There’s more to wallpapering a room than simply applying your favourite print to the walls. You first need to assess the current condition of your walls and whether any prep work needs to be done. These factors determine the cost of hanging wallpaper.
The cost will heavily depend on whether you DIY or hire a professional to do the work. Whichever option you choose, it’s important to know what to expect.
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Why Wallpaper?
The wallpaper trend is proving popular with the rise of online stockists and social media. With various colours, patterns, finishes and designers widely available, wallpaper provides the perfect opportunity to personalise your home. It provides the same softening touch you get from soft furnishings and gives a room character and warmth.
Another reason for wallpapering your walls might be to cover not-so-perfect walls, which can be another cost factor.
What’s Involved in Wallpapering a Room?
You must hang wallpaper onto clean and smooth surfaces, so there may be some prep work before you start wallpapering.
Moving Furniture
Whether creating a feature wall or covering an entire room, you must move furniture away from the walls. This may incur a cost, so check when asking for quotations.
Stripping Walls
If you have existing wallpaper, this will need to be stripped with a wallpaper steamer, and as such, your carpet and furniture will need to be protected from condensation and mess. Your walls will also need to be cleaned to remove any glue residue. Bare walls must be washed to eliminate grime, oil or stains that may affect the wallpaper’s adhesion and finish.
Can You Cover Over Old Wallpaper?
While applying a new design over existing wallpaper isn’t uncommon, it can make removing it harder the next time you want to change it. Previous patterns may show through if the new paper is of lower quality. Also, since many types of wallpaper these days have a vinyl finish, there may be a risk of mould developing between the layers.
Remedial Work
Any holes or blemishes in your walls or plasterwork must be resolved before hanging wallpaper to ensure a smooth and even finish. If hiring a pro, ask if repair costs are included in your quotation.
Lining Paper
Sometimes hanging lining paper — a type of paper applied to the walls first — might make more sense to smooth any imperfections. You must decide whether it’s more cost-effective to have remedial work done or have lining paper put up, depending on the condition of your walls.
Finishing Touches
New wallpaper can transform the look of your room. Consider cleaning or touching up skirting boards, doors and window frames to give it the’ wow’ factor. If hiring a pro, ask them if simple touch-ups are included.
What Can Go Wrong When Wallpapering a Room?
Any well-meaning novice can try their hand at hanging wallpaper, and there’s a risk you may end up with unsightly creases, air bubbles or lumps beneath the paper.
In addition, any errors will result in wasted paper, time and money. If the job is done poorly, you might need to strip it all and start again!
Calculating The Cost of Hanging Wallpaper
Your material cost will depend on your chosen wallpaper, with prints ranging from plain to patterned, glossy to embossed, and basic to designer. Prices range from £5 to £60+ per roll. The coverage will depend on the room size, pattern-repeat and trickier areas such as windows.
To calculate the cost of your chosen wallpaper, check out this handy calculator from B&Q.
Awkward spaces requiring complex cuts and wallpaper requiring pattern matching take longer. Your location also determines your labourer’s hourly or day rate, with London prices being higher than in other areas.
As an indicator, the cost of stripping existing and hanging new wallpaper in a medium-sized room costs around £350 for labour, plus material, and will take approximately 1–2 days. The table below indicates what you can expect to pay when calculating the cost of hanging wallpaper.
| Job Type | Room Size | Potential Labour Cost | Approx. Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hang wallpaper | 10m2 | £100 | 4–6 hours |
| Hang wallpaper | 20m2 | £150 | 1 day |
| Hang wallpaper | 30m2 | £225 | 1–2 days |
| Hang wallpaper | 50m2 | £300 | 1–2 days |
| Strip and hang new wallpaper | 10m2 | £150 | 1 day |
| Strip and hang new wallpaper | 20m2 | £300 | 2 days |
| Strip and hang new wallpaper | 30m2 | £400 | 2–3 days |
| Strip and hang new wallpaper | 50m2 | £450 | 3 days |
Can You Hang Wallpaper Yourself?
Wallpapering a room is down to individual skill level. The ease of getting the job done will also depend on the pattern repeat, your ability to match it up correctly, and a steady posture when smoothing out any imperfections.
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Final Thoughts
If it’s a basic pattern, you should be able to do this job, assuming you’re happy to live with possible errors such as air bubbles or creases.
You must consider the potential cost of any mistakes and possibly having to do it again versus the cost of hiring a pro.
If you hire a professional, find top-rated pros in your local area through Rated People. Ask for testimonials and photos of their work. Obtain at least three quotations and ask for a cost breakdown so you can properly calculate the cost of hanging wallpaper.