School and college decorating in Cambridge
We decorate schools, colleges and student accommodation in Cambridge and further afield. The work covers study bedrooms, corridors, stairwells, classrooms, common rooms and shared kitchens. Graham visits first and meets whoever looks after the buildings, whether that's a bursar, an estates team or a facilities manager, to understand which rooms are free and when.
Education buildings are rarely empty for long, so the planning is as much of the job as the painting. With 12 qualified decorators we can put a larger team in during a short window, or a smaller one working steadily through rooms as they are released.
Westminster College: 38 rooms to the college's timetable
At Westminster College, a hidden gem in the heart of Cambridge, we decorated 38 accommodation rooms. The challenge was moving our decorators in and out of rooms to the college's own schedule, while finishing every room to a high standard and on time. The photos show study bedrooms with leaded windows and white-painted fireplaces, and arched corridors with a dado rail and brass door furniture.
The college's feedback: "Thank you for completing our project, the guys were very friendly and worked hard. Please pass on my thanks to Simon."
Student flats for JR Pickstocks in Colchester
For JR Pickstocks we carried out painting and wallpaper hanging in student accommodation in Colchester. The shared flats include a modern kitchen and communal living area that is also on view at the marketing suite. The photos show a lounge with bookshelf-print wallpaper and a kitchen bar with a teal brick-effect wall. I. Revello wrote: "The quality of work and attention to detail was really appreciated. Great quality paper hanging and timely completion of the project."
Feature papers like these are hung by our wallpaper specialists, and in student lounges they need to be matched and joined well, as they get looked at closely.
Term time, holidays and keeping pupils safe
Many schools plan their main decorating for the holidays, when classrooms and halls are empty. If that's your plan, talk to us well ahead so the work can be scheduled. In term time, rooms can often be done one or two at a time as they come free, with the order agreed in advance. A room that is in daily use, such as a staffroom, can often be done in two halves instead.
Wherever children or students are on site, our materials and ladders stay in an agreed, secure area, wet paint is signed, and walkways and fire exits stay clear. Tell us at the visit what your site expects from contractors on sign-in, visitors and safeguarding, so the plan can allow for it.
Older school and college buildings
Plenty of Cambridge's colleges and schools are old buildings, with soft plaster, original joinery and layers of historic paint. Paint on woodwork from before the 1960s may contain lead, so it should be tested before any sanding, and never sanded dry. Textured coatings such as Artex in buildings built or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. Non-domestic buildings normally hold an asbestos register, and decorators should check it before drilling, sanding or scraping. Removing asbestos is a job for a specialist asbestos contractor, and not one we do.
On sound older surfaces, careful filling, lining paper on poor walls, and priming bare timber give a finish that lasts. Our period property page goes into that preparation in more detail.
Finishes for classrooms, corridors and halls of residence
School corridors are marked at bag and shoulder height, and student rooms get Blu Tack, posters and furniture pushed against the walls. Durable, washable finishes are worth the extra cost here. On doors, frames and handrails, a hard eggshell or satin wears much better than emulsion.
Keep a note of the exact colours and products used in each block. When a room needs touching up between occupants, a matching paint makes the repair invisible, and a close-but-not-quite colour shows.
What affects the cost
- Number of rooms and how standard they are
- Condition of the walls and woodwork
- High ceilings, stairwells and access equipment
- How the work is phased around term dates
- Wallpaper in common rooms or lounges
- Specification: colours, finishes and paint brand
Starting with a site visit
Graham will walk the buildings with your estates or facilities contact, note each room, and send a written quotation, usually by email. Belinda organises the programme and keeps you updated as rooms are finished. We can provide a copy of our £5 million public liability insurance for your records. Payment comes once you're happy with the finished work. Our main commercial painting page covers offices, shops and other premises, and landlord decorating covers privately let student houses.
