What affects the cost of plastering a room?
5 min read ·
“How much to plaster a room?” is one of the most common questions we get — and the honest answer is that it depends on the room. Two rooms of the same size can be very different jobs. Here's what actually makes the difference, so you know what to expect and what to send for an accurate quote.
Size of the area
The obvious one. The total area of walls and ceiling matters more than the floor size, so a room with high ceilings or a stairwell has a lot more surface than you'd think. Stairwells also need safe access to reach the top of the walls, which adds time.
Skim, or take it back and start again?
This is usually the biggest factor. If the existing plaster is sound, a skim coat over the top may be all that's needed. If it's blown, crumbling or badly uneven, it needs hacking off and replacing — or boarding over and skimming. That's a much bigger job, with more materials, more mess and more waste to take away.
Our guide on repairing or replastering damaged plaster explains how to tell which you're likely to need.
Preparation
A lot of the time on a plastering job goes into getting ready. Things that add preparation time include:
- Stripping old wallpaper or painted-over lining paper
- Removing loose or failed plaster
- Textured coatings such as Artex on ceilings — in older homes these should be tested for asbestos before being disturbed
- Cutting in around lots of sockets, switches, pipes or beams
- Moving furniture and protecting floors in a lived-in room
The age and type of wall
Many older properties in Cornwall and Devon have solid stone or cob walls. These often need breathable, lime-based materials rather than modern gypsum plaster, which is slower to apply and needs more time between coats. Modern block or plasterboard walls are usually simpler.
What happens after plastering
Fresh plaster needs time to dry before it can be decorated — typically a few days to a couple of weeks depending on thickness, the time of year and ventilation. If you want the room finished, the decorating afterwards is part of the overall cost. Using one person for both saves arranging a separate decorator and means nobody can blame the other for the finish.
Why we don't publish a price list
Fixed per-room prices tend to be either too high for a straightforward job or too low for a difficult one — which is how people end up with surprise extras. We'd rather see the job and give you a proper price.
What to send for an accurate quote
You can get a good idea of the job across from a few photos. On WhatsApp, send:
- A photo of each wall and the ceiling, from the doorway
- Close-ups of any cracks, damage or blown areas
- Rough room measurements, if you have them
- Whether you want it decorated afterwards
- Your postcode
From that we can usually tell you whether it's a skim or something bigger, and either give you a price or arrange a quick visit.