12 Best Painters & Decorators in Cardiff for 2026

Cardiff's housing stock is genuinely varied, and that shapes what painters and decorators here deal with day to day. You've got Victorian and Edwardian terraces across Roath, Canton, and Pontcanna with their original cornicing, dado rails, and sash window frames that need careful preparation before any paint goes on. Then there are the post-war semis in Llanishen and Rhiwbina, pebble-dashed exteriors in Whitchurch, new-build estates out towards St Mellons and Pontprennau, and period properties in the Vale of Glamorgan fringe. Damp is a recurring issue in older Cardiff homes, particularly on north-facing walls and in basement conversions, so a decorator who knows their way around moisture-resistant primers and breathable masonry paint isn't a luxury, it's a practical necessity. Exterior work also has to contend with South Wales weather, which means the choice between masonry paint, weatherproof render systems, and specialist coatings actually matters here more than it might in drier parts of the country.

Every business on this page was drawn from third-party public business listings and ranked by review rating and review count, with a small lift applied to businesses that show a working website and a listed phone number. Before anything goes live, we check each business's homepage to confirm that painting and decorating is what they primarily offer, which is how unrelated trades get filtered out. Any listing flagged as permanently closed is removed automatically. Where you see a Trust Verified badge on a listing, that business has additionally passed our full verification process, covering trade qualifications and accreditations, public liability insurance, trading history, customer review history, and registered company information. You can find the full list of what that involves on our How We Verify page. Businesses without that badge have not been independently verified by us, and you should carry out your own checks before booking.

When you're getting quotes, ask each decorator to do a proper site visit rather than pricing from photos alone, especially for older properties where wall condition, existing paint layers, or underlying damp can significantly affect the cost and the prep work involved. Get at least three written quotes and make sure each one breaks down labour, materials, and number of coats separately so you're comparing like for like. A litre of trade-grade emulsion covers roughly 12 to 15 square metres per coat, so if one quote looks dramatically cheaper, it's worth asking what products they're pricing with. For exterior work, confirm whether they include the cost of scaffolding or access equipment. Check whether they carry public liability insurance, ask to see it rather than just taking their word for it, and if the job involves listed buildings or specific coatings, ask whether they have relevant experience with those materials. A clear written contract covering start date, payment schedule, and what happens if extra prep work is needed once walls are opened up will save a lot of friction later.