Bobby Build

Cost guide

How much does plastering cost in the UK?

Plastering prices depend mostly on whether walls need a simple skim or a full re-plaster. This guide summarises one published benchmark and explains how to brief and compare quotes.

Published benchmark

Source: Which? — How much does plastering cost?. Article dated 1 May 2026; based on Which?'s own survey of 9 traders in November 2025.

  • A complete walls-only job (remove old plaster, dryline and skim) in a small room of about 2.1 m × 2.2 m: roughly £650–£2,500.
  • The same type of job in a medium room of about 3.3 m × 3 m: roughly £750–£3,200.
  • These figures cover labour and materials.

Not included / caveats

  • VAT is excluded from the figures.
  • Waste removal may cost extra.
  • Ceilings are not included in the walls-only figures.

A small survey gives wide ranges, and your job may fall outside them. Use the figures to sense-check quotes, not as a fixed price. These are not Bobby Build prices.

What changes the price

Skim or full re-plaster

A skim adds a thin finishing coat over sound plaster. A full re-plaster removes old material back to the brick or block first. Make sure every quote prices the same option.

Condition and preparation

Blown or crumbling plaster, old wallpaper, chased-in cables and damp all add work. Photos taken in daylight help tradespeople price this up front.

Textured coatings

Older textured coatings may contain asbestos. Have them surveyed or tested by a competent person before anyone disturbs them, and get the safe method quoted as a separate item.

Access and waste

Stairwells, high ceilings and long carries from the van take more time. Ask who removes the waste and whether that is included.

Asbestos guidance: HSE asbestos essentials.

Comparing quotes like for like

  • Is each quote for a skim, a re-plaster, or overboarding then a skim?
  • Is VAT included or added on top? Benchmarks often exclude it.
  • Are ceilings, beading, coving and making good around sockets included?
  • How long will it take to dry before decorating?

What to include in your job post

  • Which rooms and surfaces: walls, ceilings or both, with rough sizes in metres.
  • The current finish: sound but tired, cracked, blown (hollow when tapped), textured, or bare board.
  • Whether coving, sockets, radiators or skirting need taking off and refitting.
  • Photos in daylight, including any damp marks or cracks you are unsure about.
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