By Emily Rivers
Last updated 5th June 2025

How much does it cost to remove wallpaper?

Removing wallpaper can be a long and boring task, so lots of homeowners look to painters and decorators to help them remove it quickly. Whether you're rehanging wallpaper or painting the room once it's stripped, it's important to get the job done properly.

Average cost to remove wallpaper

The average cost to remove wallpaper will depend on the size of the room, the method used to strip it and the type of wallpaper, but here's what to expect:

Job

Average cost

Wallpaper stripping

£350 per room

Stripping wallpaper and painting room

£750 per room

Woodchip wallpaper removal

£220 per person per day

Painting and decorating day rate

£250-£400

These costs are averages based on the whole of the UK. HaMuch has a large database of hourly and daily rates for painters and decorators across the country, so take a look at the table further down the page for a more accurate idea of how much labour costs in your area.

Cost to remove or strip wallpaper

Cost to strip wallpaper and paint room

The cost to strip wallpaper and paint a room will depend on the size of the room and the condition of the walls once the wallpaper is removed. However, the average cost is £750.

The decorator will remove the wallpaper using steam or chemicals then will scrape off the wallpaper using a putty knife or scraper. They will then fill any holes and sand down the walls before painting the room.

Woodchip wallpaper removal cost

Woodchip wallpaper was a popular choice in the 1980s and is still around in a lot of homes in the UK. However, it’s gone well out of fashion and most homeowners are choosing to remove it.

Woodchip wallpaper is time-consuming and difficult to remove, so the costs are high. It costs an average of £220 per person per day to remove.

The decorator will score the wallpaper and soak it thoroughly before starting to scrape it off. It's certainly an arduous task that many homeowners hate to do!

Do painters and decorators remove wallpaper?

Yes, painters and decorators remove wallpaper – which is great, since you can then ask them to hang your new wallpaper or paint your walls straight after!

Experienced painters and decorators will have mastered their wallpaper removal technique, so it won't take them as long as it would take you to remove it yourself.

How do professionals remove wallpaper?

Professionals tend to use one of two methods to remove wallpaper: steaming or chemical stripping.

Steaming: The decorator will score the wallpaper using a craft knife or spiked roller before using an electric steamer to steam off the wallpaper. The steam needs to penetrate the wallpaper, then the decorator can carefully use a putty knife to scrape it off.

Chemical stripping: A painter and decorator will use a chemical wallpaper stripper to dissolve the wallpaper adhesive. They may put it in a spray bottle and spray it in small sections at a time. They'll let it sit for a few minutes before scrapping the wallpaper off.

What are the issues with removing wallpaper?

There are a few issues that can occur when removing wallpaper, which is why it's best leaving it to the professionals:

Stubborn wallpaper patches: It's not uncommon to get patches of wallpaper left behind, no matter how much you steam it or use wallpaper stripper on it. Often wallpaper has been stuck to walls for years, meaning the adhesive is well fused to the wall.

Sticky patches: If you do manage to get all the wallpaper off, another issue you can come across is leftover adhesive on the walls. These sticky patches can be difficult to get off, and may require more attention with a chemical stripper.

Damaged walls: When you use scrapers on walls, you can cause damage to them. You might create holes or peel off paint and plaster.

There's also the possibility that a wallpaper steamer will cause damage to old plaster, causing it to 'blow'. This is where the plaster comes unstuck from the wall behind, creating hollow bubbles. While some patches can be filled, if the wall is too damaged you might have to have the wall skimmed before redecorating.

Is it worth stripping wallpaper?

Yes, it's definitely worth stripping wallpaper if you want to redecorate. It's not uncommon for people to cut corners and paper straight over the old wallpaper or simply paint over it. But doing this will affect the quality of finish you can get.

There are many benefits to stripping wallpaper before redecorating:

Get the best prepped surface

Taking time to strip the wallpaper carefully will ensure you'll have the best surface available for repapering or painting. Getting all the wallpaper and adhesive off then giving the walls a wash will give your decorator a perfectly prepared surface ready for redecorating.

Maintain your walls

If your walls have had wallpaper on them for many years, it may have masked problems like damp or blown plaster. By removing the wallpaper before redecorating, you can pick up problems that might have otherwise gone unnoticed and keep up with maintenance of your property.

You might need to apply 'damp block' damp proofing paint or get the walls skimmed before you go any further.

Get a perfect finish

You'll get a much better finish if you remove wallpaper before redecorating. If you keep papering over old wallpaper, you'll end up with many layers on the walls. This can cause the wallpaper to peel off over time and it'll be easier to get air bubbles in it.

If you paint over the old wallpaper, you won’t get a nice, smooth finish. You'll be able to see the lines between each sheet of wallpaper, and over time it's likely to start peeling as the paint dries out the adhesive.

It's certainly best to strip all the wallpaper before decorating to get a great finish.

If you're ready to get your wallpaper removed, make sure you get a range of quotes from reliable painters and decorators. Post your job on HaMuch to get in touch with professionals in your area.


Estimates for common painter & decorator jobs;

Rates for other trades

Removing and stripping wallpaper cost in the UK
Removing and stripping wallpaper cost in the UK (excluding VAT or callout charges)
Location in UKRemoving and stripping wallpaper cost
Removing and stripping wallpaper near London£410
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Birmingham£342
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Leeds£330
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Glasgow£344
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Sheffield£320
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Bradford£328
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Liverpool£322
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Edinburgh£376
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Manchester£334
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Bristol£366
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Kirklees£330
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Fife£372
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Wirral£320
Removing and stripping wallpaper near North Lanarkshire£340
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Wakefield£330
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Cardiff£354
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Dudley£342
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Wigan£322
Removing and stripping wallpaper near East Riding£392
Removing and stripping wallpaper near South Lanarkshire£336
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Coventry£340
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Belfast£290
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Leicester£342
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Sunderland£336
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Sandwell£342
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Doncaster£324
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Stockport£338
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Sefton£320
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Nottingham£342
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Newcastle Upon Tyne£338
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Kingston-upon-Hull£380
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Bolton£330
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Walsall£342
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Plymouth£358
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Rotherham£322
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Stoke-on-Trent£336
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Wolverhampton£344
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Rhondda, Cynon, Taff£346
Removing and stripping wallpaper near South Gloucestershire£366
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Derby£338
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Swansea£324
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Salford£334
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Barnsley£326
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Tameside£336
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Oldham£334
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Trafford£332
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Aberdeen£382
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Southampton£358
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Highland£342
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Rochdale£332
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Solihull£340
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Gateshead£338
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Milton Keynes£414
Removing and stripping wallpaper near North Tyneside£338
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Calderdale£326
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Northampton£410
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Portsmouth£354
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Warrington£334
Removing and stripping wallpaper near North Somerset£364
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Bury£332
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Luton£402
Removing and stripping wallpaper near St Helens£322
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Stockton-on-Tees£344
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Renfrewshire£352
Removing and stripping wallpaper near York£338
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Thamesdown£360
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Southend-on-Sea£366
Removing and stripping wallpaper near New Forest£350
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Caerphilly£354
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Carmarthenshire£310
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Bath£364
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Wycombe£414
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Basildon£384
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Bournemouth£346
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Peterborough£434
Removing and stripping wallpaper near North East Lincolnshire£354
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Chelmsford£372
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Brighton£378
Removing and stripping wallpaper near South Tyneside£338
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Charnwood£338
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Aylesbury Vale£406
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Colchester£344
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Knowsley£322
Removing and stripping wallpaper near North Lincolnshire£360
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Huntingdonshire£428
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Macclesfield£344
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Blackpool£312
Removing and stripping wallpaper near West Lothian£364
Removing and stripping wallpaper near South Somerset£340
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Dundee£390
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Basingstoke & Deane£406
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Harrogate£330
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Dumfries & Galloway£370
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Middlesbrough£344
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Flintshire£312
Removing and stripping wallpaper near The Wrekin£332
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Newbury£396
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Falkirk£346
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Reading£410
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Wokingham£410
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Windsor & Maidenhead£412
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Maidstone£374
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Redcar & Cleveland£344
Removing and stripping wallpaper near North Ayrshire£340
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Blackburn£320
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Neath Port Talbot£332
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Poole£346
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Wealden£380
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Arun£372
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Bedford£418
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Oxford£422
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Lancaster£320
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Newport£354
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Canterbury£330
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Preston£314
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Dacorum£408
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Cherwell£414
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Perth & Kinross£546
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Thurrock£392
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Tendring£328
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Kings Lynn & West Norfolk£376
Removing and stripping wallpaper near St Albans£408
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Bridgend£348
Removing and stripping wallpaper near South Cambridgeshire£386
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Braintree£366
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Norwich£348
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Thanet£324
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Isle of Wight£352
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Mid Sussex£376
Removing and stripping wallpaper near South Oxfordshire£420
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Guildford£408
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Elmbridge£412
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Stafford£348
Removing and stripping wallpaper near East Hertfordshire£398
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Torbay£348
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Wrexham Maelor£312
Removing and stripping wallpaper near East Devon£334
Removing and stripping wallpaper near East Lindsey£308
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Halton£320
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Warwick£338
Removing and stripping wallpaper near East Ayrshire£334
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Newcastle-under-Lyme£334
Removing and stripping wallpaper near North Wiltshire£352
Removing and stripping wallpaper near South Kesteven£360
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Epping Forest£414
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Vale of Glamorgan£356
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Reigate & Banstead£404
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Chester£322
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Mid Bedfordshire£410
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Suffolk Coastal£320
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Horsham£382
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Nuneaton & Bedworth£338
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Gwynedd£340
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Swale£360
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Havant & Waterloo£354
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Teignbridge£344
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Cambridge£388
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Vale Royal£312
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Amber Valley£338
Removing and stripping wallpaper near North Hertfordshire£402
Removing and stripping wallpaper near South Ayrshire£340
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Waverley£406
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Broadland£344
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Crewe & Nantwich£338
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Breckland£342
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Ipswich£320
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Vale of White Horse£390
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Salisbury£360
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Gedling£342
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Eastleigh£360
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Broxtowe£340
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Stratford-on-Avon£338
Removing and stripping wallpaper near South Bedfordshire£418
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Angus£380
Removing and stripping wallpaper near East Hampshire£374
Removing and stripping wallpaper near East Dunbartonshire£344
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Conway£302
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Sevenoaks£392
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Slough£410
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Bracknell Forest£412
Removing and stripping wallpaper near West Lancashire£322
Removing and stripping wallpaper near West Wiltshire£352
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Ashfield£342
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Lisburn£290
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Scarborough£354
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Stroud£368
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Wychavon£336
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Waveney£324
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Exeter£344
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Dover£326
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Test Valley£366
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Gloucester£366
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Erewash£338
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Cheltenham£366
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Bassetlaw£328
Removing and stripping wallpaper near Scottish Borders£300