Wallpaper stripping in Ottery St Mary
Looking for professional wallpaper stripping help in Ottery St Mary? Hembury Contracting provides reliable painting services across Ottery St Mary and surrounding areas.
Price Guide
£110-£210
Typical Duration
2-4 hrs
Location
Ottery St Mary
Old wallpaper stripped completely back to bare plaster. Walls soaked, scraped clean, paste removed, and left ready for painting or fresh papering.
Start Fresh with Clean Walls
You can't put new wallpaper over old and expect it to last. You can't paint over wallpaper and expect it to look good. Proper decorating starts with stripping back to bare walls - it's the foundation everything else depends on.
💡 Pro tip: Wallpaper stripping is one of those jobs that's simple but not easy. The technique is straightforward - soak, wait, scrape - but it's tedious, messy work that takes patience. Rush it and you gouge the plaster or leave paste residue that ruins your next decoration.
Why Professional Stripping Matters
Anyone can scrape wallpaper off. Doing it without damaging walls and with proper cleanup is the difference.
| ✅ Done Right | ❌ Done Wrong |
|---|---|
| Properly soaked before scraping | Dry scraped (gouges the plaster) |
| All paste removed, walls cleaned | Paste left on (paint won't stick) |
| Plaster preserved, minimal damage | Walls gouged and need serious repair |
| Room protected and cleaned after | Soggy mess everywhere |
What You Get
🔧 The Full Service
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Prep | Room protected, furniture moved or covered |
| Strip | Paper scored, soaked, scraped systematically |
| Clean | All paste residue removed, walls washed down |
| Check | Damage assessed, minor repairs done if needed |
📦 You're Left With
- Bare walls ready to decorate
- All paste and residue removed
- Room cleaned up (though you'll want to vacuum)
Pricing Guide
Time depends on paper type and how many layers are hiding under there.
| Room Size | Estimated Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Small bedroom (one layer) | 2-3 hrs | £110-£160 |
| Living room (one layer) | 3-4 hrs | £160-£210 |
| Any room (multiple layers) | Add 1-2 hrs | +£50-£100 |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after. Painted-over wallpaper or multiple layers take significantly longer.
⚠️ Hidden layers: You don't know how many layers are there until you start stripping. Older houses often have 3-4 layers. I'll let you know if we hit unexpected layers.
Perfect For Your Project If...
✅ Before painting - can't paint over wallpaper properly
✅ Before new wallpaper - old stuff needs removing first
✅ Dated patterns - time to get rid of that 1970s nightmare
✅ Damaged paper - peeling or bubbling wallpaper
Why Choose Us for Wallpaper stripping in Ottery St Mary?
All paper removed back to plaster
Walls cleaned and ready to decorate
Minimal damage to underlying plaster
Stubborn layers dealt with properly
What to Expect
Step 1: Protection
Floor and furniture protected with sheets. Can't avoid this being wet and messy work.
Step 2: Soak & Strip
Paper scored so water penetrates, then soaked thoroughly. Wait for it to soften (patience!), then scrape off carefully section by section.
Step 3: Clean Up
All paste residue washed off the walls. Quick check for damage - minor bits get filled, major damage I'll flag for you. Room cleaned up and ready for decorating.
Our Ottery St Mary Service Coverage
We cover Ottery St Mary and a 30-mile radius from Exeter, meaning you get local service with the backing of an established business. Whether you're in the centre of Ottery St Mary or in the surrounding villages, we're here to help.
Good to Know
> 🎨 **Assess before decorating:** Once the paper is off, check the wall condition properly. Cracks, holes, and uneven patches show up that were hidden before. Budget for filling and possibly a skim coat if the walls are in bad shape. **Doing multiple rooms?** Strip them all together if you can face it - you're already set up messy, might as well get it all done. Plus you save on the per-room callout cost. **Victorian or Edwardian house?** Older plaster can be soft and fragile - extra care needed when scraping. Sometimes the walls need more remedial work than expected once the paper comes off. I'll let you know what we're dealing with.
Frequently Asked Questions about Wallpaper stripping in Ottery St Mary
How do you remove wallpaper without damaging the walls?
Soak it properly first - that's the secret. I score the surface so water penetrates, spray or sponge it thoroughly, let it soak for 10-15 minutes, then scrape carefully with a broad blade. Rushing it or scraping dry paper gouges the plaster underneath. Patience is everything.
What if there are multiple layers of old wallpaper?
Pretty common in older Ottery St Mary houses - people just papered over instead of stripping. Each layer needs soaking and removing individually. Takes longer but there's no shortcut. Sometimes you find five or six layers going back decades.
Can you strip painted-over wallpaper?
Yes, but it's more work. The paint seals the paper so water can't penetrate easily. I score it heavily so the stripper can get through, then use stronger solution and more elbow grease. Takes maybe 50% longer than un-painted paper.
Will my walls be ready to paint or paper straight after stripping?
They need cleaning and checking first. I remove all paste residue and check for damage. Small imperfections get filled. Walls need 24 hours to dry before painting or papering - you can't decorate onto damp plaster.
How messy is wallpaper stripping?
Wet and messy - bits of soggy paper everywhere. I protect your floor with sheets, but there's no avoiding some mess. Budget time for cleanup after, even with protection. The alternative is leaving old paper up, which looks worse.
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01392 964094Request Online QuotePricing for Ottery St Mary
* Same rates for all locations in our service area
Got multiple jobs?
Make the most of your first hour - I can often tackle several small tasks in one visit. List everything you need done when you call!
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