How much does it cost to have a professional remove wallpaper and repaint a room in New Brunswick?

Professional wallpaper removal plus repainting a standard room in New Brunswick typically costs $1,000-2,500 all-in — but in older NB homes where wallpaper was applied directly to bare drywall or over multiple previous layers, the cost can reach $2,500-4,500.

The wide price range comes down to what’s behind the wallpaper. Modern homes (post-1990) usually have wallpaper over properly primed drywall, which releases cleanly. Total cost for a 12x12 bedroom — removal, repair, prime, and two coats — runs $900-1,500.

Older NB homes are a different story. Many homes built before 1985 in Moncton, Saint John, and Fredericton have wallpaper applied directly over unprimed drywall — the drywall paper face tears off when you remove the wallpaper. Some have 2-4 layers of wallpaper. When drywall paper is torn, skim coating the entire wall surface adds $300-800 to the project cost.

In plaster-walled homes — common in pre-1960 housing stock throughout Saint John and Fredericton — wallpaper removal is the most complex scenario. Budget toward the $1,800-4,500 range.

Approximate cost breakdown for a typical NB room (12x12 ft):

• Wallpaper removal only (single layer, modern drywall): $300-600


• Removal, minor skim coat, prime, 2 coats paint: $900-1,500


• Multiple layers or torn drywall, full skim coat: $1,500-2,500


• Plaster walls with complex removal and repair: $2,000-4,000+

Before hiring, ask the painter to assess wall condition and confirm whether the quote is fixed-price or time-and-materials. Wallpaper removal is one of the few situations where time-and-materials is reasonable.

This is always hire-a-professional work for whole-room wallpaper removal.

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