The price of wallpaper & paint nowadays is very scary

[Dave7]

Bear in mind that when I started work (1961) I earned £4.50 a week.
Just bought
5 rolls of wallpaper
Ready made paste
1 gallon of gloss (for soffits/facia/garage)
Undercoat (as above)
Litre of white gloss.
Over £200.00
I know the quality and choice now is amazing compared to when I got my 1st house but back then I paid 2 shiilings (10pence) a roll for wallpaper......I have just paid 20 quid a roll.

I am so shocked I just poured myself a large whisky

 

[Mark Grant]

Back in the late '80's I had a job hanging hand printed wallpaper at a house on Richmond Hill, the paper was well over £100 a roll!

 

[Dave7]

Back in the late '80's I had a job hanging hand printed wallpaper at a house on Richmond Hill, the paper was well over £100 a roll!

WoW. Imagine telling your boss "sorry about that, just got the measurement wrong"

 

[Mark Grant]

WoW. Imagine telling your boss "sorry about that, just got the measurement wrong"

I was a sub contractor. The main contractor called me and asked if I hung wallpaper, I said yes.
He asked how many rolls per day, I said 'It depends on the type of paper, lining paper about 10 rolls a day on a straight run'
He then said 'What about hand printed?'
About 2 was my reply.

 

[postman]

I was also in the 'game' in my early teens till 22.My dad took me out on a job when i was 11,yes 11.Like you i cannot believe the price of paint,and when i go to read reviews,they come up, like milk and no covering power,i was supposed to be doing our dining room this May i am not pushing to do it at the moment.

 

[Levo-Lon]

You went upmarket.. You could go cheap as chips.

Be happy that you can afford and then moan.

Hope you didn't ask the neighbour how many rolls to do the lounge and have 3 left over....

 

[Moodyman]

It'll be even more expensive if you're paying someone to do it.

 

[Dave7]

It'll be even more expensive if you're paying someone to do it.

But i am.....i am.

 

[Moodyman]

But i am.....i am.

Then, I imagine your materials cost will be dwarfed by the labour.

 

[Dave7]

Then, I imagine your materials cost will be dwarfed by the labour.

Not too bad really. He has done work for us before and he is good and gets stuck in.
My view now is..... I have had 50 years of decorating. I am now happy to pay someone while I cycle, play golf etc.
Plus, at 72 my days of hanging off a ladder are over

 

[screenman]

I paid £35 a roll in 1981 when I lived in a semi in Hanworth. Later in 1988 I had a waste clearance business and one job I got was to clear a shop in Richmond for Osborne and Little, I did very well from that lot.