Our 2021 Plastering Price Guide
Wall, Room & House Plastering Prices Updated For 2021
Price Per Metre Also Listed
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Part of Our Walls and Windows Series
Our Plastering Price List
There are plenty of reasons why you may want to get your walls or ceiling plastered:
- A new extension.
- To repair wall damage.
- Ceiling repairs and replacement.
- A complete renovation.
But how much does plastering cost? What is the going rate, and what prices are plasterers charging in the UK?
Below you find our updated price list which includes the following:
- Repair prices.
- Wall and ceiling re-skims.
- Wall and ceiling overhauls.
- The cost to replaster a whole room.
We’ve also got a ton of other helpful information about plastering on this page.
Tip: For those that aren’t sure; this page is for plastering prices, for external work, go to our rendering cost guide.
We asked 32 plasterers in the UK for prices, some visited the property while some were happy to quote from photos and videos we sent them.
We’ve published the average price and broken down the figures by region because, as you probably know, London and the south are far more expensive than northern areas.
Check out our plastering price guide below and then get your own custom quote.
Cost to Plaster Walls
Below you’ll find our price guides for the plastering of walls to a house.
These prices exclude ceilings and staircase walls.
Project 1 – Patch Repair
Here is the average cost to patch repair a damaged wall.
The damage is nothing more than a hole.
This is pretty simple stuff, and as the wall is going to be wallpapered, we don’t need the entire wall skimmed with new plaster.
| Location: | From: | To: |
|---|---|---|
| London Area | £95 | £110 |
| South, SW and Midlands | £50 | £75 |
| Outer Region and North | £50 | £75 |
| Want a Custom Price? | Get a Quote Here |
Project 2 – Skim Plaster a Whole Wall
This option is best for damaged walls where the wall won’t be wallpapered.
The new skim on the surface covers damage or imperfections and the finished wall will be so smooth it can be painted.
This price is for a wall without a window.
| Location: | From: | To: |
|---|---|---|
| London Area | £250 | £300 |
| South, SW and Midlands | £225 | £275 |
| Outer Region and North | £175 | £200 |
| Want a Custom Price? | Get a Quote Here |
Project 3 – Skim Plaster a Whole Room
This is how much we were told it would cost to skim plaster a front room of average dimensions (7m x 5m).
This project is for skimming as the original plasterboards are in good condition; just the surface plaster is poor.
The price includes two skim coats and there’s a window in the room too.
| Location: | From: | To: |
|---|---|---|
| London Area | £525 | £600 |
| South, SW and Midlands | £500 | £550 |
| Outer Region and North | £375 | £475 |
| Want a Custom Price? | Get a Quote Here |
Project 4 – Skim Plastering Price Per Square Metre
This is how much wall skim plastering costs on a per square metre price.
This figure is an average of the prices given to us.
Again, the plastering prices are for two skim coats.
| Location: | From: | To: |
|---|---|---|
| All Areas | £6 per square metre | £12 per square metre |
| Want a Custom Price? | Get a Quote Here |
Project 5 – New Plasterboard and Skim Finish to a Wall
This project is now a little more complicated:
- Remove the existing plaster and plasterboard.
- New plasterboard adhered to the wall via dot and dab.
- Finished with two plastering skims.
- Dispose of waste plaster etc.
The wall doesn’t have a window or chimney breast in it, just a wall, nice and simple.
| Location: | From: | To: |
|---|---|---|
| London Area | £350 | £400 |
| South, SW and Midlands | £350 | £400 |
| Outer Region and North | £275 | £325 |
| Want a Custom Price? | Get a Quote |
Project 6 – New Plasterboard and Skim Finish to Walls in a Room
This project is the same as project 5 but for plastering the walls in a whole room – 7m x 5m.
- Remove the existing plaster and plasterboard.
- New plasterboard adhered to the walls via dot and dab.
- Finished with two plastering skims.
- Dispose of waste plaster etc.
| Location: | From: | To: |
|---|---|---|
| London Area | £900 | £1000 |
| South, SW and Midlands | £850 | £950 |
| Outer Region and North | £750 | £800 |
| Want a Custom Price? | Get a Quote Here |
Cost to Plaster a Ceiling
We averaged three plastering prices for ceilings:
- Double skim a smooth ceiling.
- Skim over Artex to smooth the ceiling, this requires a bonding layer and two skim layers of plaster.
- Overboard an old ceiling to a front room (7m x 5m) and apply two skim layers.
Project 1 – Skim a Ceiling
This project is very straight forward: Apply two skim layers of plaster over a smooth painted ceiling.
Artex ceilings cost more, and if the ceiling has wallpaper on it, you’ll need to overboard it as plaster doesn’t adhere well to paper and wallpaper adhesive.
Anyway, this price is for skimming one ceiling to our front room:
| Location: | From: | To: |
|---|---|---|
| London Area | £250 | £275 |
| South, SW and Midlands | £225 | £275 |
| Outer Region and North | £200 | £225 |
| Want a Custom Price? | Get a Quote Here |
Project 2 – Cost to Plaster Skim Over an Artex Ceiling
While extremely popular in the 1970s, Artex ceilings have fallen out of fashion, and the majority of homeowners now prefer smooth ceilings.
There are a couple of options should you wish to get rid of your Artex, and as Artex often contains asbestos, both options involve sealing it rather than disturbing it.
Option 1 – Apply a base coat and then two skim layers of plaster.
Option 2 – Board over the ceiling and skim, this is the best option but does cost more.
We do not recommend ripping out an Artex ceiling unless you have sent off a sample for asbestos analysis, which only takes a few days and is probably cheaper than you think.
Anyway here’s the average cost to apply three layers of plastering over the Artex:
| Location: | From: | To: |
|---|---|---|
| London Area | £300 | £350 |
| South, SW and Midlands | £275 | £300 |
| Outer Region and North | £225 | £250 |
| Want a Custom Price? | Get a Quote Here |
Project 3 – Cost to Overboard and Plastering a Ceiling
This is an option for anyone with Artex or wallpaper on their ceilings.
Plasterboards are secured over the existing boards and the fixings go thought to the ceiling joists.
The surface is then skimmed with tow layers of plaster.
| Location: | From: | To: |
|---|---|---|
| London Area | £550 | £600 |
| South, SW and Midlands | £475 | £525 |
| Outer Region and North | £400 | £450 |
| Want a Custom Price? | Get a Quote Here |
Project 4 – Ceiling Plastering Cost Per Square Metre
Below is the average cost to overboard and plaster a ceiling per square metre.
This price s what it would cost to board and plaster a ceiling that didn’t have in boards on it.
In general, plasterers won’t price small refurbishment projects per square metre but instead will want to look at the ceiling and provide a price based on how long the work will take.
For large extensions, new builds and site work, most plasterers will work on a per square metre pricing basis.
Smaller projects, for example, a 2m x 2m room can be very awkward to work in, and the cost per square metre will be more than a larger project.
| Details: | Price: |
|---|---|
| Smaller projects | £25 - £35 per square metre |
| Larger projects | £13 - £20 per square metre |
| Want a Custom Price? | Get a Quote Here |
Get a Custom Price For Plastering
We hope you found our plastering price guide insightful.
Please bear in mind that the prices on this page are just an average of the quotes given to us for very specific projects.
The estimates you’re given could be very different as no two jobs are ever the same.
Tap the button below and fill in the contact form to get a custom plastering price.
Got a Plastering Question?
Below you’ll find answers to common plastering questions, but if you have a technical question about any aspect of plastering, there is a great help forum you can try.
You can post questions and photos to The Plasterers Forum where experienced plasterers hang out and help both each other and members of the public.
You can also send in photos of your plastering project and ask for a guide price too.
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Plastering Prices FAQs
When Were These Plastering Prices Published?
We sourced prices in 2021.
Do The Prices on This Page Include VAT?
Yes, all the figures on this page include VAT when it was charged by the contractor but many were trading below the VAT threshold so didn’t charge VAT.
I've Been Given Plastering Prices That Are Higher/Lower Than Your Guide Prices, What Gives?
The figures we’ve published are an average of the prices given to us by plasterers from around the UK for particular projects around the UK.
There are lots of reasons why prices fluctuate, and the size of the company you choose may have as something to do with it. Larger firms have more overheads and costs such as sale staff, office staff, costly advertising etc. that a smaller one-person business doesn’t have.
The size and complexity of the project is also a factor. In general, large site projects and new builds work out far cheaper than domestic projects on a per metre basis.
How Can I Reduce the Cost of the Plastering?
If you can clear the room of possessions yourself and provide your plasterer with dry space for mixing (i.e. a garage) and also an electrical supply, then you’re good to go.
You might be able to negotiate a better price if you can do some of the work yourself, although some will depend on your DIY skills:
- Sheet over the floor yourself.
- Remove any radiators yourself and put them back afterwards.
- Remove and reattach skirting boards and coving etc. yourself.
- Remove existing plasterboards yourself if appropriate to the project.
- Dispose of the old plasterboard yourself, although be aware that disposal costs aren’t cheap.
What is the Best Plasterboard For Damp Walls?
Damp can appear for several reasons, and it’s generally best to solve the problem rather than trying to mask it with damp resistant plasterboard and chemicals.
However, for rising damp, specialists will usually recommend plasterboard that blocks salts and minerals from transferring through to the surface.
For older homes constructed with sold walls or pre-1900, we recommend seeking the advice of a specialist who understands the importance of breathability in period properties.
Our popular and excellent guide to damp proofing prices is also worth reading.
So How Much Does it Cost to Plaster a House?
The cost to plaster a house will depend on these factors:
- Where the property is located in the UK.
- The size of the property.
- Whether the walls are being skimmed or plasterboarded and skimmed.
- Whether the ceiling has Artex, if can be overboarded or just needs skimming, or needs completely replacing.
- Whether the property is a new build and empty or if the customer is living in the house at the time.
- Disposing of tons of plaster and plasterboard isn’t cheap as it’s now considered hazardous waste so who is paying for this also affects the price on large projects.
For the reasons above, it’s impossible to answer the question “how much does it cost to plaster a house?” but our price guides on this page should help you calculate a ballpark figure based on the specifics of your project.
How Long Does it Take to Plaster a Room?
A typical front room will take around 1 to 1.5 days to over skim.
To remove and dispose of the existing plaster, then fix new plasterboards and skim, expect the work to take two days.
Smaller projects can take a surprising amount of time compared to larger projects. Once a good plasterer is set up and is in his stride, he can cover many metres of wall or ceiling.
Where Can I Get a Plastering Price Online?
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Get a price for plastering by clicking the button below and filling out the form:
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