Decorator day rate calculator, Edinburgh 2026, after tax
Typical: £202 a day. Work out yours below.
Tell us the take home pay you want.
We show you the day rate to charge in Edinburgh.
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Hiring a decorator in Edinburgh? See what a fair quote looks like.
A painter and decorator in Edinburgh typically charges £202 a day.
To take home £35,500 a year after real costs you need £257 a day.
Both are labour only, from the rate model and the calculator's default assumptions.
Change the inputs and your own number takes over. Quote that one.
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According to the Office for National Statistics, local pay differs enough by area to move a day rate.
Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings
Data from HM Land Registry's UK House Price Index sets the second local input, per the October 2026 review.
Reviewed on .
These figures use the same sums as the free calculator. The two always agree.
Where these figures come from
Rate estimates blend the national median decorator day rate from five UK directories.
Those five are Checkatrade, HaMuch, MyBuilder, CostEstimator, MyJobQuote.
To that we add official ONS regional earnings and local house price data.
Sources: ONS ASHE 2025, UK House Price Index April 2026.
Rates reviewed October 2026.
Where does Edinburgh sit among the 31 modelled towns?
Each dot is one modelled town, stacked where towns share a rate.
Edinburgh is number 10 of 31, with 9 above it and 20 below.
The shaded band is the local range decorators here quote inside.
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What is decorating work like in Edinburgh?
Edinburgh decorators pay Scottish income tax.
This page has already switched the calculator's where you pay tax setting to Scotland for you.
On the default assumptions the Scottish bands move the day rate you need by about 75p a day.
The gap grows as your take home target rises.
So check your own number rather than a rest of UK figure.
The city's tenements and the listed Georgian New Town bring heritage work.
That means cornices, sash and case windows, and communal stair repaints.
All of it demands far more preparation than a modern flat.
That work supports rates above the £202 typical.
It is a big part of why Edinburgh models ahead of Glasgow at £181.
Why do tradespeople undercharge?
Pricing off the going rate.
Pricing off what everyone else charges feels safe.
But the going rate says what customers are used to paying, not what your business needs.
The calculator on this page starts from the take home you want and adds your real costs.
The number it gives is the one to quote.
The full answer to what a painter and decorator should charge a day is set out separately.
What do decorators in Edinburgh ask about rates?
How much should a decorator charge in Edinburgh?
A decorator in Edinburgh models at £202 a day, with the local spread reaching from £152 to £263.
With tax computed on Scottish bands, the same defaults call for £257 a day.
That is what leaves you £35,500 once costs are paid.
Heritage and listed building work in the city regularly supports rates above typical.
Does Scottish income tax change the day rate I need in Edinburgh?
Yes. Scotland sets its own income tax bands.
They run from 19 percent to 48 percent in the 2026/27 year.
National Insurance stays the same across the UK.
This page's calculator is already set to Scotland.
At the default £35,500 take home target the difference is about 75p a day.
Raise the take home target and the Scottish bands bite harder, so the difference grows with ambition.
Why do Edinburgh decorators charge more than Glasgow decorators?
Edinburgh models at £202 against Glasgow at £181, because the capital's earnings and house prices run higher.
Edinburgh also carries a deeper pool of listed and heritage properties that need specialist preparation.
Both cities' decorators face similar costs, which is why the needed rate barely moves between them.
Do tenement and New Town jobs justify a higher day rate?
Yes. Ornate cornices, sash and case windows and high ceilings take real preparation time.
Preparation is where these jobs are won or lost.
Charge for every preparation day. Don't squeeze them into a hopeful quote.
Communal stair work also carries coordination with multiple owners, and your rate should reflect that admin.
What do decorators charge in other towns?
All 31 towns are benchmarked against what a painter and decorator charges a day, on the homepage.