Wallpaper Installation in England

A single feature wall is usually half a day; a full average room takes 1-2 days including prep. Add time for stripping old paper (half to a full day per room), wall repairs, and drying between prep coats.

Installers price per roll, per square metre, or per day. Labour usually lands between half and the full cost of the paper itself — and premium papers (grasscloth, murals, wide-width vinyls) cost more to hang because mistakes are expensive. Removal of old paper is always quoted separately.

Painted walls, yes, after cleaning and priming. Papering over old wallpaper is a false economy — trapped seams telegraph through and moisture can lift both layers. Strip first; installers quote removal as a separate line.

Yes, and prep is most of the outcome. Walls need to be smooth, clean, primed/sized, and uniform in colour (dark patches ghost through pale papers). Fresh plaster must fully dry and be sized first. Ask whether prep, lining paper, and primer are in the quote.

Stripping is typically priced per room or per hour and depends entirely on what's underneath: modern non-woven papers peel off dry in minutes, while old glued layers over unsized walls can take a full day per room with steamers and leave repairs behind.

Yes — paste-the-wall (non-woven) papers skip soak time, hang faster and strip dry in full sheets later. Most modern papers use this backing. Traditional paste-the-paper and delicate materials like grasscloth still reward a professional hand.

Measure wall width and height, then let the installer confirm — pattern repeat is the trap. A large repeat can add 15-25% waste, and you should order all rolls from one batch number to avoid shade differences. Always order one spare roll for future repairs.

Much UK housing has old, patched plaster; lining paper evens out suction and surface so the top paper hangs flat with tight seams. Cross-lining (horizontal) is the norm under quality papers. Skipping it on old walls is the main cause of visible seams.