Calculating Plastering Cost
How much it will cost to plaster a room still depends on many factors, including the size of the room, the type of plastering job, whether you are plastering a wall or a ceiling and the room’s condition.
Why Have Your Rooms Plastered?
When thinking about the look of your home, the mind immediately jumps to the interior and exterior design, but those are just the finishing touches. Before considering these features, you have to think about plastering, so plastering cost soon becomes a topic of interest.
Plaster gives you a base with smooth surfaces to paint or apply wallpaper onto. You can cover rough brickwork, add insulation or create decorative effects.
Is Plastering Right for My Rooms?
Plastering is vital for almost all rooms. If you want to apply wallpaper or paint in your home, plaster provides a smooth finish. It can also provide sound and thermal insulation. However, you may choose to leave walls bare for aesthetic effects.
How Much Does Plastering Cost?
The cost of plastering per square metre is crucial, as one of the main factors in calculating the price of a plastering job is the size of the room. Before giving you a quote, a professional plasterer will ask you about the room measurements. This information will help them calculate how much material they need, the number of plasterboards they will have to buy, as well as the time it will take and the cost of labour. As a general guideline, plastering costs about £12-15 per m2.
| Job | Estimated Cost | Estimates Time |
| Skim Small Room | £400-£550 | 1 day |
| Skim Medium Room | £450-£600 | 1-2 days |
| Skim Large Room | £550-700+ | 2-3 days |
| Plaster Small Room | £600-£700 | 2-3 days |
| Plaster Medium Room | £650-£900 | 2-3 days |
| Plaster Large Room | £1,000 – £1,400+ | 3-4 days |
| Plaster Small Ceiling | £200-£350 | 1 day |
| Plaster Medium Ceiling | £300-£450 | 1.5 days |
| Plaster Large Ceiling | £400-£750 | 2-3 days |
Calculating the final cost for each plastering project depends on several factors, which we will discuss in more detail.
The prices will differ depending on whether your wall, ceiling or both need plastering. Ceilings are more difficult to plaster, sometimes making them more expensive than walls. However, with the right skills and knowledge, plastering a ceiling can be done more quickly because it’s a smaller area to cover.
What’s Included in the Cost of Plastering?
A plasterer in the UK typically charges £150 to £200 per day, and labour alone could cost £100. Then, there’s the cost of materials to take into account.
Additional Costs
Plus, there are several additional plastering costs to consider when quoting a plastering project, such as scaffolding, waste disposal and skip hire for external wall rendering, as well as the removal of any existing plaster, along with travel and parking expenses for the plasterers.
Hence, you should always get a quote before hiring a plaster. In fact, you should get at least three comparable quotes to make an informed decision on who to choose.
Types of Plastering Jobs and How Much They Cost
There are four common types of plastering projects you could be dealing with, and they vary in price as they vary in difficulty.
Re-Plastering
Patching up existing plaster and fixing imperfections requires the least amount of effort, making it a cheaper job. On average, it takes up to 2 days to re-plaster a room. However, whether re-plastering is a viable option depends on the room’s current condition.
Plastering a Wall
Sometimes the damage to the existing plaster is so extensive that completely new plastering is a better solution. It takes twice as long as re-plastering and is twice more expensive as the process includes dry lining, skimming and applying an aesthetically pleasing finish to improve the final look of the room.
Plastering a Ceiling
Depending on the size of the ceiling, it could take from a day to a couple of days to finish. In terms of cost, prices typically start from £250.
Exterior Wall Plastering
Exterior wall plastering, also known as rendering, is a much bigger job, as it covers the entire exterior of the house. It may require scaffolding, and your plasterer may need to hire a skip to dispose of the waste. Therefore, it is the most expensive plastering job on the list. It could range between £2,000 and £5,000 or more, depending on the size of the house and the materials used.
Plastering vs Skimming
People often compare plastering and skimming, despite being used for different purposes. Plastering involves removing existing plaster and finishing bare walls with a new coat. Skimming involves adding a thin top layer of plaster to repair cracks and holes and add a smooth surface to finish.
Skimming uses fewer materials and time, making it more affordable than plastering. The process is similar, although plastering requires more coats.
Factors that Affect the Plastering Cost
Earlier, we mentioned that many factors impact the cost of plastering, so here we will look at the most important ones in a bit more detail to see how they could change the final price of the job.
The Size of the Room
A bigger room means more space to cover, more materials to use and more time. Therefore, the larger the room, the bigger the plastering cost. However, it’s worth noting that a small room can pose many challenges for the plasterer. Less space means they’ll have to plan carefully what tools to use and how to position them.
The Height of the Room
High ceilings, high walls and staircases are hard to get to. In some cases, a ladder is enough, but for other properties, the plasterers may need to build a scaffolding structure to access the area they are supposed to work on.
The Current Condition of the Room
If your existing plaster is in relatively good condition, you may need a quick re-plastering job only. However, extensive damage could mean that the old plaster might need to be replaced with completely new plaster, increasing the price. A plastering specialist can advise you on the best option once they see the property.
How to Save Money on Plastering
You can try many methods to save money on a plastering job.
Compare Quotes
Every contractor offers different rates, and shopping around can dramatically influence the cost of your job. Even if you have a trusted contractor, try asking another, as it could save you money.
Collate Jobs Together
Plastering ceilings and walls in the same job is more affordable than doing them separately, so when you get a quote for the walls, ask the contractor whether they can do the ceiling as well.
Prepare Your Walls Yourself
When redecorating, our walls are often covered with old wallpaper and paint that a contractor must remove before plastering. This chore will cost you additional time that the plasterer could spend plastering.
Wear protective clothing and masks to cover your nose and mouth when working. If you are in an older home, check for hazardous materials like asbestos. A professional may be the safest option.
Skim Yourself
Compared to plastering, skimming is far easier for a DIY enthusiast. However, be aware that bringing in a contractor to fix a poor job may cost more than employing someone in the first place.
Plastering Regulations
You typically do not need to apply for planning permission to plaster rooms in your home. However, if you are renovating a listed building, you must apply for consent. Plus, if your plastering affects aspects of your home, it comes under the Buildings Regulations:
- Part A Structure – Affecting the structural integrity of the building
- Part B Fire Safety – Plasterboard and plaster can provide fire-proofing
- Part D Toxic Substances – You must follow COSHH regulations when using or storing plaster and cement as they are caustic, can burn eyes and cause dermatitis
- Part E Resistance to the Passage of Sound – Plaster provides acoustic insulation by blocking gaps in the wall
- Part L Conservation of Fuel and Power – Plaster provides thermal insulation
- Regulation 7 Materials and Workmanship – your plaster must meet British Standards BS EN 998-1 Specification for Mortar and Masonry
How to Plaster a Room
Plastering a room can be complex, and you should carefully follow these steps for a smooth finish:
1. Prepare the wall
Remove loose materials, grease and oils from the wall with a wire brush, and then rough your brick surfaces with sandpaper to take on the plaster.
2. Wet the surface
Around six hours before plastering, wet the wall. Alternatively, you can apply a PVA sealer coat and a bonding coat.
3. Apply an initial sand and cement mortar coat
Using a plaster trowel, apply a coat of sand and cement mortar or bonding and browning plaster. Spread it in all directors to a depth of 10-15mm.
4. Scratch the surface
After leaving this initial coat to dry, scratch it with a trowel to provide a rough surface to adhere the next coat.
5. Spread a finishing coat
Using your plaster trowel, apply a 3mm deep finishing coat. Make sure it is level for a smooth finish. Leave this coat to dry without applying heat. Keep the room cool and moist to prevent cracks.
6. Clean splashes around skirting boards, light fittings and door frames
Clear the excess splashes off the skirting boards, fittings and door frames before the plaster has completely set for a clean finish.
Do I Need to Hire a Professional Plasterer?
Naturally, when budgeting for house renovations, the thought to choose a DIY approach to reduce the cost of plastering comes to mind. There’s nothing to say that you can’t have a go at doing it yourself, especially if you have the right skill, tools and experience. However, plastering, like any other specialised job, isn’t as easy as it seems.
Hiring a trusted plastering specialist guarantees you a job well done. And quality is important. Picture it this way: if your dream house is the final masterpiece, the plaster is the canvas you paint it on. Therefore, the quality of the plastering job is of paramount importance to the final result. Imperfections or cracks in the wall are problems that can be prevented by simply trusting the professionals to do their job.
Our specialists are available throughout the South West, including Cheltenham, Bath and Oxford. All our teams have CSCS certification cards, and we are members of IPAF and PASMA.
