Decorating done the way it should be: properly prepared, carefully finished.
T J Roberts Decorating brings decades of hands-on experience and a City & Guilds qualification to interior and exterior painting, decorating and wallpapering across Knaresborough, Harrogate and Boroughbridge. No shortcuts on preparation, no rushed finishes.
T J Roberts Decorating is run on decades of hands-on experience, 36 years as a painter and decorator and 28 years running an independent business, backed by a City & Guilds qualification. That kind of time in the trade means fewer surprises: damp patches that need treating before painting rather than papering over, old plaster that needs the right filler, woodwork that needs proper priming before it will ever hold a topcoat.
Jobs are based across Knaresborough, Harrogate and Boroughbridge, and range from a single freshened-up room to full interior redecoration and exterior woodwork or render painting. Every job starts the same way: a proper look at the space, an honest conversation about what it actually needs, and a clear plan before any dust sheets go down.
Furniture is moved and protected, floors are covered, and the working day runs to the hours stated, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm, so you know what to expect and when.
What's covered
Interior Decorating
Living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, stairwells and kitchens, painted and finished properly. That means the right preparation first: filling, sanding, and priming where bare plaster or old paintwork needs it, not just a quick coat over the top. Colour advice is part of the conversation if you want it, or bring your own choice and it'll be matched carefully.
Stairwells and hallways in particular are often overlooked by less experienced decorators because of the awkward heights and angles involved, they're handled as standard here.
Exterior Decorating
Fascias, soffits, woodwork, doors, window frames and render, all need different preparation and different paint systems to survive a Yorkshire winter. Exterior work is weather-dependent by nature, so timing is discussed honestly rather than promised regardless of forecast.
Peeling or flaking exterior paintwork is usually a sign the surface wasn't properly prepared last time; getting that right the first time is what prevents having to redo it again in two years.
Wallpapering
Paper-hanging alongside painting, from a single feature wall to a full room. Pattern matching, corners and awkward areas around fittings are where wallpapering usually goes wrong when rushed, so this is treated with the same care as any other finish.
Preparation & Minor Repair
Cracked plaster, old filler failing, damp staining, uneven surfaces, all of it gets sorted before paint goes anywhere near it. Skipping this step is the single most common reason a decorating job looks poor within a year, so it's never treated as optional here.
What actually affects your quote
No fixed price list is published here, because an honest quote depends on real factors, not a generic per-room rate. These are the things that genuinely move the number:
Room size and count
More surface area and more rooms means more time and materials, straightforwardly.
Condition of existing surfaces
Bare plaster, damp staining or heavily cracked walls need more preparation time than a repaint of sound paintwork.
Paint grade and finish
Trade paint versus premium brands, and matt versus eggshell or gloss, all affect the material cost.
Access
High ceilings, stairwells and exterior work at height may need towers or extra time to work safely.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, both. Interior rooms, hallways and stairwells, and exterior woodwork, render and fascias.
Mainly room size and count, how much preparation the surfaces need, the paint grade you choose, and access. A visit lets us give an accurate figure rather than a guess.
Either. We're happy to advise on paint brands and finishes, or work with paint you've already chosen and purchased.
Proper preparation, filling, sanding and priming where needed, is part of doing the job properly and is discussed and agreed before work starts.
Yes, wallpapering and paper-hanging is part of the service alongside painting.
It varies by season, exterior work in particular gets busy in drier months, so it's worth enquiring as early as you can.
Yes, alongside Knaresborough we regularly work in Harrogate, Boroughbridge and the surrounding villages.
City & Guilds qualified with decades of decorating experience. Ask directly for current insurance documentation when you enquire.
Yes, furniture is moved and covered and floors are protected as standard practice before any painting begins.
Yes, colour matching and advice on complementary shades is part of the initial discussion for any room.
T J Roberts 