What a Professional Painting Contract Should Include in London
A practical guide to what a professional painting and decorating contract should cover in London — scope, schedule, payment terms, guarantees, and the warning signs to watch out for.
What a Professional Painting Contract Should Include
Hiring a painter and decorator for a significant London property project is a meaningful investment. A full interior redecoration of a Victorian townhouse or a complete exterior repaint of a period property can run to several thousand pounds — sometimes considerably more. At that level of expenditure, a properly written contract isn't bureaucracy, it's protection for both parties.
Yet a surprisingly large proportion of residential decorating work in London is done on the basis of a brief email, a handwritten quote, or simply a verbal agreement. When things go wrong — and in any industry, sometimes they do — the absence of a clear written agreement makes resolution far more difficult than it needs to be.
Here's what a professional decorating contract should include, and what to look out for when reviewing quotes.
The Scope of Work: Specific, Not Vague
The most important element of any decorating contract is a clear description of the work to be done. Vague descriptions invite disputes. "Paint the hall, stairs, and landing" leaves enormous room for disagreement about what was included — does that cover the ceiling? The skirting boards? The newel post and balusters? How many coats?
A well-written scope of work should describe:
Each area or room to be decorated, listed separately. Hall, ground floor; staircase, ground to first floor; first floor landing; and so on.
Each surface within each area, including walls, ceilings, skirting boards, architraves, picture rails, doors (stating whether both sides are included), window frames (interior), and any other joinery.
The number of coats to be applied, including primer and undercoat where relevant. "One coat primer, two coats finish" is meaningfully different from "finish coats" with no mention of preparation.
The paint products to be used, including brand and product name where specific products have been agreed. If the client wants Farrow & Ball or Little Greene rather than a trade equivalent, this should be stated. If you've agreed to a Dulwich Trade product, it should be named.
Preparation work included, in specific terms. Does the price include washing down surfaces? Filling cracks and holes? Sanding back and priming bare timber? Masking and protecting floors and furniture? These are significant labour costs and should be explicit.
What is specifically excluded, if relevant — for example, if high-level ceiling work requiring additional scaffolding is out of scope, or if a specific surface (a tiled splash-back, an original floor) is to be left untouched.
The Schedule: Start Date, Duration, and Sequencing
Any contract for significant decorating work should include:
A confirmed start date, or at minimum the mechanism by which the start date is agreed (e.g., "work to commence within 14 days of written acceptance of this quote, on a date to be mutually agreed").
An estimated duration for the work. This should be realistic — a competent decorator will be able to give you a reasonable indication of how long each phase takes. Be wary of very short timescales for large projects; they may indicate corners being cut.
An indication of working hours, particularly for occupied properties. Starting at 8am and working until 6pm is very different from a 9:30–4pm working day, and the latter will significantly affect the timeline.
Access arrangements, including whether keys will be required, whether an alarm code needs to be shared, and how this will be managed securely.
What happens if the schedule changes — both from the contractor's side (illness, material delays) and from the client's side (unexpected access issues, decisions about additional work).
Payment Terms: Stages, Not Everything Upfront
Payment terms should be clearly set out and reasonable for both parties. For significant projects, a staged payment structure is standard:
A deposit on commencement — typically 25–33% of the total contract value. This covers initial materials and gives the contractor some commitment from the client. Requests for more than 33% upfront from an established contractor are unusual and worth questioning.
Progress payments tied to defined milestones — for example, a payment on completion of the first floor, or on completion of all exterior work. These should be tied to clearly observable stages of completion.
A final payment on completion — after your inspection of the work and confirmation that you're satisfied. A small retention (5–10%) held until completion is reasonable on larger projects and gives you leverage to ensure any snagging items are addressed.
The payment method should be stated. Requests for cash-only payments, particularly in full and upfront, are a significant red flag.
What happens if additional work is identified mid-project — for example, if rotten window frames are found behind the paint that require repair before decoration can proceed. The contract should specify how variations are agreed and priced (typically in writing, before the work is done).
Guarantees and Warranties
A reputable decorating contractor should stand behind their work. Look for:
A workmanship guarantee, stating that the contractor will return to make good any defects in their work that become apparent within a defined period (typically 12 months). This should cover failures that result from poor application or preparation, not from accidental damage or wear.
Product manufacturer warranties where applicable — certain paint manufacturers offer extended warranties when their products are applied by accredited contractors.
Public liability insurance — the contractor should be able to provide evidence of appropriate public liability insurance (minimum £2m, preferably £5m or more for London property work). This protects you if the contractor causes damage to your property or injures someone in the course of the work.
What to Watch Out For
No written contract. If a contractor is reluctant to put things in writing, that's a warning sign. Professional contractors should welcome written agreements — it protects them too.
Very low quotes. A quote significantly below others you've received almost always reflects something: fewer coats, cheaper products, inadequate preparation, or unregistered workers. Sometimes all four.
No mention of preparation. If a quote talks only about painting and makes no reference to preparation work, ask specifically what preparation is included. The preparation is where the value lies.
Pressure to start immediately. A contractor with good work and good reviews has a full diary. Pressure to sign and pay a deposit immediately, before you've had time to consider, is rarely a good sign.
No fixed price. Day rate contracts for decorating work can work in some circumstances, but for a defined project with a clear scope, a fixed price should be achievable. Open-ended day rate arrangements make costs difficult to control.
Getting the Contract Right
Our standard contract documentation covers all the above elements, and we're happy to talk through any specific requirements before agreeing terms. For larger projects, we recommend a pre-start meeting at the property where the scope can be confirmed, any questions answered, and the programme agreed in detail.
A clear contract, properly written, makes the whole project run more smoothly — and gives everyone the confidence to focus on delivering excellent work rather than managing uncertainty.