3 Best Painters & Decorators in Middlesbrough for 2026
🖌️ 3 businesses·📍 Middlesbrough
✓ Reviewed regularly·✓ Updated 23 September 2026
Written by Mark Reid,
Trades Editor ·Verified 23 September 2026
Middlesbrough's housing stock throws up a fair bit of variety for painters and decorators to deal with. You've got the Victorian terraces around Linthorpe and Ayresome with their high ceilings and original coving, the post-war semis out towards Acklam and Nunthorpe, and newer builds on the edges of town near Coulby Newham. Older properties often need more prep work before a brush even goes near them, think flaking distemper, damp patches from solid walls, or woodwork that hasn't seen a lick of paint since the 1980s. A decorator who knows the area will spot these issues early and price the job accordingly, rather than landing you with surprises halfway through.
The businesses listed here are pulled from public business listings and ranked mainly by review rating and how many reviews they've built up, with a small boost given to those showing a working website and phone number. We also check each business's homepage to confirm painting and decorating is genuinely their main line of work, which stops general builders or odd-job traders sneaking onto a page meant for specialists. Listings flagged as permanently closed get removed as part of that process. Where you spot a Trust Verified badge, that business has gone further and passed our full verification, covering trade qualifications and accreditations, public liability insurance, trading history, customer review history and registered company information. Our How We Verify page sets out exactly what that involves. For businesses without the badge, those checks haven't been done by us, so it's worth running through them yourself before you commit.
Before booking anyone, ask for photos of recent jobs, ideally something similar in scale to your own, whether that's a full house repaint or just a stairwell and landing. Confirm they carry public liability insurance and ask to see proof rather than just taking their word for it. It's also sensible to check how they handle prep work like sanding, filling and priming, since a rushed job here shows up in the finish within months. Getting two or three quotes is standard practice and gives you a feel for fair pricing in Middlesbrough, as well as who takes the time to actually look round the property rather than quoting blind over the phone.
How We Select & Rate The Best Painters & Decorators in Middlesbrough
Rankings are driven mainly by review rating and review count from public business listings, with a small lift given to businesses that show a working website and phone number. We check each business's homepage to confirm painting and decorating work is what they primarily do, which keeps unrelated trades off this page. Listings flagged as permanently closed are removed automatically. Businesses marked Trust Verified have gone further, passing our full verification covering qualifications, insurance, trading history, customer review history and registered company information. See our How We Verify page for the complete list. Other businesses here haven't been independently verified by us, and appearing on the page isn't an endorsement, so do your own checks before hiring.
Recommended and Featured listings are paid placements, so a business's fee affects whether and where it appears. Every other listing is ranked on rating and review count from third-party business listings. How we rank & verify →
Quick Comparison: Painters & Decorators in Middlesbrough
Rated 4.9 from 94 Google reviews, HPH Painting & Decorating Ltd operates out of Middlesbrough, offering interior and exterior painting and decorating services to residential and commercial clients. The consistently high rating across a substantial number of reviews points to reliable, repeat-worthy results. TS5 4EA serves as the base for work carried out across the wider Teesside area.
Linthorpe Decorators covers interior and exterior painting, wallpaper hanging, and decorative finishing for properties across Middlesbrough. Based in the TS5 area, the business operates as a local trade focused on residential and commercial decorating work. A straightforward outfit without a franchise structure, it handles projects directly rather than through subcontractors.
Interior and exterior painting and decorating services are the focus at G V Decorators, based in Middlesbrough. The company works across residential properties in the area and holds a 4.2 Google rating from its reviews. Covering the TS5 postcode and surrounding neighbourhoods, it offers a local option for householders seeking straightforward decorating work.
Transparency notice: Recommended and Featured listings are paid placements, so a business's fee affects whether and where it appears. All other listings are ranked by a combined score drawn from ratings and review counts published on third-party business listings, plus basic completeness signals such as a working website and phone. A Trust Verified badge means we have independently checked that business's documents; businesses without it have not been independently verified by us. How we verify →
Is your business missing?
Get listed and reach customers actively searching for your services in this area.
How much does a painters & decorators cost in Middlesbrough?
A single room repaint, walls and ceiling, typically runs from around £180 to £350 depending on size and condition of the surfaces. A full three-bedroom house, inside and out, can range from £2,000 to £4,500, with older properties at the higher end due to prep work on woodwork and plaster. Exterior work like rendering or fascia painting often gets priced by the square metre, usually £15 to £25. Prices vary based on paint quality requested and access, such as scaffolding for a bay-fronted terrace. Getting two or three quotes is normal practice and helps you spot anyone pricing well above or below the local going rate.
How long does it take to paint the exterior of a typical Middlesbrough terrace?
For a standard two-up two-down terrace, expect three to five days depending on weather and how much prep the brickwork or render needs. Middlesbrough's weather off the Tees can be unpredictable, so decorators often build in a buffer day or two for rain delays. If pointing needs repairing first, that adds extra time before painting can even start.
Do I need to move furniture out before decorators start?
Most decorators ask you to clear small items and valuables yourself, then they'll cover larger furniture and flooring with dust sheets. It's worth asking upfront what they expect you to do, since some include full furniture moving in their quote and others charge extra for it. Clearing wall hangings, curtains and light fittings beforehand usually speeds things along.
What paint brands do local decorators usually recommend?
Many Middlesbrough decorators favour trade-quality paints like Dulux Trade or Crown Trade for durability, particularly in high-traffic areas like hallways and kitchens. Some clients ask for specific brands such as Farrow & Ball for a particular finish, which decorators are usually happy to use, though it costs more and they may charge slightly more for application due to its thicker consistency. Ask your decorator what they'd recommend for the room and its usage before deciding.
Can a decorator help with wallpaper removal and damp issues?
Most decorators can strip old wallpaper as part of a repaint, and many will flag damp patches or blown plaster during the initial visit. However, if there's a genuine damp problem, such as rising damp from a faulty stopcock leak or penetrating damp from guttering, that's usually a job for a damp specialist or builder first. A good decorator will tell you honestly if a wall needs more than paint to fix it properly, rather than just papering over the issue.
How do I choose between different painters and decorators in Middlesbrough?
Start by reading through recent reviews rather than just the star rating, since comments often reveal how tidy someone left the job or whether they turned up on time. Ask to see photos of similar past work, especially if you want a specific finish like a smooth ceiling or feature wall. Request proof of public liability insurance and ask how they handle any accidental damage. Get written quotes from a few different decorators covering the same scope of work, so you're comparing like for like rather than one quote that includes materials and another that doesn't. Finally, trust your instinct after a home visit. Someone who takes time to assess the property properly is usually more reliable than one who quotes over the phone without seeing it.
Related Guides
More independently researched rankings you might find useful
