Painting & Decorating Services in Guildford and Surrey
Martin & Co. Decorating provides five core services across Guildford and a 20-mile radius of Surrey: interior painting and decorating, exterior painting and decorating, commercial painting and decorating, cabinet refinishing, and wallpapering. Each service is quoted individually with a free, no-obligation visit.
Interior Painting and Decorating
From a single freshly painted room to a full house redecoration, our interior painting and decorating work covers walls, ceilings, skirting, doors and feature walls. Dust sheets go down before a brush comes out, cutting-in lines are taped and checked twice, and every surface is prepped properly first, so the finish holds up rather than just looking good on handover day.
Frequently Asked Questions: Interior Painting
A typical job covers surface preparation, filling and sanding, masking and dust sheeting, priming where needed, and two full coats of your chosen finish on walls, ceilings and woodwork. We agree the exact scope with you before starting so there are no surprises.
We move light and moveable furniture to the centre of the room and cover it, and can move most items with two people. For very heavy or fitted furniture we ask you to arrange removal in advance, or we can discuss options on site. Jobs requiring a significant amount of furniture removal may incur an additional cost.
Two full coats as standard on walls and ceilings, sometimes three on strong colour changes or where the existing surface is patchy, to get an even, opaque finish rather than a thin or streaky one.
A single average bedroom usually takes two to three days including prep and drying time between coats. Larger rooms, high ceilings, or heavily textured walls needing extra prep will take longer, and we will give you a realistic timeframe at quote stage.
Yes, low-VOC and low-odour paints are available and widely used, particularly for bedrooms, nurseries and occupied homes. Let us know if this matters to you and we will factor it into the product recommendation.
Yes, wallpaper stripping is part of our interior preparation work where needed. We assess the wall condition underneath first, as some older properties need extra filling and lining paper before painting for a smooth finish.
Yes, ceilings, walls, skirting, doors, architrave and other woodwork are all part of a full interior painting and decorating service. Many clients only need walls repainted, which we are equally happy to quote separately.
For hallways, kitchens, and children's rooms we usually recommend a durable, wipeable finish such as an eggshell or a washable matt on walls, which holds up better to marks and cleaning than a standard flat matt.
Yes, feature walls in a contrasting colour or finish are a common request alongside a full room repaint, and we can advise on colour and sheen combinations that work well together based on the room's light.
Yes, most of our interior work is carried out in occupied homes. We work room by room, protect floors and furnishings with dust sheets, and keep the rest of the house usable and tidy throughout the job.
Wallpapering
From a single feature wall to a full room, we provide professional wallpaper hanging and wall covering installation with careful attention to preparation, pattern alignment and finishing. Walls are properly assessed and prepared before hanging begins, including filling, sanding and lining where required, helping the finished wallpaper sit cleanly and evenly. We work with a range of wall coverings and take particular care around corners, sockets, doors and detailed areas for a precise, professional result.
Frequently Asked Questions: Wallpapering
Yes. Proper preparation is one of the most important parts of wallpapering. We assess the condition of the walls first and carry out any necessary filling, sanding and preparation before the wallpaper is hung. Where required, lining paper can also be used to help create a smoother and more consistent surface.
Yes. Existing wallpaper can be stripped as part of the preparation work. Once it has been removed, we inspect the wall underneath and deal with any filling, sanding or additional preparation needed before new wallpaper is installed.
Yes. We are happy to wallpaper anything from a single feature wall to several rooms or a complete interior, depending on what you are looking to achieve.
Yes. Patterned wallpaper can be carefully measured, cut and aligned so that the pattern flows correctly across each drop and around the room.
Yes. Where the condition of the existing wall would benefit from it, lining paper can be installed before decorating or wallpapering to help create a cleaner, more uniform surface.
We can work with a wide range of standard and decorative wall coverings. If you have already chosen a particular wallpaper, we can assess it along with the condition of the walls and advise on the preparation and installation required.
In many cases, yes, provided the painted surface is sound and properly prepared. The wall will be assessed first and may need cleaning, sanding, filling or priming depending on its condition and the type of wallpaper being installed.
This depends on the size and condition of the room, the amount of preparation required and the type or pattern of wallpaper being used. A straightforward room may be completed relatively quickly, while more detailed patterns or walls requiring additional preparation will take longer. A realistic timeframe can be confirmed when the work is quoted.
Yes. Wallpaper is carefully cut and finished around sockets, switches, doors, windows and other fittings to maintain a neat and consistent finish.
Yes. Once the room and wallpaper have been assessed, we can advise on the approximate quantity required, allowing for factors such as pattern repeat and matching.
Exterior Painting and Decorating
Exterior work in the Surrey weather means proper preparation matters more than the paint itself. We scrape and treat any flaking or weathered surfaces, mask off brick and glazing, and use exterior-grade masonry and joinery paint on render, fascias, soffits, and window frames. Scaffolding and access equipment are arranged as part of the job, not an extra you have to chase down separately.
Frequently Asked Questions: Exterior Painting
Late spring through early autumn generally gives the most reliable dry weather windows for exterior work in Surrey. We monitor the forecast closely and plan around dry spells, but can also work in cooler, drier periods outside that window when conditions allow.
Yes. Render, pebbledash, timber cladding, fascias, soffits and window frames are all covered. Each surface type needs different preparation and paint systems, which we account for in the quote.
Where scaffolding, tower access, or a cherry picker is needed for a job, this is arranged as part of the project and included in the quote, rather than left for you to source separately.
Any flaking, cracked, or weathered paintwork is scraped back, treated, and properly prepared before a new coat goes on. Painting straight over a failing surface is a false economy and something we will always flag rather than skip.
A properly prepared and applied exterior paint system on masonry or timber typically holds up well for several years before it needs attention again, though exact longevity depends on aspect, exposure to weather, and surface type.
Yes, exterior window frames, doors, fascias and soffits are usually quoted alongside wall and render painting as part of the same visit, since access equipment is already in place.
We plan equipment placement and working areas with you in advance to keep disruption to a minimum, and clear away tools and materials at the end of each working day rather than leaving a site in disarray overnight.
Minor render cracks and pointing touch-ups are handled as part of exterior preparation. Larger structural repairs are outside our scope and we will flag these clearly rather than paint over an underlying problem.
We use exterior-grade masonry paint suited to the substrate and exposure, chosen for breathability and durability rather than the cheapest available option, so the finish is built to last rather than just look good on the day.
Yes, most exterior paint ranges offer a full colour-matching service, and we can also advise on shades that suit the property's brick or stone tone if you are undecided.
Commercial Painting and Decorating
Commercial jobs get scheduled around your business, not the other way round. Early starts, evening work, or a phased weekend turnaround are all options for offices, retail units, and shared communal spaces. We work to a plan agreed up front so staff and customers see minimal disruption, and the site is left clean and usable at the end of every session, not just the last one.
Frequently Asked Questions: Commercial Painting
Yes, this is the norm for commercial jobs. We agree a schedule up front, whether that means early mornings, evenings, weekends, or a phased plan across several visits, so the space stays open and usable throughout.
Offices, retail units, and shared communal areas such as stairwells and corridors in commercial buildings are all within scope. We size the crew and timeline to the job rather than applying a one-size approach.
Yes, evening and weekend working is common for commercial clients who cannot afford daytime disruption. We factor access arrangements and any building management requirements into the schedule from the outset.
Work is sectioned off, dust sheets and barriers protect equipment and walkways, and we agree with you which areas can be worked on at any one time so staff and visitors are not walking through wet paint or open tools.
Yes, we can colour-match to a specific brand palette, Pantone reference, or existing scheme, which is common for retail units and office reception areas that need to stay on-brand.
Yes, we regularly quote for landlords and letting agents needing a unit or office redecorated between tenancies, and can work to tighter turnaround windows where the schedule allows.
A single office or small retail unit can often be completed within a few days to a week depending on size and whether work is confined to evenings and weekends. Larger commercial projects are scoped and timed individually.
Yes, we can provide a risk assessment and method statement for commercial jobs where the building management or client requires one, as part of the standard quoting process.
Yes, we regularly work in shared communal areas, coordinating access and timing with the managing agent or building manager so residents and staff retain safe access throughout.
Yes, shopfronts, signage surrounds, and commercial exterior render or brickwork are all covered under the same commercial painting and decorating service.
Cabinet Refinishing & Paint Spraying
If your kitchen carcasses and doors are solid but the finish has dated, a full respray is very often a fraction of the cost of ripping the kitchen out and starting again. Doors are removed, hand-sanded, and finished with either a sprayed or hand-brushed durable cabinet paint depending on the substrate. Paint spraying gives the smoothest, most factory-like result on doors and drawer fronts, hinges and handles are refitted cleanly, and the kitchen is usable again in days, not weeks.
Recently CompletedFrequently Asked Questions: Cabinet Refinishing & Paint Spraying
Cost depends on the number of doors, drawer fronts, and the condition of the substrate, so we always price a kitchen or wardrobe as a whole job rather than a fixed per-door rate. Get in touch with your kitchen size and we will give you a proper quote, not a generic figure.
It depends on the job. Doors and drawer fronts are usually removed and finished off-site or in a controlled area with a sprayed finish for the smoothest, most factory-like result. Carcasses fixed in place are more often hand-finished with a brush or fine roller where spraying on site is not practical.
Most kitchen cabinet refinishing jobs take between two and four days depending on the number of doors and drawers. We sequence the work so your kitchen is never completely unusable for longer than necessary, and agree the plan with you before starting.
A properly prepared and finished cabinet, using a durable cabinet-grade paint system with the correct primer and topcoat, holds up well to daily kitchen use. Durability comes down to preparation and product choice, which is why we do not cut corners on either.
Most solid wood, MDF, and many laminate cabinet doors can be refinished, provided the substrate is structurally sound. Some laminate or foil-wrapped doors need a specific primer system or are not suitable, which we will assess and tell you honestly at quote stage.
Removing and refitting existing hinges and handles is included as standard. If you want new hardware fitted at the same time, we are happy to quote for that as an add-on to the refinishing job.
Any colour in the cabinet paint range we use, plus custom colour matching if you have a specific shade in mind, whether that is a bold statement colour or a soft neutral to modernise the kitchen.
Cabinet refinishing focuses on doors, drawer fronts and carcasses. Worktop replacement is a separate specialism, though we are happy to advise or coordinate timing if you are having worktops changed alongside a cabinet respray.
In most cases, yes, often significantly. Refinishing keeps the existing carcasses and layout and simply transforms the visible finish, which avoids the cost of a full kitchen strip-out and rebuild.
Yes, fitted wardrobes and other built-in cabinetry are refinished using the same process as kitchen cabinets, which is a popular way to update a bedroom without a full carpentry replacement.
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