How to work out wallpaper quantities on a consultation
Measuring walls, pattern repeat, roll sizes, batch numbers, feature walls and wall condition: what paperhangers check on a visit before clients order paper.
5 min read
The number of rolls depends on more than the size of the room. On a consultation, measure each wall's height and width, count the drops each roll gives once the pattern repeat and trimming are allowed for, and add spare rolls from the same batch for mistakes and future repairs. Look at the walls too: their condition decides the preparation, and preparation can be more work than hanging. Then give the client a roll count before they order and a quote for the work.
Measuring the room
Measure the height from skirting to ceiling or cornice at several points, as old rooms are rarely level. Measure the width of each wall, and note doors, windows, radiators, alcoves and chimney breasts. Large openings reduce the number of full drops, but small ones don't save paper, because the pieces around them need full lengths anyway.
From measurements to rolls
- Drop length: wall height plus a trimming allowance top and bottom.
- Pattern repeat: each drop must start at the same point of the pattern; a large repeat adds waste to every drop. Check the repeat and whether it's a straight or offset match on the label.
- Drops per roll: divide the roll length by the drop length including repeat, rounding down.
- Number of drops: the total width of the walls divided by the roll width, rounded up.
- Rolls: number of drops divided by drops per roll, rounded up, plus spares.
Batch numbers
Rolls printed in different runs can differ slightly in shade. Ask the client to order all rolls from the same batch, keep the labels, and buy a spare roll or two at the same time. A roll ordered later from a new batch may not match.
Ceilings and stairwells
Papering a ceiling or a tall stairwell takes longer and needs platforms or a tower. Measure the longest drops in a stairwell separately, as they can be much longer than in a room and change the drops per roll. Note the access equipment you'll need and include it in the quote.
Feature walls and special papers
A single feature wall, a mural sold in panels, a grasscloth or a hand-printed paper each change the method and the time. Murals come in a fixed set of panels sized to the wall, so measure carefully before ordering. Natural and specialist papers can show joins more clearly and may need a lining paper underneath. Ask the client which paper they have in mind, and its brand and reference, before you quote.
Checking the walls
- Existing paper to strip, and how many layers.
- Cracks, holes and uneven areas to fill and sand.
- New plaster that must be dry and sealed before papering.
- Damp or mould, which must be treated and its cause fixed first.
- Whether a lining paper is needed for a smooth, even surface.
Writing the quote
Separate preparation, lining, hanging and any ceiling work, and list the rooms. Say whether you supply paste and lining paper, who orders the wallpaper, and how long the job takes. Remind the client to have the rolls delivered before the start date so you can check batch numbers, quantities and condition before cutting the first length.
Choosing with the client
Some clients come with a paper already chosen; others want advice. Bringing sample books or asking them to order samples to tape on the wall helps them see the pattern and colour in their own light before they commit to a full order of rolls for the room.
Booking consultations with Book
On Book, each service has a name, a price and an optional description shown on your public page. Create a "Wallpaper consultation" service and open slots that fit around your jobs. Clients book with their name, email and phone and can write the rooms and the paper they're considering in the optional note, which you read in your new-booking email. Once the quote is accepted and the paper delivered, book the working days yourself from your calendar.
| Service | Example slot | Example price |
|---|---|---|
| Wallpaper consultation and measuring | 45 min | €40 |
| Paperhanging day | 8 h | €280 |
| Feature wall | 4 h | €160 |
Durations and prices are examples: set your own. If the paper arrives late and the job must move, reschedule it from your bookings list and tell the client yourself, since Book doesn't email clients about changes. Book costs €5/month, everything included: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no contract.