasts a film-forming alternative. We use trade-grade exterior products from Dulux, Crown and Johnstone's as standard, matched to the surface and elevation rather than applied as a one-size coat. Good preparation and the right system are what turn a 4-year job into a 10-year one. ## Get a free exterior quote If your render is chalking, your sash frames are flaking or your railings are showing rust, the sooner it is dealt with the cheaper it is. We offer fixed-price, fully insured exterior work across Camden and North London, with free quotes after a proper look at the property. See our [exterior painting](/exterior-painting/) and [metalwork painting](/metalwork-painting/) services for what is involved, then call us on **07455 705074** to arrange a visit at a time that suits you. For shops, offices and managed buildings, see [commercial painting](/commercial-painting/). FAQ: Q: How often should I repaint the outside of my house in London? A: As a rough guide, masonry every ten years or so, exterior woodwork every five to seven, and metalwork when the finish starts to break. London's pollution and damp shorten these, so the real answer is to repaint when the coating starts chalking, flaking or losing colour rather than on a fixed clock. Q: Does south-facing paintwork fade faster? A: Yes. South and west elevations take the most UV and driving rain, so they chalk and fade noticeably faster than sheltered north faces. On a terrace it is common to repaint the sunny front while the rear still has years left, which keeps maintenance manageable. Q: Can I touch up exterior paint instead of repainting everything? A: Spot repairs work for small, early damage like a flaking sill or a patch of rust, especially if you still have the original colour. Once a whole elevation is chalking or the film is failing widely, a full repaint lasts far longer than chasing patches that keep spreading. ## How Much Does It Cost to Repaint a Flat in Camden? The cost of repainting a flat in Camden comes down to a handful of things: the size of the property, the condition of the walls and woodwork, how much of the woodwork is included, the colours you choose and the number of coats needed to cover. There is no fixed menu. Every flat is quoted as a single fixed price after a visit. Rather than guess at a figure, it helps to understand what actually moves the price. Here is how each factor plays out, and how to get an accurate quote. ## How flat size shapes the job Size sets the scale of the work, not because painting is charged by the square metre, but because more rooms mean more walls, ceilings, cutting-in and prep. ### Studio flat Usually one open-plan room plus a bathroom, the smallest job. Walls and ceilings go quickly; adding the woodwork (skirting, doors, window frames) is what lifts it. ### 1-bedroom flat A bedroom, reception, kitchen and bathroom. Walls and ceilings throughout is the common ask; a full repaint that takes in all the woodwork is a meaningfully bigger job. ### 2-bedroom flat Two bedrooms plus reception, kitchen and bathroom. More rooms, more cutting-in, and usually more woodwork if you want the whole flat done. ### 3-bedroom flat or house The largest job we do regularly in Camden. Walls and ceilings throughout is substantial on its own; a full repaint including every door, frame and skirting is the top of the range. Each step up adds rooms, surfaces and prep. What it comes to in the end depends far more on condition, colour and coats than on bedroom count alone, which is why we price every flat after seeing it. ![Decorator on a stepladder painting a hallway ceiling, the floor covered in dust sheets](../../assets/images/painting-interior.webp) ## What affects the price ### Prep work Preparation is the biggest variable in any painting quote. A flat with hairline cracks in the walls, scuffed plaster and old paint flaking from skirting boards takes far longer to prep than one in good condition, and that prep time is often the single biggest swing between a low quote and a high one. ### Number of coats Most walls need a mist coat (thinned emulsion to seal the surface) and two finish coats. According to [Dulux (2026)](https://www.dulux.co.uk/en/products/dulux-matt), its standard interior matt covers up to 14m2 per litre over two coats, with 2 to 4 hours between them, so an extra coat across a whole flat adds both material and drying time. If you are going from a dark colour to white, you may need an extra coat or a specialist primer. This adds time and material cost. ### Paint quality Trade-grade paints from brands like Dulux Trade, Johnstone's Stain Away or Crown Performance cost more than DIY-store alternatives, but they cover better, are more durable and are less likely to mark or scuff. We use trade-grade as standard. ### Woodwork Skirting boards, architraves, doors and window frames take longer per square metre than walls because of the careful cutting-in required, so including the woodwork noticeably increases a full-flat quote. ### Access If scaffolding or access towers are needed (unusual for interior work but sometimes required for very high ceilings in older Camden properties), this adds cost. ### Camden postcode According to [Checkatrade (2026)](https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/painter-decorator-prices/), painter and decorator day rates in London and other major cities tend to be higher than in the rest of the country. Camden specifically tends to sit at the mid-to-upper end of London pricing due to the mix of high-value properties and the standards letting agents and freeholders expect. ## What is not included in a standard painting quote A standard painting quote covers preparation (filling, sanding, priming) and the paint job itself. It does not usually include: - Repairing damaged plaster beyond surface filling - Moving large, heavy furniture - Painting ceilings that require specialist scaffolding - Specialist finishes like Venetian plaster or limewash Always confirm with your painter what the quote does and does not include before the job starts. ## How to get an accurate quote The only reliable way to get an accurate price is a site visit. Painters who quote over the phone are guessing. The condition of your walls, the height of the ceilings, the number of doors and windows and the current colour all affect the final price. We visit Camden properties and provide fixed-price quotes at no charge. A fixed price means you pay exactly what we quote. Call us on 07455 705074 or use the contact form and we will arrange a visit at a time that suits you. Two jobs sit outside a paint-only quote. If you want paper on a wall instead of paint, that is a different job, covered by our [wallpaper hanging](/wallpaper-hanging/) service. If the flat is being emptied for a new tenant, our [end-of-tenancy decorating](/end-of-tenancy-decorating/) service is priced around that turnaround. ## Frequently asked questions ### How long does it take to repaint a 1-bed flat? A 1-bed flat repaint typically takes two to three days for walls and ceilings. Add a day if woodwork is included. We give you a firm timeline at quote stage. ### Should I supply the paint or let the painter supply it? Let the painter supply it. They buy at trade prices, know which products work best and are responsible for the result. If you have a specific colour in mind, tell us and we will match it. ### Is it worth repainting between tenancies? Almost always. A fresh, neutral paint job photographs better, rents faster and reduces deposit disputes. It typically costs less than two weeks of void period rent in Camden, making it the highest-return investment for most landlords. ## How Much Does Sash Window Painting Cost in Camden? What sash window painting costs in Camden depends almost entirely on the state of the windows before a brush touches them. A sound sash that needs a clean down and two coats is a straightforward job; one that is painted shut, has failed cords or hidden rot is a different proposition. There is no fixed menu. Each elevation is quoted as one fixed price after we have looked at the timber. Below we explain what sits behind the figure, and why painting a Victorian sash is a different job altogether from rolling a wall. ## How the work scales per window A single sash in sound condition, needing a clean down, light filling, a primer where the timber shows and two coats of finish, is the lightest end of the work. From there, the effort grows with the window. ### Standard timber sash Where the timber is solid and the existing paint is intact, the job is mostly careful prep, masking, cutting in around the glass, and a durable trade finish on the frame and beading. ### Larger or multi-pane sashes The tall, multi-pane sashes common in Camden Town and Kentish Town terraces take longer, because every glazing bar has to be cut in by hand. ### Bays and groups Bay windows, or a run of sashes across one elevation, are priced together as a unit. The number of openings and their height above the ground both add to the work. Access matters too: sashes reachable from inside or a low ladder are simplest, while upper-floor windows reached only from outside may need a tower or platform. ## What drives the price up The headline figure is set less by the painting itself and more by the condition of the window before a brush touches it. ### Paint build-up Many sashes in older Camden homes carry a century of overpainting. Layers of old gloss clog the joints, seal the sash shut, and leave a lumpy surface that no fresh coat will hide. Stripping that build-up back, often with heat or chemical strippers and a great deal of patience, is the single biggest variable. On a badly painted-over window it can double the labour. ### Cord replacement A sash that will not glide, or that drops when you let go, usually needs new cords. Replacing the cords means easing out the beads, taking the sashes free, fitting new cord to the weights, and reassembling the box. It is fiddly, skilled work, and where it is part of the job it adds to the per-window figure on top of the decorating. ### Rot and timber repair North London weather finds the weak points in old softwood, especially the bottom rail and the cill. Minor decay can be cut out and filled with a two-part wood repair; serious rot may need a spliced-in timber section. Repairs are quoted once we have seen the window, and they are the most common reason a quote lands at the upper end. According to [Historic England (2024)](https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/your-home/maintain-repair/windows/), many well-maintained traditional windows survive for over 100 years, while PVCu replacements have a service life of less than 25, so repair is usually the longer-lived route as well as the cheaper one. ### Lead paint and older finishes According to the [Health and Safety Executive (2014)](https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cis79.pdf), lead pigments were widely used in paints for homes until the 1960s and were not removed from commonly used paints until the early 1980s, so a window in a pre-1980s Camden house may carry lead paint under the top coats. This has to be handled carefully, with the right tools and dust control, which adds time but keeps the work safe. ![Brush cutting in cream paint where the wall meets a white door frame](../../assets/images/painting-edge-detail.webp) ## Why period sash work is specialist A sash window is a moving mechanism, not just a frame. Get the paint wrong and you glue the whole thing shut. Period sash painting calls for a steady hand cutting in around fragile glazing bars, the knowledge to keep the meeting rails and pulleys clear of paint, and respect for the original joinery on the Victorian and Edwardian stock found across [Primrose Hill](/areas/primrose-hill/) and [Belsize Park](/areas/belsize-park/). According to [Camden Council](https://www.camden.gov.uk/conservation-areas), there are 40 conservation areas in the borough covering about half of it, so finishes and colours often need to stay in keeping with the street. We use trade-grade systems from Dulux, Crown and Johnstone's, with Farrow & Ball for heritage colour where a client wants it, and we paint sashes so they still open and close when we leave. That is the whole point of doing it properly. You can read more about how we approach the work on our [sash window painting](/sash-window-painting/) page. ## Getting a firm figure for your windows Because so much depends on what the previous decades have done to your windows, the only sound way to price the job is to look at them. We count the openings, check the cords and the timber, and tell you honestly which windows need only paint and which need a little restoration first. You then get a fixed price, so there are no day rates creeping upward as the week goes on. If you would like a free, no-obligation quote for sash window painting anywhere in Camden or North London, call us on 07455 705074 or send us a message and we will arrange a visit at a time that suits you. FAQ: Q: What affects the cost of painting sash windows? A: The condition of the timber drives it most. A sound window that needs prep and repainting is straightforward, while seized sashes, heavy old paint build-up, failed putty or rot all add work. The number of windows, their size and access on the upper floors also affect the final figure. Q: Is it cheaper to paint sash windows or replace them? A: Repairing and repainting original sashes is almost always far less than replacing them, and it keeps the period character that replacements lose. Replacement only makes sense when the timber is beyond economical repair. We assess each window and tell you honestly which way is worth it. Q: Do you paint the outside of sash windows as well as the inside? A: Yes. We prepare and repaint both faces, including the frame, beading and sill, using a durable exterior system on the outside where the weather hits. We protect the glass and surrounding surfaces, and time outdoor work around dry spells so the finish cures properly. ## How to Find a Reliable Painter and Decorator in Camden Finding a reliable painter and decorator in Camden is not difficult if you know what to look for. Ask for a fixed price, check their insurance, look at real reviews and make sure they visit before quoting. Those four steps alone will filter out the vast majority of bad tradespeople. According to [Citizens Advice (2025)](https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/press-releases/shoddy-tradeswork-is-sparking-more-than-700-complaints-a-week-says-citizens/), its consumer service took 36,534 complaints about home maintenance and improvements in the year to June 2025, more than 700 a week, and 5,230 of those, 14.3 per cent, involved scams or rogue traders. Here is a more detailed guide to help you hire with confidence. ## Ask for a fixed price, not a day rate Day rates sound reasonable until the job runs over by two days and your final bill is 40 percent higher than expected. A professional painter and decorator should be able to assess your property and give you a fixed price that covers the full scope of work. Fixed prices protect you. They require the painter to think the job through properly before starting and give you a clear basis for comparison between quotes. If a painter refuses to give a fixed price, ask why. For very large or complex projects a day rate can be justified, but for most domestic painting jobs in Camden a fixed quote is the norm. ## Always check insurance Any painter or decorator working in your home should carry public liability insurance. This covers you if they accidentally damage your property or someone is injured during the work. Ask to see a copy of the insurance certificate before work starts. A legitimate company will have no hesitation providing it. ## Look at real reviews, not just their own website Every painter's website says they do "top quality work." What matters is what their customers say on independent platforms like Google. Look for reviews that mention specific jobs, timelines and what problems came up and how they were handled. A company with 20 reviews and one or two mentions of things going slightly wrong but being resolved promptly is often more trustworthy than one with 30 five-star reviews that all sound identical. Check how the company responds to reviews too. Thoughtful, professional responses show they take their reputation seriously. ## Make sure they visit before quoting A painter who quotes over the phone has not seen your property. They do not know the condition of your walls, how many windows and doors you have, whether there are areas that need significant prep, or how high the ceilings are. A phone quote will either be unrealistically low (and grow once they start) or padded to cover unknowns. A site visit before quoting is standard practice for any serious painter and decorator. If a company will not visit, move on. ## What to ask when they visit Use the site visit to ask the right questions: **What prep work does the quote include?** A good painter will fill cracks, sand back flaking paint, apply primer to bare patches and mask edges carefully before painting begins. Make sure this is included, not an extra. **What paint will you use?** Trade-grade paints like Dulux Trade or Johnstone's outperform DIY-store alternatives in durability and coverage. Ask which brand and range they use. **How many coats?** Most walls need at least two coats of finish paint. Bare or newly plastered walls need a mist coat first. Check this is in the quote. **How long will it take?** A firm timeline means they have planned the job properly. Be wary of vague answers. **Do you have experience with this type of property?** Victorian and Edwardian properties in Camden have different quirks (high ceilings, older plaster, sash windows) compared to modern builds. Experience with period properties matters. ## Red flags to watch for According to [Citizens Advice (2026)](https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/press-releases/home-repair-problems-hit-one-in-four-homeowners/), one in four homeowners had a problem with their most recent repair job, based on an Opinium survey of 5,000 UK adults, and 82 per cent of those who tried to sort it out ran into obstacles. **No insurance or vague about it.** Walk away. **Quote only by phone or text.** They have not seen the job. **Payment upfront in cash.** A deposit of up to 25 percent to cover materials is reasonable. Asking for full payment before starting is not. **No written quote or contract.** Always get the scope and price in writing. **Very low quote.** Painters who undercut significantly usually cut corners on prep, use cheaper materials or plan to add extras once the job is underway. **Reluctance to provide references.** A company that has done good work in Camden will be happy to point you to previous clients or their Google reviews. ![Decorator in a dust mask sanding a wall with an orbital sander](../../assets/images/painting-prep.webp) ## What good work looks like You should not be able to see roller lines, brush marks or drips. Edges where the wall meets the ceiling, skirting boards, window frames and door frames should be clean and sharp. Colours should be consistent throughout with no patches where the paint has been applied unevenly. If the property had cracks or chips before, these should be invisible after painting. All furniture and flooring should be returned to how they found it, and any protective sheets or tape removed. How we run a job depends on its size. Our [high-end painters and decorators](/high-end-painters/) page covers whole-house projects in occupied family homes, and our [commercial painting](/commercial-painting/) page covers offices, shops and communal areas. ## Frequently asked questions ### How many quotes should I get? Two or three is usually enough. More than three and you are likely comparing painters of very different quality and the lowest quote will be tempting even if it is not the best value. ### Can I stay in the property while painting is done? Yes for most jobs. We work room by room and ventilate well. The main inconvenience is the smell of fresh paint for 24 to 48 hours and avoiding certain rooms while they dry. ### How long after painting can I move furniture back? Most emulsion paints are touch-dry within two hours and ready for light use within four to six hours. We recommend waiting 24 hours before moving furniture back against freshly painted walls to avoid marks. ## How to Match Period Paint Colours in a Victorian Property To match period paint colours in a Victorian property, start by reading the existing colour's undertone rather than its surface shade, then test heritage-range samples on the actual wall in your own light before committing. A Victorian terrace in Camden was never painted in modern brilliant white, so the trick is choosing soft, slightly muddied tones that sit comfortably against original cornicing, picture rails and timber sash windows. Get the undertone right and the room reads as authentic; get it wrong and even a "period" colour looks flat and modern. Here is how to do it properly, whether you are restoring a Kentish Town flat conversion or repainting a whole Belsize Park terrace. According to [Camden Council](https://www.camden.gov.uk/conservation-areas), 40 conservation areas cover about half the borough, and [Historic England (2013)](https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/your-home/improvement/redecorate/) notes that some conservation areas apply special controls on the colours you can use outside, so check before you settle an exterior shade. ## Start with the undertone, not the colour name Two greys can look identical on a tin lid and completely different on a wall. What separates them is the undertone, the faint colour bias underneath the main shade. Victorian-era colours were mixed from natural earth and mineral pigments, so they carry warm, greyed-down undertones rather than the cool, clean tones of contemporary paint. According to the [English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/chapters-for-english-housing-survey-2024-to-2025-headline-findings-on-demographics-and-household-resilience/chapter-1-profile-of-households-and-dwellings), 20 per cent of owner occupied homes in England were built before 1919, so this is a common problem rather than a specialist one. When you are matching to an existing period colour, hold a plain white card next to it. The white acts as a neutral reference and the undertone reveals itself: a "stone" might read green, a "cream" might read yellow or pink. Match that bias and the new colour will sit naturally with the original features. Ignore it and the repaint will feel slightly off, even if you cannot say why. ## Choose a heritage range built for the period Trade ranges from Dulux, Crown and Johnstone's cover the vast majority of interior work and hold up well in busy North London homes. For genuine period colour, though, a dedicated heritage range gives you the right depth and complexity. Farrow & Ball is the obvious choice for Victorian and Edwardian colour work, and we use it regularly for premium projects across Hampstead, Primrose Hill and St John's Wood. Its colours are built with layered pigments, which is why a Farrow & Ball off-white shifts subtly through the day in a way a flat modern white never does. Other heritage and "archive" collections work too. The key is choosing colours formulated to echo the soft, complex tones of the era rather than reaching for a standard off-the-shelf white. ### Match colours to the room's original use Victorian decorators used colour by function. Reception and dining rooms took richer, deeper shades such as deep reds, bottle greens and ochres, while bedrooms and upper floors stayed lighter and quieter. Halls and stairwells often carried a darker dado below a lighter wall. Matching your palette to the room's original purpose keeps the scheme historically honest and helps a restored Camden Town terrace feel coherent from front door to top landing. ![Empty room with deep blue painted walls, white skirting and a wooden floor](../../assets/images/painting-blue-finish.webp) ## Test how light changes the colour Light is the single biggest reason a chosen colour disappoints once it is on the wall. North London period rooms vary enormously: a north-facing Tufnell Park sitting room cools every colour and pulls out blue and grey undertones, while a south-facing Gospel Oak bay floods with warm light that lifts yellows and pinks. Always test in the actual room, never under shop lighting. Paint two coats onto a large sample area, ideally a metre square or a piece of lining paper you can move around, and live with it. Check it in morning light, in flat midday light and under your evening lamps. A heritage grey that looks elegant at 10am can turn cold and lifeless by lamplight, so judge a colour across the full day before you sign it off. ## Sample properly before you commit Tiny printed swatches and tin lids are unreliable. They are too small to read accurately and the colour is rarely true to the finished wall. Proper sampling saves money and avoids repainting a whole room in the wrong tone. - Paint generous test patches, two coats, on at least two different walls in the room. - Sample next to the original features you are matching to: the cornice, the skirting, an untouched section of old paintwork. - Avoid judging a colour against bare or freshly filled plaster, which throws the tone off. - Look at samples both in daylight and under artificial light before deciding. If you are unsure where to start, our [colour consultation](/colour-consultation/) service narrows the options to a shortlist that suits your property, your light and the period of the building, so you are not gambling on a dozen sample pots. ## Match new paint to original woodwork Sash windows, panelled doors, skirting and architraves are central to a Victorian room, and their colour matters as much as the walls. Period woodwork was rarely brilliant white; it was usually an off-white, stone or soft drab that flattered the wall colour. According to [Historic England (2013)](https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/your-home/improvement/redecorate/), joinery in older houses was often painted dark brown rather than white, and modern white paints are much brighter and colder than historic whites. When we repaint heritage [interior painting](/interior-painting/) projects, we match woodwork tones to the era so the finished room reads as a whole rather than walls in one century and trim in another. ## Get a free quote from a local heritage-aware team Matching period paint colours in a Victorian property takes a careful eye, the right ranges and the patience to test in real light, all of which is easy to underestimate. We work on period homes across Camden and North London every week, use trade-grade and heritage paints, and quote at fixed prices before we start. For a free, no-obligation quote, call us on 07455 705074 and we will arrange a visit to look at your colours, your light and your original features in person. For a whole-house period scheme, see our [high-end painters and decorators](/high-end-painters/) page. If a period room suits paper better than paint, our [wallpaper hanging](/wallpaper-hanging/) service covers that. FAQ: Q: Which paint ranges are best for period colours? A: Heritage ranges built around historic palettes match Victorian and Georgian interiors most faithfully, because their colours carry the muted, complex undertones of the period rather than flat modern brights. We work with these ranges regularly and can colour-match an existing finish where a range falls short. Q: Why does the same colour look different in my room? A: Light is the reason. A colour shifts with the direction your room faces, the time of day and the finishes already in the space. North light cools a colour and can pull out grey or green undertones, which is why a shade that looked right on a chart can disappoint on the wall. Q: Should I always sample before committing to a colour? A: Yes. Paint a generous sample, ideally on a board you can move around the room, and live with it across a full day in natural and evening light. Undertones that only show up next to your flooring, woodwork and existing features are exactly what a small chart hides. ## Commercial Painting in Camden: In-Hours or Out-of-Hours? In-hours painting is the cheaper and simpler choice whenever the work can be sectioned off without stopping trade. Out-of-hours painting earns its premium when closing an area would turn customers away or block a fire escape. Most Camden jobs use both. Below is how that choice plays out in practice. ## Where the two options actually differ The paint, the prep and the people are the same either way. What changes is when the work happens, and that shifts almost everything else about the job. | What matters | In-hours working | Out-of-hours working | | --- | --- | --- | | Trading | Part of the floor is out of use while wet | Space is back in use for opening | | Staff | Working around sheeting, towers and wet edges | Desks, stock and IT untouched during the day | | Access | You are already open, no extra arrangements | Needs keys or a contact, alarm codes, a lock-up plan | | Odour | Smell carries through an occupied space | Building airs overnight before anyone returns | | Programme | Fewer calendar days, full working shifts | More calendar days, shorter productive shifts | | Cost | Lower | Higher | The rest of this is the detail behind each row. ## Disruption to trading and staff In a shop, café or restaurant, in-hours painting means a section of your floor is out of use while it is wet. Sheeting, a tower and a wet edge take up more room than customers expect, and the space stops looking like somewhere to spend money. According to [HSE (2024/25)](https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causinj/overview.htm), slips, trips or falls on the same level made up 30 per cent of non-fatal injuries reported under RIDDOR, the largest share of any accident type. Trailing leads and damp floors in a space the public walks through are exactly that risk, which is why trading areas are usually the first thing we move to evenings. Offices are a different case. Most offices have a floor, a wing or a meeting suite that can be cleared for two days without anyone really noticing. If your team can hot-desk for 48 hours, in-hours working is the right call and the cheaper one. There is no sense paying for night shifts to repaint a room that is empty anyway. Communal areas in managed blocks sit between the two. Residents use a stairwell at all hours, so the question is not whether people are around but whether they can still get past safely and in the dark. ## Access, keyholding and who locks up Out-of-hours work needs an access plan agreed in writing before the first shift. That covers who holds the keys, who sets and unsets the alarm, whether there is a concierge after six, which lift we can use for materials, and where waste goes at the end of a shift. Managed buildings often add sign-in procedures and a booking for the service lift. In-hours work removes most of that. You are open, someone is already on site, and the last person out is one of yours rather than one of ours. For an independent shop or a single-tenant office, that alone can decide it. Keyholding is a responsibility, not a formality. If your lease or your insurer limits who can hold keys or be alone in the building, say so at survey. It changes the programme, and it is far easier to change on paper than at ten at night. ## Drying time and odour Water-based contract emulsion is the reason in-hours working is possible at all. It is touch dry within a couple of hours, takes its second coat the same day and has little smell once the room is ventilated. Walls and ceilings painted on a Tuesday morning are usually fine to work under by Wednesday. Solvent-based finishes are the problem. Eggshell on doors, frames and metalwork holds its smell longer, needs more time between coats and is the finish most likely to prompt complaints from staff sitting nearby. If your scope includes a lot of woodwork or [metalwork painting](/metalwork-painting/), that is the part worth pushing to a Friday evening so the building has two clear days to air. Spraying follows the same logic. Large ceilings and open-plan offices are sprayed because it is faster and gives an even finish, but masking a floor properly and controlling overspray is not something you do around occupied desks. Our [spray painting](/spray-painting/) page covers how that is set up. ![Before and after of a stairwell repainted in a Greenwich block](../../assets/images/showcase/greenwich-stairwell-repaint.jpg) ## What night and weekend work really takes The extra cost of out-of-hours work is not only the shift rate. Every evening starts with protection going down and ends with everything cleared, cleaned and put back so you can open in the morning. That set-up and break-down eats into the productive part of each visit, so the same wall area takes more calendar days than it would in one uninterrupted run. Light and fatigue count too. Working at height under task lighting, with a smaller crew and nobody else in the building, leaves a thinner margin for error. According to [HSE (2025/26)](https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals-overview.htm), falls from a height caused 31 worker fatal injuries in Great Britain in 2025/26, more than any other kind of fatal accident, on figures HSE publishes as provisional until 2027. Access equipment, stairwell towers and lone-working arrangements get planned at survey, not improvised on the night. None of that argues against out-of-hours work. It argues for booking it only where it buys you something. ## Phasing a job around occupied floors Most commercial contracts are neither one thing nor the other. The usual answer is a phased programme. Back-of-house, storerooms, empty floors and void units get done in normal hours. The trading floor, reception and stairwells get done in the evening. In a managed block we take a stairwell in halves so residents always have a lit, clear route past the work. In an office we take a floor at a time and move the affected team for a day or two, which is standard [interior painting](/interior-painting/) practice scaled up. In a restaurant we work between close and open, which is a short window and needs a realistic coat count planned into it. Phasing protects the finish as well as your trade. Splitting a wall across two visits leaves a visible join, so we set phase boundaries at corners, doorways and natural breaks in the surface rather than mid-wall. ## Insurance, method statements and permits Whichever way you go, building management will want paperwork before anyone starts. Expect to be asked for a public liability certificate, a risk assessment and method statement written for your premises, and confirmation of access arrangements. Out-of-hours work usually adds a permit to work, alarm isolation where we are creating dust or spraying, and a named contact who can be reached during the shift. We carry full public liability cover and produce RAMS for commercial contracts as standard. Getting those documents to your managing agent early is often what decides whether a job starts on the date you booked. ## How to decide Go in-hours if the area can be cleared or sectioned off, the finish is mostly water-based, and no customer has to walk through the work. Go out-of-hours if closing the space costs you trade, the scope includes solvent-based finishes or spraying, or your lease restricts works to evenings. Most premises land on a mix, and the survey is where that gets settled. Every job is priced as one fixed contract sum with no day rates, and we work evenings and weekends across Camden and North London. See our [commercial painting](/commercial-painting/) service for what is included, then [get in touch](/contact/) or call 07455 705074 to book a survey. If you are handing back a leased unit, read our guide to [end of lease commercial painting](/blog/end-of-lease-commercial-painting-in-london/). FAQ: Q: Is out-of-hours painting always better for a business? A: No. If the area can be emptied or sectioned off without turning customers away, in-hours working is simpler and cheaper, and it finishes the job in fewer calendar days. Out-of-hours working earns its place where closing a trading floor, reception or restaurant would cost you real business. Q: Can you paint an office while staff are still working in it? A: Yes, on a floor-by-floor or wing-by-wing basis. Water-based contract emulsion is low odour and takes a second coat the same day, so a room painted on Tuesday is usually fine to work in by Wednesday. Solvent-based woodwork and any spraying are the parts we move to evenings. Q: Who holds the keys for evening and weekend work? A: That is agreed in writing before the first shift. Some clients give us keys and alarm codes, others keep a named contact or concierge on site. Your lease or your insurer may restrict who can hold keys or be alone in the building, so tell us at survey stage rather than on the night. Q: What paperwork do you provide for commercial contracts? A: A public liability certificate and a risk assessment and method statement written for the specific premises. Out-of-hours work usually adds a permit to work, alarm isolation where we are creating dust or spraying, and a named contact reachable during the shift. ## Kitchen Cabinet Painting vs Replacing: What Is Right for Your Camden Home? For most Camden homes, the kitchen cabinet painting vs replacing decision comes down to the carcasses underneath. If the boxes, hinges and drawer runners are sound and you simply dislike the colour or dated finish, painting is the clear winner: it costs a fraction of a new kitchen and is usually done in days, not weeks. Replace only when the cabinets are water-damaged, sagging, or the layout no longer works for the room. Below is how that decision plays out in real terms. ## The cost gap is the headline A professionally sprayed cabinet repaint costs a fraction of a new kitchen. According to [Checkatrade (2026)](https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/spray-paint-kitchen-cabinets-cost/), spray painting kitchen cabinets can cost up to 70 per cent less than buying new ones. The repaint is priced mainly on the number of doors, drawer fronts and end panels, and whether you want the interiors done too. A full replacement, even a mid-range one fitted into a North London flat, means paying for new units, worktops, fitting, plumbing and waste removal, so it runs to many times the cost of repainting the doors and frames you already have. Bespoke kitchens climb higher still. That difference is the whole argument. You are keeping the same functional kitchen and changing only what you see. For a landlord refreshing a flat in Kentish Town or a homeowner in Belsize Park who likes their layout, painting delivers most of the visual lift for a small share of the spend. ## Time and disruption A replacement means a kitchen out of use for one to three weeks, plus the dust, the skip on the street, and the scheduling of trades. In a Camden conversion with a shared stairwell or a permit-only parking bay, that logistics tail is not trivial. Painting is far gentler. We mask off the room, remove the doors and drawer fronts to spray them properly, and prime and coat the frames in place. Most kitchens are back in everyday use within two to four working days. There is no plumbing, no electrics and no waste-disposal headache. ## When painting is the right call Painting works when the bones are good. Choose it if: - The carcasses are solid and the doors hang square. - Hinges, runners and handles work, or you only want to swap handles. - The layout suits how you actually use the room. - You are updating colour, sheen or a tired finish rather than fixing structural faults. It is a particularly strong move in period stock across Hampstead, Primrose Hill and Camden Town, where solid timber or quality MDF Shaker doors take paint beautifully and were often expensive in the first place. Repainting honours that joinery instead of skipping it. ## When replacing makes more sense Be honest about the limits of paint. Replace, rather than repaint, when: - The cabinets are swollen, delaminating or have water damage round the sink and dishwasher. - The layout is wrong and you want to move the sink, hob or run of units. - Doors are chipboard with a peeling foil wrap that will not hold a coating reliably. - You are reworking the whole room and the kitchen is one piece of a larger refurbishment. Paint cannot fix a failing carcass or a layout you have outgrown. In those cases the spend on a proper replacement is justified. ![Hand holding an airless spray gun in an empty room with a coffered ceiling](../../assets/images/spray-painting.webp) ## Prep is where the result is won or lost Cabinet painting lives and dies on preparation, and kitchens are the hardest surfaces in the house to coat because of grease, heat and constant handling. The doors come off and get degreased, sanded to a key, and primed with an adhesion primer made for slick factory finishes. Frames are masked and treated the same way in place. Skip any of that and the paint peels at the first wipe-down. ### Which paint and finish to choose We use trade-grade products built for cabinetry, typically a high-adhesion primer followed by a durable acrylic or water-based satin topcoat from brands such as Dulux, Crown or Johnstone's. According to [Dulux (2026)](https://www.dulux.co.uk/en/products/dulux-quick-dry-satinwood), its quick dry satinwood covers up to 16m2 per litre over two coats, is non-yellowing and wipes clean, which is what a kitchen actually asks of a finish. For a specific heritage colour, we will match or supply Farrow & Ball. Spraying gives the smoothest, factory-like surface and is our default; brush-and-roller is available where spraying is impractical. On sheen, a satin or eggshell is the sensible kitchen choice. It wipes clean, hides minor knocks and resists the steam and splashes a working kitchen throws at it far better than a flat matt would. ### How long the finish lasts A correctly prepped and sprayed cabinet finish should hold up for many years of normal use, looking close to a factory finish and standing up to regular cleaning. The honest caveat is that durability is almost entirely down to prep and product. Cut corners on degreasing or skip the adhesion primer and even good paint will fail early, which is exactly why this is a job worth giving to people who do it properly. ## Making the decision for your kitchen If your Camden kitchen is laid out the way you want and the units are sound, painting is almost always the smarter spend. If the carcasses are tired or the room needs reworking, put the money into replacement and do it once. When you are genuinely unsure, a quick look at the cabinets in person settles it. We give fixed-price, no-day-rate quotes free of charge across Camden and North London, and we are fully insured. See our [kitchen cabinet painting](/kitchen-cabinet-painting/) service for what is included, then call us on 07455 705074 to arrange a free quote. How we spray is explained on our [spray painting](/spray-painting/) page. FAQ: Q: Is painting kitchen cabinets cheaper than replacing them? A: Almost always, and usually by a wide margin, because you keep the existing carcasses, worktops and layout and pay mainly for prep and finish rather than new units and fitting. Painting makes most sense when the cabinet boxes and doors are still sound and you simply want a fresh look. Q: How long does a painted kitchen cabinet finish last? A: Done properly, degreased, primed and finished with a durable cabinet paint, a sprayed or hand-painted kitchen holds up for years of daily use. The result depends almost entirely on preparation; rushed prep is why DIY cabinet paint chips, while a proper system bonds and wears well. Q: When is it better to replace cabinets than paint them? A: Replace when the carcasses are water-damaged, swollen or coming apart, or when you want a different layout or door style that painting cannot deliver. If the bones are good and you mainly dislike the colour or dated finish, painting gives you most of the change for a fraction of the upheaval. ## Landlord's Guide to Painting Between Tenancies in Camden Repainting a rental property between tenancies is one of the highest-return investments a Camden landlord can make. A fresh coat of neutral paint makes a flat rent faster, photograph better and reduces the risk of deposit disputes with outgoing tenants. Most 1-bed and 2-bed flats can be fully repainted within a standard 7 to 10 day void window. Here is everything you need to know about getting it right. ## Why repaint between tenancies? **Faster reletting.** Freshly painted properties photograph better and show better. In Camden's rental market where landlords compete for tenants at similar price points, presentation matters. **Fewer deposit disputes.** The main cause of deposit disputes is damage versus fair wear and tear. According to the [TDS Statistical Briefing 2024/25](https://www.tdsgroup.uk/statistical-briefing), cleaning featured in 54 per cent of its insured deposit disputes in 2024-25, damage in 49 per cent and redecoration in 31 per cent. Scuffed, marked walls that could go either way become a problem when a tenant is demanding their deposit back. A full repaint at the start of a tenancy establishes a clean baseline and makes any new damage clearly attributable to the tenant. **Damp and mould prevention.** Camden properties, especially older Victorian and Edwardian conversions, are prone to condensation damp in bathrooms and bedrooms. According to the [English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/chapters-for-english-housing-survey-2024-to-2025-headline-findings-on-demographics-and-household-resilience/chapter-1-profile-of-households-and-dwellings), 32 per cent of privately rented homes in England were built before 1919, against 20 per cent of owner occupied ones. Repainting with a moisture-resistant emulsion in these areas provides a degree of protection and makes it easy to spot new mould growth before it takes hold. **Legal protection.** If you charge the incoming tenant for professional cleaning and decoration, an inventory that documents the freshly painted condition at the start of the tenancy makes any deduction at the end far easier to justify. ## What to repaint Not everything needs repainting every void. Here is how to prioritise: **Always repaint:** Main reception room walls and ceiling, hallway walls, bathroom walls and ceiling. **Repaint if marked:** Bedroom walls, kitchen walls. **Check condition, repaint if needed:** Woodwork (skirting boards, doors, window frames), ceiling throughout. **Specialist areas:** If there is a patch of mould in the bathroom or bedroom, treat the mould first (kill spray, let dry, prime with anti-mould primer) then repaint. Do not paint over active mould. ## Choosing the right colours Neutral colours rent fastest. In Camden's rental market, the most popular palette for relets is: **Walls:** Warm white (Dulux Magnolia or similar), light grey (Dulux Cornflower White or Farrow and Ball Elephant's Breath if you want premium) or a warm off-white. **Ceilings:** Brilliant white throughout. **Woodwork:** Brilliant white or off-white gloss. Avoid feature walls and strong colours. What you love, a prospective tenant may not. Neutral colours also make it easier to touch up between tenancies without a full repaint. ![Before and after of a child's room repainted from yellow to soft pink](../../assets/images/showcase/westminster-childrens-room-repaint.jpg) ## Timeline for a void repaint A well-planned void repaint in Camden runs like this: **Day 1:** Professional end of tenancy clean (we can coordinate with our Ferizi Property Services team). **Day 2:** Painter visits, carries out prep (filling, sanding, priming bare patches), applies mist coat to any newly plastered areas. **Days 3 to 5:** Main paint coats throughout. Walls first, then ceilings, then woodwork. **Day 6:** Touch-ups, check-out with inventory company if required. **Day 7 onwards:** Available for viewings. For larger properties (3-bed and above) add two to three days. Always build in a buffer day before your first viewing. ## Painting versus touch-ups Landlords often ask whether they should repaint fully or just touch up marked areas. Our recommendation: full repaint is almost always better value. Touch-ups on walls that have faded or yellowed over a tenancy rarely match. You end up with visible patches that look worse than evenly faded walls. A full repaint costs more upfront but leaves the property looking genuinely fresh. The exception is if the tenancy was short (under 18 months) and the property was freshly painted at the start. In that case, targeted touch-ups may be sufficient. ## Fair wear and tear versus damage This is the question that drives most deposit disputes. Broadly: **Fair wear and tear (tenant not responsible):** Light scuffs from furniture, minor nail holes from pictures hung reasonably, fading from normal UV exposure over a long tenancy. **Tenant damage (chargeable):** Large holes in plaster, extensive crayon or pen marks, burns, stickers or adhesive residue, deliberate gouging. A fresh, professionally painted property at the start of a tenancy documented in the check-in inventory protects you clearly. If the outgoing tenant has caused damage beyond fair wear and tear, the evidence is unambiguous. If you manage a whole block or let commercial units as well as flats, our [end-of-tenancy decorating](/end-of-tenancy-decorating/) and [commercial painting](/commercial-painting/) pages set out how those jobs run, including communal halls and stairwells. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I charge the tenant for repainting? You can only charge for painting if it is required to fix damage beyond fair wear and tear. A repaint that is simply necessary because the property has aged through a normal tenancy is a landlord cost. This is why many experienced Camden landlords repaint proactively between every tenancy regardless, then factor the cost into their pricing model. ### How long should paint last in a rental property? Trade-grade paint in a well-maintained rental property should last three to five years on walls, longer on ceilings (less wear). Kitchens and bathrooms often need repainting more frequently due to moisture. ### Do you offer a landlord discount for multiple properties? We work with a number of Camden landlords and letting agents on an ongoing basis. If you have multiple properties we can discuss pricing. Call us directly to talk through your requirements. ## Painting a Listed or Conservation-Area Home in Camden: The Rules On a listed building or in a conservation area in Camden, repainting previously painted surfaces in a similar colour is usually acceptable, while painting a surface that has never been painted usually is not. Brickwork is the common flashpoint. Listed buildings need listed building consent for anything affecting their character, inside or out, and that is separate from planning permission. Camden has more of this housing than almost anywhere. Getting the position straight before work starts is the whole job. ## How much of Camden this covers According to [Camden Council](https://www.camden.gov.uk/conservation-areas), there are 40 conservation areas in the borough and they cover about half of it. If you own a period property in Camden, the odds that some form of control applies to your frontage are close to even before you check anything else. Listing is a separate designation on top of that. A building can be listed, in a conservation area, both, or neither, and the rules stack rather than replace each other. ## The three questions to answer first **Is the building listed?** Search the [National Heritage List for England](https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/) or ask Camden. If it is listed, [listed building consent](https://www.camden.gov.uk/conservation-and-listed-buildings) is always required for works with the potential to affect its character or special interest, and it applies to the interior as well as the exterior. **Is it in a conservation area?** Camden publishes the boundaries. Inside one, external alterations that would normally be permitted development often are not. **Is there an Article 4 Direction?** Camden uses [Article 4 Directions](https://www.camden.gov.uk/article-4-directions-heritage-and-conservation) to withdraw permitted development rights in specific areas. This is the one people miss, because a house can be unlisted and still have far less freedom than the owner assumes. Answer those three and you know which category of job you are in. ## Painting brickwork: usually no This is the question we field most often, and the answer is generally no. Camden's planning guidance treats the painting of brickwork as unacceptable in conservation areas and on listed buildings. There are two separate reasons, and both hold up. The first is appearance. A painted frontage in a terrace of bare London stock brick breaks the run of the street, and conservation areas exist to protect exactly that continuity. The second is technical, and it outlasts any change in planning fashion. Solid brick walls built before 1919 were designed to absorb moisture and release it again. A film-forming masonry paint blocks the release, so moisture accumulates behind it and pushes the paint off in sheets while damaging the brick face underneath. We cover this in detail in our post on [breathable paint for old houses](/blog/breathable-paint-for-old-houses/). Once brick has been painted, taking it back is slow, expensive and risks damaging the brick face. It is close to a one-way decision, which is a large part of why councils resist it. ![Timber sash window being repainted by hand, glazing bars cut in with a brush](../../assets/images/sash-window-painting.jpg) ## What you can normally do Repainting what is already painted, in a colour consistent with the property and the street, is the ordinary case and rarely causes trouble. That covers most real work on these buildings: - Timber sash windows, frames and cills - Front doors and door surrounds - Painted render and stucco, where it was already painted - Cast iron railings, balconies and downpipes - Painted joinery inside the house Colour is worth checking even here. [Historic England](https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/your-home/improvement/redecorate/) notes that some conservation areas apply special controls on external colours, and Camden's individual conservation area statements often set out what suits that particular street. A stucco terrace where every house shares one off-white is not a street to test a new shade on. ### Stucco and render Painted stucco fronts across Regent's Park, Primrose Hill and parts of Belsize Park are usually repainted in the established colour for the terrace. Where a whole terrace was designed as one composition, the council will expect it kept that way, and neighbours generally expect the same. ## Interiors of listed buildings Listing covers the inside. Routine redecoration in existing colours is not usually an issue, but three things need care: **Stripping historic paint.** Old layers can be part of the building's interest and can also contain lead. Removing them is not automatically permitted work. **Painting previously unpainted material.** Bare stone, unpainted hardwood joinery and exposed timber should stay as they are unless you have consent. **Original decorative schemes.** Stencilling, graining, marbling or an intact period scheme is exactly the sort of feature listing exists to protect. Original cornicing, ceiling roses and panelled doors are usually fine to repaint, and doing it carefully is the point. Cornices clogged by decades of thick emulsion lose their profile, which is a slow way of destroying the detail nobody applied for consent to remove. ## How we handle these jobs We establish the property's status before quoting, not after. If a job needs consent, we say so, and we will not start work that requires an application which has not been made. We work on period properties across [Highgate](/areas/highgate/), [Hampstead](/areas/hampstead/) and the Camden conservation areas every week. That is practical experience with these buildings and with what Camden's conservation officers expect to see, stated as experience rather than as an accreditation we do not hold. Where a scheme is finely balanced, the reliable route is a conversation with Camden's planning team before anyone orders paint. Our [heritage painting](/heritage-painting/) service covers period exteriors and interiors, with [exterior painting](/exterior-painting/) using permeable systems on solid walls and [sash window painting](/sash-window-painting/) for original timber windows. Larger houses are covered on our [high-end painters and decorators](/high-end-painters/) page. For a free, no-obligation quote, call us on 07455 705074. We will look at the property, tell you where it sits on listing and conservation area status, and be straight about what needs consent before it can be painted. FAQ: Q: Do I need permission to paint the outside of my house in Camden? A: It depends on the property. On an unlisted house outside a conservation area, repainting previously painted surfaces in a similar colour is usually fine. Inside a conservation area or on a listed building the position changes, and painting a surface that has never been painted is the case most likely to need consent. Check with Camden before you start. Q: Can I paint the brickwork on my Camden house? A: Usually not, if the property is listed or in a conservation area. Camden's planning guidance treats painting brickwork as unacceptable in both, because it changes the appearance of the street and traps moisture in walls that were built to breathe. Bare brick that has never been painted should generally stay bare. Q: Does listed building consent cover interior painting? A: It can. Listed status covers the whole building, inside included, so work that affects character or special interest needs consent even indoors. Ordinary redecoration in existing colours is not usually the problem. Stripping historic paint layers, painting previously unpainted joinery or stonework, or altering a decorative scheme can be. Q: What happens if work is done without consent? A: Unauthorised work to a listed building is a serious matter and the council can require it to be put back. That is why we establish the property's status and the consent position before quoting rather than after, and why we will tell you when a job needs an application before we can start it. ## Repainting Room by Room or the Whole Flat at Once in Camden? If you can move out, or live around one sealed-off zone, painting the whole flat at once is usually quicker overall and gives a more consistent scheme. Room by room is the better call when you cannot vacate, when you are spreading the work over months, or when only part of the flat needs it. The right answer depends less on the flat and more on your life around it. Here is how the two approaches compare on disruption, colour, furniture, prep and time. ## The two approaches side by side | Consideration | Room by room | Whole flat at once | | --- | --- | --- | | Living in the property | Stay throughout, one room out of use at a time | Easiest if you can move out or work in halves | | Colour consistency | Colours can drift between visits | One scheme, one order, judged together | | Furniture | Shuffled between rooms repeatedly | Moved once, centred and sheeted | | Prep and masking | Set up and struck on every visit | Set up once, team works across rooms | | Total days on site | Longer once added up | Shorter overall | | Flexibility | Pause or stop at any point | A fixed block in the diary | Neither column wins outright. What follows is the reasoning behind each row. ## Living around the work According to [ONS (2023)](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/bulletins/housingenglandandwales/census2021), more than half of the households in London lived in a flat, maisonette or apartment at Census 2021, at 54.0 per cent. That sets the terms of this decision. A flat has nowhere to decant to. In a house you can close a floor and carry on. In a one bed conversion in Kentish Town, every room you close is a room you lose. Room by room keeps the flat habitable. One room is out of use, the rest carries on. You sleep in your own bed, cook in your own kitchen, and the mess stays behind one door. A whole flat repaint is the opposite. For several days the property is a working site. If you can stay with family or travel for work, that is the cleanest version of the job. If not, the flat can be done in halves, bedrooms first and living space second, so there is always a finished room to sleep in. That middle option is what most clients choose. ## Colour consistency across the scheme Emulsion is mixed in batches. A shade ordered in March and again in September can read slightly differently on the wall, and the deeper the colour, the more visible that gap becomes. Painting everything in one run means one order and one batch. Consistency is also about how rooms hand over to each other. A hallway touching five doorways has to work with every room it opens onto. Judged together on sample boards that is one decision. Judged six months apart it is six made in isolation. Our [colour consultation](/colour-consultation/) plans that handover across the property, and the written palette works whichever way you sequence the job. Going room by room, settle the scheme before the first room rather than the third. Record paint names, finishes and where each goes, then buy against that list every time. ![Before and after of filled and patched plaster finished in a flat colour](../../assets/images/showcase/hackney-plaster-repair-repaint.jpg) ## Furniture, storage and access In a whole flat repaint, furniture is handled once. It comes into the middle of each room, gets sheeted and stays there until the room is done. One move in, one move back. Room by room means shuffling. The bedroom contents go into the living room, then come back, then the living room contents go into the bedroom. Every move is another chance to knock a corner or scratch a floor, and in a small flat there is often nowhere to put a wardrobe while the wall behind it is painted. We move larger furniture ourselves and sheet what stays in the room, and we only ask you to clear small items and valuables. See [interior painting](/interior-painting/) for what a repaint includes. ## Prep and masking when the team is already set up This is where doing the flat in one block saves the most time. Masking, sheeting, filling, sanding and clearing up are set-up tasks, paid once per visit rather than once per wall. In one run the team sets up once, works through every room and strikes the site once. In six visits that set-up happens six times over. Drying time is the other half of it. According to [Dulux (2026)](https://www.dulux.co.uk/en/products/dulux-easycare-washable-and-tough-matt), its Easycare Washable and Tough Matt covers up to 13m2 per litre, needs two coats and asks for two to four hours between them. In a single room, that wait is dead time. Across a whole flat, first coats go on in the bedrooms while the reception dries, and the waiting disappears into the schedule. The same applies to making good, so if several rooms need cracks raked out and filled, doing that [plastering](/plastering/) in one pass beats starting cold each time. ## What each choice does to the timeline A standard bedroom or reception room takes one to two days for walls and ceiling, plus roughly half a day if the woodwork is included. That per-room figure barely moves between the two approaches. Everything around it does. Run the rooms back to back and they share one set-up, so total days on site come down. Split them up and you add a set-up and a strike to each visit, plus the gaps between them. Room by room buys something in exchange. It spreads the calendar. Six rooms over six months is six manageable weekends rather than one solid week with your home unusable. If the second version is impossible for you, the first is not a compromise, it is the correct plan. ## When room by room is the right call Choose it if: - You cannot move out and there is no spare room to sleep in. - You work from home and need a quiet, usable flat every weekday. - You want to spread the work over time and keep the option to stop. - Only part of the flat needs painting. A tired hallway does not oblige you to repaint three bedrooms. - You want to see how a decorator works on one room before handing over the property. That last point is a fair way to buy, and any decorator worth booking will be happy with it. ## When the whole flat at once wins Choose it if: - The flat is empty because you are moving in or have just completed. This is the best moment to paint anything. - You are repainting a void between tenancies. See [end of tenancy decorating](/end-of-tenancy-decorating/). - One scheme has to carry through hall, reception and bedrooms without a visible join. - You can move out for a few days, or live in halves for a week. - Other work is happening anyway, such as [kitchen cabinet painting](/kitchen-cabinet-painting/) or [sash window painting](/sash-window-painting/), and one site set-up covers the lot. ## Deciding for your flat If the property is empty, do all of it. If you are living in it with nowhere else to go, work room by room and write the scheme down first so the colours hold. If you are between the two, halves is usually the answer. We give fixed-price, no-day-rate quotes free of charge across Camden and North London, and we are fully insured. See our [interior painting](/interior-painting/) service for what is included, then call us on 07455 705074 to arrange a free quote. If one of the rooms is getting wallpaper rather than paint, see our [wallpaper hanging](/wallpaper-hanging/) service. FAQ: Q: Does painting a whole flat at once take less time than doing it room by room? A: Yes, measured in total days on site. Masking, sheeting and clearing up are set-up tasks paid once per visit rather than once per wall, so six rooms done in one block finish faster than the same six rooms done across six separate visits. Room by room spreads the same work over a longer calendar. Q: How do I keep colours consistent if I paint one room at a time? A: Write the scheme down before the first room. Record the paint name, range, finish and where each colour goes, then buy against that list every time. Photograph the tin labels. Deep and heavily tinted shades can vary slightly between batches, so ordering the whole scheme at once is safer where a colour runs through several rooms. Q: Can I live in my flat while the whole thing is repainted? A: Most people can, if the work is split into halves. We do the bedrooms first so there is always somewhere to sleep, then move to the living space. A flat done in one continuous block is easier if you can stay elsewhere for a few days, but it is not a requirement. Q: Is it worth repainting just the hallway on its own? A: Often yes. Hallways take the most wear and read as the first impression of the flat, so a single-room refresh there can lift the whole property. The one thing to check is how the hall colour sits against every room that opens off it, because a hallway touches more doorways than any other space. ## Period Property Painters in Hampstead and Highgate: What the Work Actually Involves A period property painter plans the job around how an old house was built. Before anything is sanded they find out what is already on the walls and woodwork, choose paint that suits solid walls and lime plaster, repair original joinery instead of replacing it, and flag any consent question on the outside of the house. The brushwork looks the same as any good decorator's. The preparation is where the two jobs differ. That matters in Hampstead and Highgate. [Camden Council](https://www.camden.gov.uk/listed-buildings) says the borough has more than 5,600 listed buildings, and a large share of the houses in both areas were built long before the modern paints a general decorator reaches for by default. ## Why period houses need a different approach Four things set these houses apart, and each one changes the job. **The layers are old.** A Victorian door or skirting board can carry a century of coatings, and the bottom ones were made to a different recipe. **The walls handle moisture differently.** Solid brick walls with lime plaster and no cavity were built to let moisture pass through and evaporate. Seal them with the wrong paint and it gets trapped. Our guide to [breathable paint for old houses](/blog/breathable-paint-for-old-houses/) explains the mechanism. **The joinery was built to be repaired.** Original sashes, panelled doors and staircases were usually made from high-quality timber that keeps going for as long as it is looked after. **The outside may be controlled.** Conservation areas and listing both affect what can be done to a frontage. A period property painter treats those as the brief. A general decorator tends to treat them as surprises. ## The layers you cannot see The first job on any pre-1970 house is working out what the existing paint is before disturbing it. Lead is the obvious one. According to [UK Health Security Agency guidance](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lead-poisoning-advice-for-the-public-and-healthcare-professionals/lead-information-for-the-public), lead paint was common before the 1970s and has not been used since 1992, and before that paint could contain up to 50 per cent lead by weight. The same guidance says it may still be found in Victorian properties, often below newer non-leaded paint, and that exposure is only likely if the paint is deliberately removed or sanded during redecoration. So the risk sits in the method, not the house. Dry sanding and burning off old layers put dust and fumes into the room. Wet abrasion, chemical strippers and careful dust control keep far less of it in the air. On a family home that is the first question to ask any painter, and the answer should come without hesitation. Distemper is the other layer that catches people out. Older ceilings were often finished in soft distemper, a chalky paint that emulsion does not grip. Paint over it and the new coat lifts, usually in sheets, and usually from the ceiling first. ![Before and after of a flaking, stripped-back ceiling replastered and finished in white](../../assets/images/showcase/camden-ceiling-strip-repaint.jpg) When that happens the fix is to take the ceiling back to a sound surface, make good the plaster and start again with a paint that suits it. That is slower than rolling another coat on, and it is the only version that stays up. ## Plaster, cornicing and ceilings Original lime plaster moves slightly with the building and holds moisture differently from modern gypsum. Filling cracks in it with a hard modern filler leaves a repair that shows through the paint and often cracks again along its edge. Where the damage goes deeper than a hairline, it needs proper [plastering](/plastering/) with materials that suit the wall before any decorating starts. Cornices and ceiling roses have their own problem. Decades of repainting fill the detail until a crisp moulding reads as a soft lump. Cleaning out the old paint to recover the profile is slow, detailed work, and it changes the look of a room more than the colour does. ## Sash windows and original joinery [Historic England](https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/your-home/maintain-repair/windows/) puts it plainly: properly maintained, historic timber windows can last indefinitely, because they were usually made of high-quality durable timber. In our experience many sashes that get replaced only needed easing, new cords and a proper repaint. Painting a sash properly means painting it in a way that still lets it open. Paint built up across the meeting rails and staff beads is what seals windows shut. A period painter eases the sashes, paints the right faces and leaves them free. Our [sash window painting](/sash-window-painting/) service covers the full process. The same thinking applies to panelled doors, staircases and shutters. Filling and repairing sound original timber keeps the character of the house. Replacing it rarely matches the grain, the profile or the weight. ## Outside the house Exterior work on a period frontage has three layers of decision: the surface, the paint system and the consent position. Stucco, render and painted brick each need a different preparation and a coating that lets the wall dry out. Cast iron railings and balconies need rust treated back to sound metal before they are primed. Our [exterior painting](/exterior-painting/) work on North London houses covers all three. Consent is the one to settle before anyone quotes. Repainting an already painted surface in a similar colour is usually fine. Painting brickwork that has never been painted usually is not, in a conservation area. Our guide to [painting a listed or conservation-area home in Camden](/blog/painting-a-listed-or-conservation-area-home-in-camden/) sets out the rules. Consents are the owner's to obtain, and a good painter will tell you when a job needs one rather than finding out halfway up the scaffold. ## Choosing colours for a period house Period colours were mixed from earth and mineral pigments, so they carry soft, slightly muddied undertones that modern brilliant whites do not. The right shade sits comfortably next to original joinery and plasterwork. The wrong one makes a cornice look new and a room look flat. That is worth getting right before the first coat. Our guide to [matching period paint colours in a Victorian property](/blog/how-to-match-period-paint-colours-in-a-victorian-property/) covers undertones and sampling, and a [colour consultation](/colour-consultation/) settles the scheme on the actual walls in your own light. ## What to ask before you hire These questions sort a period property painter from a general decorator quickly. - **What is on the surfaces now, and how will you find out?** Listen for a plan to check for lead and distemper before anything is sanded. - **How will you remove old paint?** The answer should rule out dry sanding and burning on older layers. - **Will you repair the joinery or replace it?** Repair should be the default for sound original timber. - **Which paint will you use on solid walls?** It should be a breathable system, not whatever is on the van. - **Does the outside need consent?** They should raise it before quoting, even though the application is yours. - **Can I see period jobs you have done nearby?** Ask for photographs of [recent work](/showcase/), ideally on houses like yours. The general checks still apply on top of those: a fixed price, a visit before quoting and proof of insurance. We carry £4 million of public liability cover. Our guide to [finding a reliable painter and decorator in Camden](/blog/how-to-find-a-reliable-painter-and-decorator-in-camden/) covers the rest. ## Period property painting in Hampstead and Highgate Both areas are dominated by exactly the houses this guide describes: Georgian and Victorian terraces, large Edwardian villas and mansion flats, much of it within conservation areas. We work across both, and our [Hampstead](/areas/hampstead/) and [Highgate](/areas/highgate/) pages cover the local detail. Our [heritage painting](/heritage-painting/) service is built around the approach above: finding out what is on the surfaces first, matching materials to the building and repairing what can be kept. It is experience rather than an accreditation, and we will tell you plainly when a job needs a specialist joiner or a consent application before we start. For whole-house projects in occupied family homes, see our [high-end painters and decorators](/high-end-painters/) page. FAQ: Q: What is a period property painter? A: A decorator who works mainly on older houses, usually Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian, and plans the job around how those buildings were made. The difference shows up before any paint goes on: finding out what is already on the surfaces, choosing materials that suit solid walls and lime plaster, and repairing original joinery rather than replacing it. Q: Should old paint be checked for lead before decorating? A: In a house built before 1970, assume it may be there. UK Health Security Agency guidance says leaded paint may still be found in Victorian properties, often below newer paint, and that exposure is only likely when the paint is removed or sanded during redecoration. That makes the removal method the part to ask about. Dry sanding and burning off old layers are what create the risk. Q: Can you paint straight over distemper? A: Not reliably. Soft distemper is chalky and binds poorly, so modern emulsion laid over it tends to flake, often from ceilings first. It usually has to be washed off back to a sound surface before a compatible paint goes on. If a ceiling in an older house is peeling in sheets, distemper underneath is one of the first things we check. Q: Do I need permission to repaint the outside of a period house in Camden? A: Often not, if you are repainting a surface that is already painted in a similar colour. Painting brickwork or stone that has never been painted is a different matter in a conservation area, and a listed building needs listed building consent for works that affect its character. Consent is the owner's to obtain, so check with Camden's planning team before the scaffold goes up. ## Spray Painting vs Brush and Roller: Which Finish Is Right for Your Camden Home? Spray painting gives a flatter, more uniform finish and covers ground far faster, while brush and roller gives you more control in occupied rooms and on textured surfaces. The right choice comes down to what you are painting, whether the room can be cleared, and how much masking the job needs. For most Camden homes, the honest answer is that a good decorator uses both. Here is how the two methods actually compare on a real job, and how we decide which to use. ## The short comparison | | Spray | Brush and roller | |---|---|---| | Finish | Flat and uniform, no brush marks or roller stipple | Slight texture, visible on gloss and dark colours | | Speed on large areas | Much faster | Slower | | Masking and setup | Heavy, often the longest part of the day | Light | | Paint used | More, because of overspray | Less | | Works in an occupied room | Poorly | Well | | Detailed joinery, spindles, radiators | Excellent | Slow and awkward | | Textured surfaces such as pebbledash | Patchy, needs more coats | Better, works paint into the texture | | Small patch repairs | Not worth the setup | Ideal | ## Speed is the real argument for spraying On open surfaces the difference is not marginal. According to [Graco](https://www.graco.com/gb/en/homeowner/support/articles-advice/why-airless-spraying.html), airless spraying is up to ten times faster than using a brush and at least four times as fast as a roller. That figure describes the painting itself, not the day. Masking claws a large part of it back. On a cleared three-bedroom flat in Kentish Town the speed advantage is real and shows up in the price. On one bedroom with furniture in it, the setup swallows the gain entirely. So the useful way to read the speed claim is this: spraying wins when there is a lot of surface and little to protect. It loses when there is little surface and a lot to protect. ## Where spraying clearly wins **Kitchen units and doors.** Cabinet doors and drawer fronts have flat faces, profiled edges and rebates that a brush leaves marks in. Sprayed, they come back with a factory-like finish that wears better because the film is even. This is why we take doors off and spray them for [kitchen cabinet painting](/kitchen-cabinet-painting/) rather than painting them in place. **Detailed joinery.** Balustrades, spindles, panelled doors, radiators and cast metalwork are slow and awkward with a brush, and the brush leaves runs in the corners. Spraying covers the detail in a fraction of the time with a cleaner result. **Empty rooms and whole-property refurbishments.** When a property is between tenants or before you move in, there is nothing to mask and nothing to work around. This is where [spray painting](/spray-painting/) is at its most efficient. **Ceilings across a large open space.** A sprayed ceiling has no roller lap marks, which shows under downlights. ![Decorator on a stepladder rolling pale blue paint onto a wall above fitted cabinets](../../assets/images/painting-rolling.webp) ## Where brush and roller wins **Occupied rooms.** If you are living in the property and the room cannot be cleared and sealed, rolling is the sensible method. It is the honest answer even though it is the slower one. **Textured exterior surfaces.** On pebbledash and heavy render, spray sits on the surface rather than working into it, which risks thin patches in the hollows and more coats to fix them. A masonry brush or a long-pile roller pushes paint into the texture and lasts better. Our [exterior painting](/exterior-painting/) work on rendered North London frontages is mostly brush and roller for exactly this reason. **Patch repairs and single walls.** Masking a room to spray one wall makes no sense. Rolling takes twenty minutes. **Cutting in against original features.** On a period property with cornicing, picture rails and timber sash windows, careful brushwork against an existing line is often cleaner than masking every edge. ### The dust question people forget to ask Spraying does not create dust, but the preparation before it does. Sanding filler and old paintwork is the dusty part, and that happens whichever method follows. What spraying adds is airborne paint mist, which is why the room has to be sealed and why we do not spray around people, pets or open food. ## What it means for the price Spraying is not automatically cheaper. It trades labour for materials and setup. On a large or empty job the labour saving is bigger than the extra paint and masking, so the price comes down. On a small or furnished job it does not, so it goes up. We quote the method that produces the right result for the property rather than defaulting to one. If both would work, we say so and price both, and you choose. Every quote is fixed and written before we start, so the method is settled before anyone opens a tin. ## Which one for your property? For a period conversion in Hampstead or Highgate with original joinery and people living in it, expect mostly brush and roller, with doors taken away and sprayed. For an empty flat being turned around between tenancies, expect spraying to do most of the work. For a kitchen respray, spraying every time. If you are not sure which your job needs, we will tell you on the visit. Call us on 07455 705074 for a free, no-obligation quote and we will look at the rooms, the access and what you want the finish to look like before recommending a method. Spraying is also used on larger empty units and communal areas, covered under [commercial painting](/commercial-painting/). FAQ: Q: Is spray painting better than a brush and roller? A: Neither is better across the board. Spraying gives a flatter, more uniform finish and covers large or detailed surfaces far faster, which is why it suits kitchen units, doors and whole empty rooms. Brush and roller wins on occupied rooms, small patch work and heavily textured surfaces where masking would cost more than it saves. Q: Does spray painting use more paint than rolling? A: Usually yes, because some material is lost as atomised overspray and because sprayed coats are laid on evenly rather than worked into the surface. The extra paint is normally offset by the labour saved on a large job. On one small room it rarely is, which is part of why we do not spray everything. Q: How much masking does spray painting need? A: A lot, and it is the part people underestimate. Everything not being sprayed has to be covered, including floors, glass, sockets, radiators, and any room the overspray could drift into. On a furnished flat that preparation can take longer than the painting, which is why spraying pays off best in empty or cleared rooms. Q: Can you spray a room while we are living in the property? A: We can, but we usually advise against it for whole rooms. Spraying needs the space cleared and sealed, and the room stays out of use while it dries. In an occupied Camden flat we normally brush and roller the walls and take doors or cabinet fronts away to spray them properly elsewhere. ## End of Lease Commercial Painting in London End of lease commercial painting means redecorating leased premises to the standard the lease requires before you hand the keys back. The job itself is ordinary painting. What makes it different is the deadline, the landlord's expectations and the paperwork around it. Here is what to check, in the order that matters. ## Read the redecoration clause first Most commercial leases say something about decoration. The clause usually covers when you must redecorate, which surfaces count, and what standard the landlord expects. Some tie it to the final year of the term, some to a set interval, and some only to the end. Look for three things: the surfaces covered (walls, ceilings, woodwork, metalwork), any colour or finish requirement, and any need for landlord approval. If the lease says nothing specific, ask the landlord or their agent what they expect. Do this before you ask for quotes, because the answer changes the scope. Landlords often instruct a building surveyor to inspect and produce a schedule of dilapidations, which lists the work they say the lease requires. The RICS professional standard on [dilapidations in England and Wales](https://www.rics.org/profession-standards/rics-standards-and-guidance/sector-standards/building-surveying-standards/dilapidations-in-england-and-wales) covers how surveyors prepare schedules, quantified demands, responses and diminution valuations. If you have received one, a surveyor or solicitor can tell you what is fair to accept. We cannot, and we will say so. ## What the landlord's surveyor looks for On the painting side, the list is short and predictable: - Scuffs, marks and fixing holes on walls, especially where partitions, shelving or signage were removed. - Patchy touch-ups. A repair that shows in raking light from a window counts against you. - Woodwork and metalwork: doors, frames, skirting, handrails and radiators. - Ceilings, including stains from old leaks, and marks around removed lights. - Colour. If the lease or the landlord asks for a specific colour, a close match is not the same thing. Ghosting is the one tenants miss. Where a sign, a rack or a counter stood for years, the paint around it has aged differently, and a spot repair shows. Repainting the whole wall to the corners is usually cleaner than patching. ## Prep decides how it looks Most of the work is before the first coat. We fill fixing holes and cracks, sand the repairs flush, spot-prime stains so they do not bleed through, and mask floors and fittings. Walls then get fast-drying, hard-wearing contract emulsion, and doors and metalwork get eggshell. On large ceilings or open-plan floors we spray, which gives an even finish and gets the space back to you sooner. Do the painting after the fit-out is out and before final cleaning. If you repaint first and then strip out shelving, the strip-out damages the new paint and you pay twice. ## Programme: start earlier than you think Handover dates rarely move, and painting usually comes late in the sequence. Everything before it, such as strip-out, making good and any electrical work, pushes the start date back. Book the survey as early as you can, and ask for the programme in writing. If you are still trading in the unit until the end, the in-hours and out-of-hours choice matters too. Our guide to [in-hours vs out-of-hours commercial painting](/blog/in-hours-vs-out-of-hours-commercial-painting-in-camden/) sets out how each works in an occupied space. A small office or shop usually takes two to four days, and larger or more complicated premises take longer. ## Keep a record Photograph every wall and ceiling before work starts and again at handover, and keep a written scope that says what was painted and in what finish. If the landlord disputes the standard later, dated photographs and a written scope settle it far faster than memory. We give you a fixed contract sum in writing before we start, so the cost is also easy to put in front of your landlord or surveyor. ## Offices, shops and restaurants The scope changes by premises. An office is mostly walls, ceilings and doors. A shop adds shopfront timber and signage marks. A restaurant adds kitchens and wet areas, where grease and moisture mean extra prep. Tell us what the premises were used for and we will plan the prep around it. The detail is on our [commercial painting](/commercial-painting/) page. If a handover includes railings, steel or shopfront metalwork, see [metalwork painting](/metalwork-painting/), and for large ceilings see [spray painting](/spray-painting/). Leaving a flat or house rather than a unit? See [end-of-tenancy decorating](/end-of-tenancy-decorating/). ## Get a survey Every job is priced as one fixed contract sum after a site visit, with no day rates. Send us the premises, the lease clause if you have it and your handover date, and we will survey, scope the work and come back with a price. Call 07455 705074 or [get in touch](/contact/). FAQ: Q: Do I have to repaint a commercial unit when my lease ends? A: It depends on the lease. Many commercial leases include a redecoration clause that says when and to what standard the premises must be painted, and some tie it to the final year or to the end of the term. Read the clause, and if the wording is unclear, ask a solicitor or a building surveyor. We paint to the standard you give us, but we do not interpret your lease. Q: Do I have to return the walls to the original colour? A: Some leases say so and some leave it to the landlord. Do not assume. Ask the landlord or their agent which colour and finish they expect, and get the answer in writing before anyone buys paint. It is the cheapest question you will ask during the whole process. Q: How long does an end of lease repaint take? A: A small office or shop usually takes two to four days. Larger floors, high ceilings or a lot of woodwork take longer. We confirm the time at the survey, once we have seen the premises and the state of the walls after the fit-out comes out. Q: Can you work to a handover date? A: Tell us the date when you first get in touch and we will say honestly whether we can meet it. The programme is agreed in writing at survey stage. We would rather give you a later date we can keep than an earlier one we cannot. Q: I am leaving a flat or house, not a shop or office. Is this the same job? A: Close, but not the same. Residential tenancies work to a deposit and a check-out inventory rather than a lease clause and a landlord's surveyor. Our end-of-tenancy decorating page covers that job.