How to Choose a Good Painter and Decorator

Quick answer

Check for: reviews that mention preparation, not just friendliness; a written quote before work starts; proof of insurance; and a clear answer on how many coats and what prep is included. A decorator who’s vague on any of those is a decorator you should keep looking past.

Start with reviews — but read past the star rating

A high star rating tells you almost nothing on its own. What matters is what the reviews actually say. Look specifically for mentions of:

Preparation — filling, sanding, priming before paint goes on
Tidiness — dust sheets, protected floors, a clean site at the end of each day
Communication — did they turn up when they said they would, and tell you if that changed?
Whether the customer used them again — repeat customers are one of the strongest signals there is

Here’s what that kind of review actually looks like in practice — a genuine review left for Daking Decorators on Checkatrade:

“He is meticulous, neat and tidy, he also goes the extra effort to make sure surfaces are well prepared (something I would never bother myself) but it actually makes all the difference to the finish. It feels like he really takes care in what he does which is nice.”

Notice what it’s not: it doesn’t just say “great job” — it says why the finish is good, and it’s specifically about prep. That’s the kind of detail that’s hard to fake and easy to trust.

Ask about preparation before you ask about price

This is the single biggest predictor of how a paint job will look in a year, not just on the day it’s finished. A decorator who talks you through filling, sanding, priming stains, and how many coats they’ll apply — unprompted — is telling you they know that’s where the job actually happens. A quote that jumps straight to a price with no mention of prep is a quote you should ask more questions about.

Get it in writing

A proper quote should specify:

Which rooms or surfaces are included
How many coats, on walls and on woodwork
What paint brand and finish (trade or premium, matt/eggshell/satinwood, etc.)
What’s excluded — e.g. major plaster repair, furniture removal — so there’s no surprise add-on later
A realistic start date and how long the job will take

If a decorator won’t put a quote in writing, or the written quote is vague on any of the above, that’s worth pausing on. A one-line text message quoting a single number isn’t the same thing.

Check insurance and vetting

Ask whether they carry public liability insurance, and ask to see it — a decorator confident in their cover will send it without hesitation. Trade directories like Checkatrade also run their own vetting checks (identity, trading history, insurance, and more) before a trader can list — that’s a useful second layer, not a replacement for asking directly.

Watch for these red flags

Cash-only, no written quote, no invoice — makes it hard to hold anyone to what was agreed, and gives you no paper trail if something goes wrong
A large deposit requested upfront, before any work has started
Reluctance to show you previous work, especially close-up photos of finished edges and corners, not just wide shots
Vague answers on coats or prep — “we’ll sort it out” is not the same as a plan
Pressure to decide immediately — a legitimate tradesperson expects you to compare quotes

The real question to ask yourself

Would this person’s work still look good in three years, not just on the day they leave? Preparation is the honest answer to that question — a decorator who takes it seriously, and can point to real reviews that say so, is worth more than the cheapest quote on the table.