Stripping paint and refinishing/repainting/powdercoating a bike

Any idea what it would cost to do it yourself.....inclding stripping prep, cans & top coat? It must be quite satisfying I would imagine to do the whole thing yourself.

Well for the paint itself you probably need 2-3 big cans primer, 4-5 cans colour, plus two cans of lacquer if you're painting it metallic or pearlescent. If the frame is rusty/baremetal in places then a can of red oxide primer is a good idea, too.

That'll probably come to £30-£50, plus another £15-£20 for materials i.e. 400-2500 grit abrasive paper, masking tape, tack rags and polishing compound (or T-Cut if you have some lying around - this is the most expensive consumable). You might be able to borrow these materials from a friend.

I think realistically you're looking at a minimum of £40 for a non-metallic finish, which is about how much powdercoat starts at too.

EDIT - Oh yeah, if you want a tough finish, then engine block enamel is tougher than most car body paints - the finish isn't as good though. It requires baking which you can attempt by leaning the frame against a very hot radiator (or maybe putting it next to an open oven).