Plastering Costs
Understanding UK plastering labour rates, material costs, and complexity factors.
UK Plastering Labour Rates
Budget: £80-£120/day
Inexperienced plasterers. Basic finishes, visible imperfections acceptable.
Standard: £130-£180/day
Experienced plasterers. Good finish, smooth surfaces, professional standard.
Premium: £190-£250+/day
Specialist plasterers. Perfect finishes, decorative work, superior skill.
Material Costs
Standard plaster (bag): £4-8
Bonding plaster: £5-10
Finishing plaster: £6-12
Plasterboard (per sheet): £6-15
Joint compound/filler: £10-20 per project
Typical project waste: 10-15% material wastage
Types of Plastering Work
Simple Re-plastering (existing walls)
Replastering damaged wall in existing room. Standard rate applies.
Dot & Dab (plasterboard fixing)
Faster than traditional plastering. £100-150/day labour. Simpler, cheaper option.
Skim Finishing
Thin plaster finish on plasterboard. Standard rate, quick work. Usually £25-40/m²
Artex/Textured Finishes
Decorative finishes. Premium rates, requires specialist skill. £40-60/m²
Real Example: Room Replastering (50m²)
Budget Option
Standard Option
Premium Option (Perfect Finish)
What Affects Cost?
- Wall condition: Badly damaged walls need more base coats (higher cost)
- Substrate type: Brick/block vs old plaster—different techniques cost differently
- Height/access: High ceilings need scaffolding (adds cost)
- Straight vs curved: Curved walls need more skill (premium rates)
- Decorative finishes: Trowel patterns or artex: 50%+ cost increase
Common Misunderstandings
- "All plaster is the same": Budget vs premium finishes very different
- "Plaster dries quickly": Actually 2-3 weeks for full cure. Recoating timeline matters
- "Plasterboard is cheaper than plaster": It is—dot & dab costs £40-60/m² vs plaster £30-40
- "Imperfections sand out": Major imperfections are hard to fix
Red Flags
- Quote doesn't specify plaster type (bonding vs finish vs multi-coat)
- Very fast timescales (plaster needs drying time between coats)
- No mention of base coat needed for damaged walls
- Labour rate under £80/day seems suspiciously cheap