Painter and Decorator
Careers Explorer:
What it says on the (paint) tin. From domestic to commercial properties, you’ll be responsible for the painting and decoration of buildings.
Overview
You could be working on a wide range of painting and decorating jobs from domestic house renovations through to the maintenance and restoration of historic buildings.
Painters and decorators work both inside and outside, alone or as part of a team on both domestic and commercial properties, applying wall coverings including paint and wallpaper to achieve a high-quality finish.
From homes and offices to schools and construction sites, you’ll need to work out what materials are needed for a particular project by taking measurements, or looking at job specifications or drawings.
Top 5 Tasks
- Take measurements or use technical drawings to work out what materials are required and how much
- Erect scaffolding, cradles and ladders
- Prepare surfaces
- Applying paint, stains, varnishes and other finishes using brushes, rollers or spraying equipment
- Wallpapering
Salary
Newly trained painter and decorators can earn around £17,000 – £20,000. Trained with experience painter and decorators can earn around £20,000 – £30,000.
Senior/Master Craft painter and decorators can earn around £30,000 – £50,000.
Self-employed painters and decorators set their own pay rates. Salaries typically depend on location, employer and level of responsibility.
Am I Suited?
- Keen eye for detail
- Patience
- Team player
- Self-motivator
- Happy to work outside
Over 320,000 women work in construction in the UK.
Qualifications
You can start your career as an apprentice for a painting and decorating business. You will usually train on the job, with day or block release at a local college or training centre. You don’t need to hold particular qualifications, however GCSEs or their equivalent in English, maths and science would be beneficial.
A Level 2 apprenticeship will take up to two years to complete, and you can then progress on to a Level 3 with an additional year of college and training.
Once you are qualified as a painter and decorator you can do more training in techniques specific to the business you’re working for. For example, you can work towards an NVQ Level 3 in decorative finishing and industrial painting.
