How Much to Charge for Wallpaper Installation
Most wallpaper installers charge $40–$100 per roll hung, or $3–$8 per square foot, with removal, prep, and priming priced as separate lines rather than included. Add 15–30% for large repeats and murals, price stairwells and ceilings above standard walls, and set a minimum job charge. ShowTheReceipts saves each rate so every estimate prices the same way.
Price a wallpaper hanging job
Enter what's included, the roll count, and the pattern match. Get a defensible price range you can quote on the spot — no signup, no email.
The three prices in every wallpaper quote
- Hang labour — $40–$100 per roll, or $3–$8 per sq ft
- Prep and priming — separate, per wall or room
- Removal — hourly, never fixed on unseen layers
Quoting one blended number is how installers lose money on the exact jobs that looked easiest.
Complexity moves the rate
| Condition | Effect on price |
|---|---|
| Large repeat / drop match | +15–30% and more roll allowance |
| Mural or panel set | Priced per project, not per roll |
| Grasscloth, silk, delicate | +20–40%, seam-critical |
| Stairwell, ceiling, 12ft+ | Access line, above standard rate |
Removal deserves its own hourly
One room strips in two hours. The next has three layers over unprimed drywall and takes two days. Charge $50–$85 an hour for removal and test a strip before promising anything.
The paper you can see tells you almost nothing about the wall behind it.
Minimums and materials
Set a minimum of $300–$500 — a powder-room accent wall still costs a drive, setup, and cleanup. On material, either mark up 15–25% or supply at cost paid in advance; never front non-returnable custom paper at zero margin.
What not to do
- Don’t quote removal flat before testing a strip
- Don’t hang a big repeat at plain-paper roll counts
- Don’t take small rooms without a minimum
- Don’t finance a client’s custom paper order
Frequently asked questions
What is the going rate for hanging wallpaper?
$40–$100 per single roll hung in most markets, or $3–$8 per square foot, before prep and removal. The spread is real — grasscloth, murals, and unprimed walls sit at the top of it, and a plain pre-pasted paper on clean drywall at the bottom.
How much should I charge to remove old wallpaper?
Hourly is safest — commonly $50–$85 an hour — or $1–$3 per square foot when you've tested the strip. Removal time varies more than any other part of the job, and a flat quote on unseen layers is how a two-day job becomes a five-day one at the same price.
Should I mark up the wallpaper itself?
Either mark it up 15–25% for sourcing, ordering, and freight handling, or supply at cost and be paid fully in advance. What you shouldn't do is order non-returnable custom paper on your own money at zero margin — that's risk without payment.
What should my minimum job charge be?
At least a half-day of your rate — commonly $300–$500 — because a single powder-room accent wall still costs you a drive, setup, prep, and cleanup. Small rooms are also the most fiddly work per square foot you'll do all week.