Is Painting And Decorating A Good Job?

If you have a flair for design and like using your hands then you might have considered a career in painting and decorating. It’s certainly a job that will keep you active and see you getting involved in various tasks so your days aren’t always monotonous. 

Becoming a painter and decorator is a great choice for people who want to do skilled work. While it might look simple, there’s much more to it than meets the eye. Learning skills like these enables you to forge a career that will last a lifetime since the call for this kind of work will never diminish. 

What’s more, there is some real scope to earn good money as a painter and decorator provided you are willing to put in the hard work. And with plenty of opportunities to set up your own business, you’ll have the freedom to work your career around your life rather than the other way around. 

What Does A Painter And Decorator Do?

One of the great things about being a painter and decorator is that no two days will be the same. Yes, you will be performing many of the same tasks but they’re so varied that you won’t end up feeling bored or as if you’re doing the same thing over and over again. 

There are a plethora of things you might do in your day to day work including some of the following:

• Applying paint, varnishes, wood stains and other finishes to various surfaces. 
• Applying primers and preparing surfaces for decoration. 
• Using tools such as rollers, spraying equipment and brushes. 
• Applying wallpaper.
• Working out what materials you will need for a project. 
• Taking old paint and wallpaper from surfaces using a variety of different methods including heat and steam, scrapers, sanders and paint removers. 
• Mixing paint colours to create custom shades. 
• Ensuring proper protection of surrounding areas to protect them from paint and other decorating products. 
• Organising the workplace and keeping it tidy and safe.
• Working in both commercial and domestic settings. 

How Much Does A Painter And Decorator Earn?

The potential to earn a comfortable wage working as a painter and decorator is relatively good. Many people will enter into this trade through an apprenticeship or by taking a college course to earn an NVQ level 3. If you are working as an apprentice, you will have the opportunity to earn as you work and while this won’t be a huge wage, it will certainly be enough to get you through your training. 

Once fully qualified, new painters and decorators stand to earn up to £20,000 a year with the average wage coming in at around £17,000. As you gain more experience, there will be more scope for you to earn a better salary. Those with intermediate experience might be looking at earning as much as £30,000 per year. 

Over the years, your skill and experience will skyrocket your opportunities and you will become known as a master painter and decorator. When you reach this level, there is the potential to earn up to £50,000 per year. Of course, you will need to ensure the highest standard or work to ensure an employer is willing to offer this type of salary. 

If you prefer the idea of working for yourself then the great news is that painters and decorators can easily set up as self employed persons. This will allow you to charge your own rates although it is important to offer these in line with your experience and skill level.

Do Painters And Decorators Work Long Hours?

If you are working as a self employed painter and decorator then you are pretty much free to choose your own hours. Of course, the more you work, the more you will earn and when starting out, you may find that you have to work longer hours to get your business established. 

That said, when working for an employer, you can expect to work an average number of hours per week. However, a lot of painters and decorators will work slightly more hours than average at around 42 to 42 hours each week. 

There are also lots of opportunities to work overtime so this is great for people who are looking to further their experience and earn a little more money. 

How Could My Career Progress?

The chances of growing your career in painting and decorating will be much more likely if you complete official training. As we mentioned earlier, you’ll need to take an apprenticeship or complete an NVQ level 3. Once you have completed this, it is then possible to go on to do other NVQs in things like Decorative Finishing and Industrial Painting which will open up many more doors for you.

It is also possible to become a supervisor or team manager which will allow you to earn a better salary. But with this will come longer working hours and more responsibility. 

If you like the idea of working on the construction site then as a painter and decorator, there are lots of opportunities here. Otherwise, you might choose to work as a domestic painter and decorator, offering services to residential clients. 

Related Article: How Much Does It Cost To Hire Someone To Do Wallpaper

So, Is Painting And Decorating A Good Job? – Conclusion

Painting and decorating is an excellent job for people who like to use their creative side and enjoy working with their hands. In terms of what you can earn, the prospects are excellent which is one of the things that draws a lot of people into this trade. 

While you may work slightly longer than average hours, these are by no means going to cut into your free time so the job would still be considered ‘good.’

What’s great about painting and decorating is that you will have the opportunity to do a variety of different tasks each day and challenge yourself to progress your career.