Wallpaper Removal · London & the Home Counties
Clean Wallpaper Removal& Full Wall PreparationAcross London & the Home Counties
Stripped back without gouging the plaster, walls left flat and primed, and a site you can hand over to a paper-hanger, painter or plasterer the next morning.
28 years' experience · Dust sheets and tidy working area
28
Years on prep
2,000+
Rooms stripped
—nths
Workmanship guarantee
HEPA extraction
Dust-aware kit
About this service
What wallpaper removal really involves — and who it's for.
What it is
Full wallpaper removal — single layers, multiple layers, painted-over paper, glued-on borders and stubborn vinyl. Followed by full wall preparation: repair, sand, prime, ready to receive paint, fresh paper or plaster.
Who it's for
Anyone redecorating a room where paper currently sits — homeowners refreshing dated interiors, landlords turning over between tenancies, designers stripping back ahead of a new scheme.
When you need it
Before painting, before re-papering, before plaster skim, before plastering polished plaster — any time existing paper is in the way of the next finish.
Why it matters
How paper comes off determines how the next finish goes on. A hacked-off strip leaves gouged plaster and weeks of remedial work; clean removal leaves a wall ready to decorate in days.
What happens if it's done badly
The mistakes that cost the most — and how we avoid them.
Gouged plaster is hidden cost
Stripping with scrapers and force tears the face off the plaster. The fix is to skim the entire wall — adding days and four-figure costs to the project.
Stuck residue ruins the next finish
Old paste left on the wall causes fresh paint to flash and new paper to lift. Walls have to be washed properly before priming.
Painted-over paper is a trap
Paper that's been painted over needs scoring, soaking and patience to remove without damage. Most decorators won't take the time.
Our process
Five quiet, considered steps from first call to sign-off.
01
Inspection
We score a test area, check what's underneath, identify how many layers, and assess plaster condition before any quote is given.
02
Site protection
Furniture moved or covered, dust sheets head-to-toe, floors protected, electrics isolated where steam is being used.
03
Removal
Score, soak, steam where appropriate, strip paper and paste cleanly without gouging the plaster behind.
04
Wall preparation
Residual paste washed off, walls sanded flat, holes and gouges filled, hairline cracks taped where required, walls primed for the next finish.
05
Handover
Walls signed off as ready for paint, paper or plaster — to whatever standard the next finish requires.
Why clients choose us
Specific, concrete reasons — not vague promises.
No gouged plaster
Removal that respects the substrate — saving the cost of a full re-skim.
Dust-aware working
HEPA extraction and damp working keep airborne dust to a minimum, even on multi-layer strips.
Ready to redecorate
Walls handed over primed and flat — the next trade can start the morning we finish.
Fast turn-around
A standard room strip-and-prep typically completes in 1–3 working days.
Honest assessment
If a wall needs a re-skim after strip, we'll tell you up front — not after the fact.
Work I stand behind
I take pride in the prep — and stand behind it.
The detail behind the work
Materials, methods and the variations that matter.
Stripping wallpaper is the unglamorous half of decorating, and the half that determines how the next finish performs. Done in a rush it costs you weeks; done properly it saves them.
Materials we work with
- Industrial wallpaper steamers for stubborn vinyl and multi-layer paper
- Solvent and enzyme-based strippers for tough adhesives
- Scoring tools for painted-over paper
- Bonding primer for repaired and patched walls
- Lining paper and skim materials where re-skim is required
Methods we apply
- Test-area scoring before quoting to identify layer count and substrate
- Damp working to minimise airborne dust
- HEPA-extracted sanding after strip
- Wash-down to remove residual paste before priming
Variations of this service
Single-layer paper
Standard non-vinyl paper — typically straightforward, 1–2 days per room.
Multi-layer paper
Two or three historic layers — steamer and patience, 2–3 days per room.
Vinyl and painted-over paper
Scored, steamed and stripped without gouging — slower but achievable.
Anaglypta and embossed paper
Heavy embossed papers requiring steam and careful handling.
Strip and re-skim
Where the substrate underneath is too damaged, paired with a thin plaster skim to deliver a perfect new surface.
Situations this service applies to
- Pre-decoration strip before repaint or repaper
- Heritage property strips where plaster underneath is fragile
- Rental turn-arounds between tenancies
- Damp-damaged paper removal with damp investigation
- Commercial premises refresh and re-brand
Residential vs commercial
Residential
Residential strip-and-prep is programmed around living spaces, with low-mess working, daily clean-down and protected flooring.
Commercial
Commercial work is programmed out-of-hours for offices, retail and hospitality with minimum disruption to trading.
Frequently asked
Straight answers, conversion-focused.
If your question isn't here, call 07730 008046 or get in touch.
How much does wallpaper removal cost?
A standard single-layer room typically runs £250–£550 including full wall prep. Multi-layer and painted-over paper costs more and is quoted on survey.
How long does it take to strip a room?
A standard single-layer room is 1–2 working days including preparation. Multi-layer or painted-over paper rooms run 2–3 days.
Will my walls need re-skimming after?
Often not — clean removal usually leaves walls fit to paint or re-paper directly after prep. We'll flag honestly on survey if a re-skim will be needed.
Is it dusty?
Minimal — we work damp and use HEPA-extracted sanding. Most clients are surprised how clean the room is at end of day.
Can you remove painted-over wallpaper?
Yes — scored, soaked, steamed and stripped without gouging the plaster behind. It's slower but completely achievable.
Do you handle damp-damaged paper?
Yes — and we'll flag any underlying damp issue that needs investigating before the wall is redecorated.
Can you re-paper or paint the room afterwards?
Yes — we can quote the strip-and-prep on its own or as part of the full redecoration, whichever you prefer.
Do you cover my area?
Yes — across London, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Essex, Middlesex and Northamptonshire.
Related services
Often specified alongside wallpaper removal.
Wallpaper Hanging
Invisible seams, perfect pattern matches and walls prepared the way the paper deserves — by a craftsman who treats £400/roll de Gournay the way you'd want them to.
ExploreSkim Coating
Walls and ceilings flattened with a true skim coat — the foundation every premium paint, paper or polished plaster finish actually needs.
ExploreInterior Painting
A faultless, hand-finished result — delivered in dust-aware days, not disruptive weeks — by a experienced craftsman with 28 years on the brush.
ExploreNext step
Stripped clean. Walls ready. The next finish on a strong foundation.
Free on-site survey. Free, no-obligation written quote.
28 years' experience