About Dean Ongley

Based in Horley, Surrey. Painting and decorating properly since 2001.

Sage green living room with period coving - interior painting by Dean Ongley

The decorator your neighbour keeps recommending

Dean Ongley has been decorating professionally since 2001. In that time he's painted everything from one-bedroom flats to 7-bedroom oak frame barn conversions, from Victorian terraces to new build estates, from single feature walls to full exterior repaints.

What hasn't changed in twenty-plus years is the way he works: Dean quotes every job himself, Dean does every job himself, and Dean doesn't leave until you're happy. There are no subcontractors, no team of varying quality, no apprentices left unsupervised. When you book Dean, you get Dean.

His 167 Checkatrade reviews - all scored 9.75 to 10/10 - reflect a simple reality: homeowners who've used Dean once book him again. Word of mouth has always been his primary source of work, which is only possible when the work consistently earns it.

Qualifications

Dean holds City & Guilds qualifications in both painting and decorating and specialist spray application. These aren't short courses - City & Guilds are the gold standard vocational qualifications in the UK, and relatively few working decorators in Surrey hold them. The spray qualification in particular is rare, and gives Dean the knowledge to choose the right equipment, products and technique for each spray job.

🎓 City & Guilds Painting & Decorating 🎓 City & Guilds Spray Painting ⭐ Checkatrade 10/10 🛡️ TrustATrader Verified 📅 Trading since 2001
Dean Ongley's work - oak frame barn conversion, painted interior boarding
Oak frame barn conversion, Surrey - one of Dean's larger projects
New build landing - grey walls with white balustrade
New build estate - full interior by Dean

How Dean Works


Honest quotes

Dean visits and quotes honestly. The price you're given is the price you pay - not a starting point for additions once work has begun. If something unexpected emerges that will affect the cost, Dean discusses it with you before proceeding.

Proper preparation

The difference between a finish that lasts three years and one that lasts eight is almost always preparation. Dean treats prep as an essential part of the job, not a step to skip to get to the visible work faster.

Tidy working

Every surface covered, every edge taped, every day ended with tools cleared and the area left as tidy as possible. Dean respects that you're living in the house while the work is being done.

He doesn't leave until it's right

At completion, Dean walks through the job with you. If anything isn't right, it gets fixed before he goes. His 167 reviews are the result of a simple commitment: the job isn't done until the client is satisfied.

The Range of Dean's Work