CareHomeDeskCareHomeDeskSetting the right redecoration interval, planning works around residents and managing costs effectively.
There is no statutory redecoration interval for care homes, but CQC's Environmental Safety expectations and best practice guidance suggest that the built environment should be well-maintained and fit for purpose at all times. In practice, most care home providers adopt a rolling decoration programme based on condition surveys rather than fixed intervals. High-wear areas -- corridors, dining rooms, bathrooms -- typically need redecoration every 3-5 years. Bedrooms in standard use every 5-7 years. Lower-traffic areas such as offices and quiet rooms every 7-10 years. Trigger-based redecoration (when a room becomes vacant, when visible deterioration appears) should supplement but not replace the planned programme.
The fundamental challenge of redecoration in a care home is that the building is permanently occupied. This means that solvent-based paints, strong odours, and noisy surface preparation work all require careful management. Block out rooms when they are vacant between residents -- even a few days of redecoration significantly extends the life of the scheme. For occupied areas, plan work for the lowest-impact times of day (after breakfast and before the late-afternoon resident activity period). Use low-odour or odourless water-based paints in all areas. Issue advance notice to relatives and staff before any significant redecoration work begins.
The basis for a decoration programme should be a condition survey -- a systematic walk-round inspection of every room and communal space, scoring each area for decoration condition, damage, staining and hygiene. A simple 1-5 scale works well. Rooms scoring 1 or 2 go into the immediate programme; 3-4 go into the planned programme in the following 12-24 months; 5 requires no action. Commission this survey annually, carried out by your maintenance manager or an external building surveyor. Use the results to build a 3-year rolling decoration programme with a clear cost forecast.
Indicative costs for care home redecoration (2024-25): bedroom (walls and ceiling only, preparing and 2 coats emulsion, good-quality trade paint): 400-600. Corridor redecoration (walls, ceiling, woodwork): 60-90 per linear metre. Dining room or communal lounge (full preparation and redecoration): 1,500-3,000 depending on size and complexity. These costs assume standard preparation -- if significant remediation of damp, mould or surface damage is required, add 50-100% for preparation costs. Get at least two quotes for any individual room or area; comparison shopping is as important in decoration as in any other trade.
CareHomeDesk gives you compliance checklists, maintenance logs, and contractor management tools built around exactly this kind of knowledge.