What to Look for When Hiring Painters and Decorators in London

Hiring a painter and decorator is a significant decision. You're inviting someone into your home, trusting them with your walls, your furniture, and your time. Done well, it's a completely smooth experience with a transformative result. Done badly, it's a nightmare. This guide covers how to hire painters and decorators in London — what to look for, what to avoid, and why choosing the right team matters more than saving a few pounds on the quote.

1. Verify They Are Fully Insured

This is non-negotiable and should be the very first question you ask. Any professional decorator working in your home should hold public liability insurance — typically a minimum of £1 million, often £2 million or more for established businesses.

Public liability insurance protects you if something goes wrong: a paint tin dropped on a valuable floor, a ladder leaning against a wall that cracks a sill, accidental damage to a fixture. Without it, the decorator may have no means to compensate you, and you'd be left pursuing a claim against an individual with no insurance backing.

Ask to see a certificate of insurance, not just a verbal assurance. Any reputable decorator will have this to hand. If they hesitate, go elsewhere.

2. Check Reviews and References

In the age of Google and Checkatrade, a decorator with no online presence is a significant red flag. Good tradespeople accumulate reviews over time. Look for:

• A consistent pattern of positive reviews over a period of years (not a sudden burst of five-star reviews)
• Reviews that mention specific details — the quality of preparation, tidiness, colour advice, punctuality — rather than generic praise
• How the business responds to any negative reviews (professionally and constructively is a good sign)
• Verified reviews on multiple platforms: Google, Checkatrade, Rated People, Bark.com

For larger jobs, it's entirely reasonable to ask for the contact details of a recent customer you can speak to directly. Established, confident businesses will provide this without hesitation.

3. Insist on a Written, Itemised Quote

A verbal quote is not a quote — it's a conversation. Any professional painter and decorator should provide a written quote that clearly specifies:

• The exact scope of work (which rooms, which surfaces, which coats)
• The materials to be used (paint brand and product, primer, filler)
• The number of coats included
• The total price, broken down where possible
• The estimated timeline
• Payment terms

A written quote protects both parties. It prevents scope creep — the job expanding beyond what was agreed without additional cost discussion. It also means you can compare quotes from different decorators on a like-for-like basis, rather than comparing apples with oranges where one quote includes primer and another doesn't.

4. Ask About Materials Quality

Not all paint is equal, and a suspiciously cheap quote often means cheap materials. Budget paint requires more coats, covers less surface area per litre, and wears less well — ultimately costing more in the long run. Ask which paints the decorator proposes to use.

Trade-quality paints from Dulux Trade, Johnstone's Trade, Little Greene, or Farrow & Ball are significantly better than supermarket-own or very cheap brands. A decorator who uses quality materials demonstrates pride in their work. One who defaults to the cheapest option without discussing it may be cutting corners elsewhere too.

Similarly, ask about preparation materials: what filler do they use, will they apply primer, will they use a mist coat on new plaster? These questions reveal a lot about their approach to the job.

5. Understand the Guarantee

What happens if something goes wrong after the job is finished? A small crack opens through the new paint, a colour doesn't look right in context, a painted surface starts to peel in an unexpected location — these things happen occasionally even on well-executed jobs. A professional decorator should be prepared to come back and address genuine issues within a reasonable period.

Ask before you book: "What's your policy if I notice a problem after the job is complete?" The answer should be confident and reasonable — coming back to inspect and remedy genuine defects at no extra cost within a defined period. Evasiveness on this question is a warning sign.

Red Flags to Watch For

Experience teaches you to recognise warning signs. Be cautious if a decorator:

• Requests a large cash deposit upfront (a small deposit to secure the booking is normal; a large cash-only payment is not)
• Cannot provide proof of insurance
• Gives a quote without visiting the property or asking detailed questions
• Pressures you to decide immediately ("I can only hold this price today")
• Provides no written documentation of any kind
• Has no verifiable reviews or online presence
• Cannot or will not name the paints and materials they plan to use

Why Local Trades Are Often the Better Choice

A local decorator — one genuinely based in East London who works predominantly in the area — has built their business on their local reputation. They rely on word of mouth and repeat business from the community they live and work in. They can't afford to do a bad job and disappear, because they're not going anywhere. They also know the local property types, the common issues with Victorian plaster and London brick, and the planning landscape of the borough.

Larger national companies or online platforms may offer apparent convenience, but the operative doing the work often has no personal stake in the quality of that particular job. Local businesses do.

How Paez Brothers Handles All of This

At Paez Brothers, we are fully insured, based in East Ham, and have been serving East London for over 10 years. Every quote is written and itemised, every job is completed to a trade-quality standard, and we stand behind our work. We're happy to provide insurance documentation, share references, and answer every question you have before you commit to anything.

Ready to get started? Request your free, no-obligation painting quote from Paez Brothers — and discover the difference a trusted local team makes.