By Emily Rivers
Last updated 16th May 2023

Partition walls are an effective way to divide space in any room, creating separate areas for different uses. While open-plan living is still popular, the rise of people working from home has seen more people separating their rooms again to allow for some peace and quiet. They can be used to create a private workspace, a storage area, or even a playroom.

But how much does a partition wall cost to install? We’ll go through it in this guide, along with different types of stud partition walls and whether you need to seek planning permission.

How much does it cost to install a partition wall?

How much it costs to install a partition wall depends on the type of stud partition wall you need, how big it is and whether you want it soundproofed or not. The average cost of a partition wall per square metre is £60:

Job / item

Average cost

Timber frame stud partition wall with two-sided plasterboard

£55-£65 per sq. metre

Average timber stud partition wall installation

£800-£900

Carpenter hourly rate

£16-£40

Plasterer hourly rate

£15-£50

Painter and decorator hourly rate

£20-£40

These costs are taken from averages across the country. Tradespeople will charge different rates in different areas of the UK, with London and the south east being the most expensive.

HaMuch has a huge database of rates for carpenters all over the UK, and we’ve put them together in the table further down the page to give you a more accurate idea of labour costs in your area. Simply look for your town or city to see how much you should expect to spend.

Partition wall cost

What factors affect the cost of building a partition wall?

Materials

The materials used will have a big impact on the cost of a partition wall. Using timber or metal along with plasterboard is the most cost-effective. However, if you want a glass partition wall to let in light, the cost can be much higher – up to £2,700.

Additionally, if you require a soundproof partition wall, the cost will increase.

Wall thickness and stud placement

As you’d expect, the thicker your wall needs to be, the more it will cost. You’ll also need to consider the centres at which the studs are placed. Your carpenter will use more timber if they’re placing studs at 400mm centres than if they were placing them at 600mm.

Finishing touches

Once your carpenter has installed the stud wall, including adding coving and skirting boards, you’ll need a plasterer to skim the wall and a painter and decorator to paint it. Plasterers typically charge between £15-£50 per hour, while painters and decorators charge around £20-£40 per hour.

You may also want to engage an electrician to add new fittings like plug sockets and lighting to your partition wall. The typical rate for an electrician is £37 per hour.

Where you live

Perhaps the biggest impact on the cost of a partition wall is your location. If you live in an area with a high cost of living, like London or other major cities, the cost of installation will be more expensive. In contrast, if you live in a more rural area, carpenters will charge a lower hourly rate.

When planning to install a partition wall, it's essential to get several quotes from different carpenters. This will help you to get an idea of the average cost of installation in your area. Additionally, you can compare prices against HaMuch’s average prices below and choose a tradesperson that provides high-quality services at an affordable cost.

How to build a partition wall video

How much does it cost to build a wall divider?

A wall divider, or a room divider, is a type of movable partition wall. Unlike a standard partition wall, a room divider is usually shorter than the room height and may have foldable components.

You may not need a carpenter or other professional to help you build a wall divider. You can often buy them ready-made or in large parts that need minimal assembly. For example, a free standing office partition wall divider costs between £100-£400 depending on its size.

Decorative room dividers can cost as little as £50 up to £150. You can also buy room divider units that act as extra storage as bookcases or cupboards, and these can start from £150 up to £500.

Metal stud partition walls

Metal stud partition walls are a type of partition wall that uses metal studs instead of timber ones to support the wall. Metal stud partition walls are popular because they are strong, durable, and lightweight. They can be used in a variety of settings, including commercial buildings, apartments, and houses.

Metal stud partition walls cost around the same as a timber partition wall: between £55-£65 per square metre.

Can you get soundproof partition walls?

Yes, you can get soundproof partition walls. These walls are designed to reduce noise transfer between two areas, making them perfect for spaces like recording studios, offices and bedrooms.

The cost of installing a soundproof partition wall can be higher than a standard partition wall as they need thicker and more specialised materials, such as acoustic insulation and sound-absorbing panels. This can increase the cost of materials and labour.

Do you need planning permission for a partition wall?

In most cases, you won’t need planning permission to install a partition wall in your home or business. Partition walls are considered internal structures, and as such, do not usually require approval from local authorities. However, there are some exceptions to this rule.

If you are planning to install a partition wall that affects the structural integrity of your building, you may need approval from a building inspector. Additionally, if your new partition wall will separate a bedroom or room containing a toilet from another room, you’ll need to have improved sound insulation installed. 

It's best to check with your local building control before starting any construction work to ensure that you are following the necessary regulations – if you don’t, it can cost a lot to fix.

When you’re ready to get started with building a stud partition wall, post your job on HaMuch to get quotes from trusted carpenters in your area.


Estimates for common carpenter & joiner jobs;

Rates for other trades

Partition wall installation cost in the UK
Partition wall installation cost in the UK (excluding VAT or callout charges)
Location in UKPartition wall installation cost
Partition wall installation near Aberdeen£231
Partition wall installation near Amber Valley£220
Partition wall installation near Angus£246
Partition wall installation near Arun£248
Partition wall installation near Ashfield£216
Partition wall installation near Aylesbury Vale£253
Partition wall installation near Barnsley£211
Partition wall installation near Basildon£248
Partition wall installation near Basingstoke & Deane£232
Partition wall installation near Bassetlaw£203
Partition wall installation near Bath & North East Somerset£226
Partition wall installation near Bedford£257
Partition wall installation near Belfast£162
Partition wall installation near Birmingham£206
Partition wall installation near Blackburn£204
Partition wall installation near Blackpool£193
Partition wall installation near Bolton£219
Partition wall installation near Bournemouth£232
Partition wall installation near Bracknell Forest£249
Partition wall installation near Bradford£202
Partition wall installation near Braintree£241
Partition wall installation near Breckland£216
Partition wall installation near Bridgend£207
Partition wall installation near Brighton£243
Partition wall installation near Bristol£225
Partition wall installation near Broadland£202
Partition wall installation near Broxtowe£217
Partition wall installation near Bury£220
Partition wall installation near Caerphilly£223
Partition wall installation near Calderdale£199
Partition wall installation near Cambridge£235
Partition wall installation near Canterbury£217
Partition wall installation near Cardiff£224
Partition wall installation near Carmarthenshire£188
Partition wall installation near Charnwood£215
Partition wall installation near Chelmsford£245
Partition wall installation near Cheltenham£252
Partition wall installation near Cherwell£256
Partition wall installation near Chester£209
Partition wall installation near Colchester£237
Partition wall installation near Conway£197
Partition wall installation near Coventry£203
Partition wall installation near Crewe & Nantwich£262
Partition wall installation near Dacorum£247
Partition wall installation near Derby£220
Partition wall installation near Doncaster£203
Partition wall installation near Dover£213
Partition wall installation near Dudley£203
Partition wall installation near Dumfries & Galloway£184
Partition wall installation near Dundee£258
Partition wall installation near East Ayrshire£218
Partition wall installation near East Devon£208
Partition wall installation near East Dunbartonshire£208
Partition wall installation near East Hampshire£235
Partition wall installation near East Hertfordshire£250
Partition wall installation near East Riding£214
Partition wall installation near Eastleigh£242
Partition wall installation near Edinburgh£240
Partition wall installation near Elmbridge£255
Partition wall installation near Epping Forest£257
Partition wall installation near Erewash£218
Partition wall installation near Exeter£201
Partition wall installation near Falkirk£214
Partition wall installation near Fife£262
Partition wall installation near Flintshire£211
Partition wall installation near Gateshead£200
Partition wall installation near Gedling£212
Partition wall installation near Glasgow£207
Partition wall installation near Gloucester£241
Partition wall installation near Guildford£249
Partition wall installation near Gwynedd£186
Partition wall installation near Halton£216
Partition wall installation near Harrogate£204
Partition wall installation near Havant & Waterloo£238
Partition wall installation near Highland£229
Partition wall installation near Horsham£241
Partition wall installation near Huntingdonshire£256
Partition wall installation near Ipswich£235
Partition wall installation near Isle of Wight£234
Partition wall installation near Kings Lynn & West Norfolk£217
Partition wall installation near Kingston-upon-Hull£198
Partition wall installation near Kirklees£208
Partition wall installation near Knowsley£203
Partition wall installation near Lancaster£210
Partition wall installation near Leeds£206
Partition wall installation near Leicester£211
Partition wall installation near Lisburn£162
Partition wall installation near Liverpool£202
Partition wall installation near London£255
Partition wall installation near Luton£251
Partition wall installation near Macclesfield£231
Partition wall installation near Maidstone£233
Partition wall installation near Manchester£225
Partition wall installation near Mid Bedfordshire£254
Partition wall installation near Mid Sussex£237
Partition wall installation near Middlesbrough£234
Partition wall installation near Milton Keynes£250
Partition wall installation near Neath Port Talbot£206
Partition wall installation near New Forest£236
Partition wall installation near Newbury£231
Partition wall installation near Newcastle-under-Lyme£233
Partition wall installation near Newcastle-upon-Tyne£199
Partition wall installation near Newport£226
Partition wall installation near North Ayrshire£213
Partition wall installation near North East Lincolnshire£213
Partition wall installation near North Hertfordshire£255
Partition wall installation near North Lanarkshire£207
Partition wall installation near North Lincolnshire£202
Partition wall installation near North Somerset£227
Partition wall installation near North Tyneside£199
Partition wall installation near North Wiltshire£229
Partition wall installation near Northampton£230
Partition wall installation near Norwich£207
Partition wall installation near Nottingham£217
Partition wall installation near Nuneaton & Bedworth£206
Partition wall installation near Oldham£222
Partition wall installation near Oxford£254
Partition wall installation near Pembrokeshire£227
Partition wall installation near Perth & Kinross£291
Partition wall installation near Peterborough£265
Partition wall installation near Plymouth£204
Partition wall installation near Poole£233
Partition wall installation near Portsmouth£237
Partition wall installation near Preston£195
Partition wall installation near Reading£244
Partition wall installation near Redcar & Cleveland£233
Partition wall installation near Reigate & Banstead£253
Partition wall installation near Renfrewshire£219
Partition wall installation near Rhondda, Cynon, Taff£218
Partition wall installation near Rochdale£217
Partition wall installation near Rochester-upon-Medway£257
Partition wall installation near Rotherham£209
Partition wall installation near Salford£223
Partition wall installation near Salisbury£239
Partition wall installation near Sandwell£203
Partition wall installation near Scarborough£245
Partition wall installation near Scottish Borders£250
Partition wall installation near Sefton£201
Partition wall installation near Sevenoaks£244
Partition wall installation near Sheffield£209
Partition wall installation near Slough£252
Partition wall installation near Solihull£201
Partition wall installation near South Ayrshire£219
Partition wall installation near South Bedfordshire£257
Partition wall installation near South Cambridgeshire£247
Partition wall installation near South Gloucestershire£224
Partition wall installation near South Kesteven£227
Partition wall installation near South Lanarkshire£195
Partition wall installation near South Oxfordshire£250
Partition wall installation near South Somerset£272
Partition wall installation near South Tyneside£200
Partition wall installation near Southampton£242
Partition wall installation near Southend-on-Sea£236
Partition wall installation near St Albans£251
Partition wall installation near St Helens£206
Partition wall installation near Stafford£227
Partition wall installation near Stockport£229
Partition wall installation near Stockton-on-Tees£233
Partition wall installation near Stoke-on-Trent£230
Partition wall installation near Stratford-on-Avon£212
Partition wall installation near Stroud£234
Partition wall installation near Suffolk Coastal£232
Partition wall installation near Sunderland£202
Partition wall installation near Swale£230
Partition wall installation near Swansea£202
Partition wall installation near Tameside£227
Partition wall installation near Teignbridge£210
Partition wall installation near Tendring£237
Partition wall installation near Test Valley£234
Partition wall installation near Thamesdown£221
Partition wall installation near Thanet£214
Partition wall installation near The Wrekin£205
Partition wall installation near Thurrock£244
Partition wall installation near Torbay£207
Partition wall installation near Trafford£230
Partition wall installation near Vale of Glamorgan£227
Partition wall installation near Vale of White Horse£251
Partition wall installation near Vale Royal£211
Partition wall installation near Wakefield£204
Partition wall installation near Walsall£205
Partition wall installation near Warrington£229
Partition wall installation near Warwick£203
Partition wall installation near Waveney£201
Partition wall installation near Waverley£243
Partition wall installation near Wealden£238
Partition wall installation near West Lancashire£200
Partition wall installation near West Lothian£233
Partition wall installation near West Wiltshire£229
Partition wall installation near Wigan£211
Partition wall installation near Windsor & Maidenhead£252
Partition wall installation near Wirral£203
Partition wall installation near Wokingham£247
Partition wall installation near Wolverhampton£209
Partition wall installation near Wrexham Maelor£220
Partition wall installation near Wychavon£218
Partition wall installation near Wycombe£260
Partition wall installation near York£213