Allestree · DE22
Allestree Painter and Decorator
For houses that are lived in, not just looked at.
Domestic painting, external decorating and feature walls for Allestree's family homes. We work around school runs and dog walks, and we leave the kettle where we found it.
We aim to respond within the day.
Just for fun. Colours are approximate.
A decorator who understands the hallway
Every house in Allestree has a hallway that has given up. You know the one. There's a grey tidemark at exactly the height of a child's coat, a scuff where the hoover turns the corner, and a dent in the plaster that nobody will admit to.
As your Allestree painter and decorator, that hallway is the first thing we'd like to talk about. Not because it's glamorous, but because it's the room you see every morning, and it tells you whether the house is on top of things or not.
We paint the rooms you live in: living rooms, hallways, stairs and landings, kitchens, bedrooms and the small bathroom that steams up. We decorate outside too. And when you want one wall to say something the others don't, we hang the paper for it.
All over Allestree (DE22), and next door in Darley Abbey, Quarndon, Duffield, Little Eaton, Markeaton and Mackworth.
Domestic painter
Domestic painter in Allestree
A domestic painter works in your home while you're still living in it. That sounds obvious. It's surprising how many forget. So here's how we behave:
- We arrive when we say we will, and if we're held up, we ring.
- We move the furniture ourselves and cover it properly.
- We sheet the floors, all of them, not just the bit by the wall.
- We don't play the radio loudly enough for the neighbours to choose the station.
- We tidy every evening, so you can use the room for tea.
- We keep pets in mind: doors shut, paint lids on, no curious noses in the tray.
Paint chosen for family life
Scrubbable matt for halls and stairs, where fingers and bags go. Kitchen and bathroom paints that cope with steam and splashes. Low-odour, water-based finishes on woodwork, so nobody has to sleep with the window open in February.
Rooms we're asked to paint most often in Allestree
- Hallway, stairs and landing (usually first, and usually overdue)
- Living rooms and through-lounges
- Children's bedrooms (often twice, a few years apart, as tastes change)
- Kitchens and utility rooms
- Bathrooms and cloakrooms
Wall painting
Wall painting in Allestree, done properly
Painting a wall looks easy because it is, right up until you notice the patch where the old picture hook was, the cracks over the door, and the line along the ceiling that wobbles like a nervous signature.
Good wall painting is mostly patience:
- Filling and sanding until the wall is smooth to the hand, not just the eye
- Sealing stains (water marks, crayon, the mystery splash behind the sofa) so they don't bleed back through
- Mist coats on new plaster, so the paint actually sticks
- Cutting in by hand, for a straight line where wall meets ceiling
- Two full coats, rolled evenly, so there are no patches when the low winter sun hits the wall
Choosing colours? We're happy to help, and to talk you gently out of the shade that looked lovely on the tin and will look like an operating theatre on a north-facing wall.
External decorating
External decorating in Allestree
Allestree's 1930s, '50s and '60s houses share a few habits. Fascias that have been white for decades and are now cream. Front doors that face the weather. Rendered bays that have quietly started to peel at the corners. And garage doors that nobody has thought about since they were fitted.
External decorating puts the face back on the house. It's also the cheapest protection you can buy for the timber and masonry underneath.
We check the forecast like farmers, and we don't paint wet wood. If a piece of timber has gone soft, we'll show you before anything is covered over.
The one colour in the room
Feature wall wallpapering in Allestree
A feature wall is the decorating equivalent of a good pair of earrings: one bold choice that makes everything else look deliberate.
It's also the most popular wallpaper job we do in Allestree, because it's affordable, it's done in a day, and it's easy to change when you change your mind (which you're allowed to do).
Where feature walls work well
- Behind the bed, as an instant headboard
- The chimney breast in the living room
- The back wall of a dining area
- A downstairs cloakroom, where you can be braver than anywhere else
- A child's bedroom wall, with a mural
How we hang a feature wall
The wall is stripped, filled and lined if needed. We centre the pattern so it sits properly on the wall, not wherever the roll happened to start. Then we hang it, trim it, and clear up every last scrap of paste.
The area
Decorating in Allestree: the houses we know
Allestree grew up around its park. The Georgian Allestree Hall still stands in Allestree Park with its lake and woodland, while the streets around it filled up through the twentieth century with semis, detached houses and bungalows built for families. Most of those families are still here, or have been replaced by new ones with prams.
- Lots of hallways, stairs and landings: the job we're asked for most
- Original 1930s–60s features, such as picture rails, coving and panelled doors, that look lovely when picked out
- Pebble-dash and render on many front elevations
- Bungalows with large, simple rooms that transform with a colour change
We're also regularly in Darley Abbey, Quarndon, Duffield, Little Eaton, Markeaton and Mackworth.
Your quote
How much does a painter and decorator cost in Allestree?
It's a reasonable question, and you deserve a reasonable answer: it depends on your house, and on what you'd like done to it. That's why we don't publish prices. A hallway in one semi can take twice as long as the hallway next door.
After a quick visit we'll give you a written quote, and that's the price.
It takes longer when
- The walls need a lot of filling, or old paper has to come off
- There's a lot of woodwork, such as spindles, doors and skirting
- You're changing from a dark colour to a light one
- Outside work needs a tower or scaffold
It's simpler when
- Several rooms are done together
- The walls are in decent condition
Questions
Things Allestree households ask us
How much does it cost to paint a hallway, stairs and landing?
Every hallway is different. Height, the amount of woodwork and the state of the walls all matter, so it's usually a bigger job than a bedroom. We'll give you a written quote for yours after a quick visit.
What's the most durable paint for a family home?
A scrubbable or durable matt for walls in halls and children's rooms, and water-based satinwood for woodwork. Both can be wiped without leaving shiny patches.
Can we stay in the house while you decorate?
Yes, almost everyone does. We work room by room and tidy each evening.
Is the paint safe around pets and children?
We use low-odour, water-based paints wherever possible. Keep pets out of the room while it dries, mostly for the sake of their tails.
How long does a feature wall take?
Usually a day, including preparation, if the wall is in reasonable condition.
How often should the outside of a house be repainted?
Woodwork usually every five to seven years. Masonry paint often lasts ten years or more on a well-prepared wall.
Do you work in Darley Abbey and Quarndon?
Yes, along with Duffield, Little Eaton, Markeaton and Mackworth.
Do you help choose colours?
Happily. We'll bring sample cards, or paint test patches on the wall so you can see them in your own light.
Let's start with the hallway
Ring us, or pop your details in the form and tell us the best time to ring. We can work round school pick-up, and we aim to respond within the day.