Plasterer cost per hour

Plasterer cost per hour

Plastering, skimming and rendering your house, inside and outside, is an immediate facelift adding value to your home. A classic example would be skimming old Artex ceilings which will definitely improve your house's sale value. The average hourly rate for a plasterer in the UK is £25 per hour, but varies from £15 to £50 depending on where you live. A plasterer will usually give a price based on the size of the rooms and ease of access rather than how long it will take. Occasionally an hourly rate is quoted if the job is relatively small such as plastering a water damaged ceiling or wall. Don’t forget budgeting in the price of painting the walls and ceilings after they have finished.

Plasterer cost per day

A day rate of plasterer will give you a better idea of how much they will cost for your particular job. Usually they will take a day to plaster a room, so if the average day rate in the UK for a plasterer is £170 then you can expect to pay £300 to £400 to finish a room, including plaster. A good plasterer will work very quickly and produce very flat and attractive surfaces so they will be happier to quote for the job by area rather than time spent in your house. Rates vary across the country from £120 to £400 per day so expect to pay a lot more in London and the South East.

How to get the cheapest quotes when looking for a plasterer

Self-employed plasterers are just as qualified and experienced as those working for a big company.

By being a small business plasterer avoids many business costs (e.g. administration staff, office rental etc), charging less for plastering, but giving you the same level of quality.

Get quotes from self-employed plasterers and talk directly with the person who is going to do the job.

Choosing a plasterer

When choosing a Plasterer try to get 2 to 3 comparison quotes so you have a feel for the value of service. Insist on being given a written quote which is legally binding rather than an estimate to avoid disputes over payment and job expectations at the end of the project. Notice if VAT has been added onto the quote and if you cannot see it, ask if the Plasterer is vat registered so that you are aware to still allow for it. Most plasterers will be expected to get paid when the job has been completed, but it is best to wait a few days because plaster needs to dry out and then you might start to notice cracks and imperfections.

When receiving a quote, discuss if the quote includes materials or what materials you still need to purchase. If you are looking for ways to save money and the quote includes materials, ask if it will be cheaper for you to source them yourself to avoid any mark-up for collection costs from the plasterer, although they may get better trade discounts on materials than you can. If it is up to you to have bags of plaster ready for the tradesperson, ask how many kilogram bags you should source and what brands are the best (e.g. British Gypsum brand called Thistle is a favoured brand and easily available from local DIY stores such as B&Q)

Ask for references from previous clients and follow up seeing how happy they were using the tradesperson, would they recommend them to you, and because of the amount of dust created with plastering see how tidy they say the plasterer worked. Always ask for ‘before and after’ photos of the projects completed that are similar work to what you are asking to be completed. Ask if your plasterer has any insurance while working in your home. As plastering is a skilled job, ask to see any diplomas showing City & Guilds Level 1, 2 and 3 qualifications.

If the plasterer will be rendering your outside walls, discuss the need for scaffolding and whether this is added onto the quote or an extra to still be factored in. If needed, will they outsource and arrange the scaffolding, or do you need to have it erected first? If old plaster is being removed, will there be the need for skip hire and check if this is also added onto the invoice and again, whose responsibility is it to organise the skip prior to commencement of works. If no skip is required but there will be a few bags of rubble produced, as these are so heavy to lift, check if they will clear them from your home and leave the area orderly for you. If you live in an area where parking or other vehicle access charges are made make sure you agree whether these are included as over a long period these costs can add up.

Types of plastering work

Plastering and skimming

Let the plasterer know which walls you want plastered and skimmed and if it is to include ceilings. Listen to advice on how many coats of plaster will be needed and if old plaster needs to be removed first or if they can just skim existing plastered walls with a thin coat of plaster to fill any cracks and provide a smooth, seamless surface. If you are needing a ceiling plastered, discuss whether you want any Artex styling to be removed. Artex sometimes contains asbestos so might not be able to be sanded down but can be covered with plasterboard and have the plasterboard skimmed for a smooth finish.

Most plastering jobs involve applying a base coat (or scratch coat) of plaster and allowing it to dry before a second or skim coat is added. Be sure to discuss how many days the base coat will need to fully dry as any moisture left behind will result in mould coming through if the room is closed up.

Plastering is a long messy process that can take between three days and a week to complete in a room. When the plasterer is standing in the room, ask about furniture in the room and what needs to be cleared before the job start date. Check if they will remove radiators from the walls of the room or if you need to have someone in to first remove any radiators.

Rendering outside walls

For outside walls and rendering, ask advice on which type of render is best for your home. Usually newer homes have a cement render whilst older country cottages and Victorian homes opt for a Lime render. However, any newer home with damp issues may benefit from Lime rendering as the render is more flexible and breathable. Ask for product advice, especially if you are sourcing the bags prior to the job start date, e.g. K Rend is a high-end cement rendering product keeping the finished look fresher for longer.

Point out any old damp deteriorated plaster spots and check if the plasterer will remove those sections before applying the new base coat. Show the plasterer the entire section of outside walls that need rendering so they can do a visual and check if the walls are bare brickwork, and just need a clean before applying the render or if some of the walls are pebble dash, as these must first be stripped back to bare brickwork before the rendering commences. While outside inspecting the walls, the plasterer can let you know if they will need scaffolding for the job and discuss the requirements with you.

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How much plastering, skimming and rendering costs

JobEstimate
Skim a room£200
Rendering a 4-bed detached home (no scaffolding)£7,000
Rendering an external wall per sqm£50 per sqr metre
Plastering a medium sized room (walls only)£600
Skim a 10m2 ceiling£180
Plasterboarding£250
Cost to fit coving£85
Replace a ceiling£400
2. Enter postcode to get estimate
plus materials

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Rates for other trades

Plasterer Hourly Rate and Daily Rate
Plasterer Hourly Rate and Daily Rate (excluding VAT or callout charges)
Location in UKHourly RateDaily Rate
Plasterer near London£36£229
Plasterer near Birmingham£34£250
Plasterer near Glasgow£30£230
Plasterer near Leeds£27£200
Plasterer near Liverpool£28£196
Plasterer near Sheffield£26£207
Plasterer near Edinburgh£29£226
Plasterer near Manchester£27£197
Plasterer near Belfast£30£237
Plasterer near Bristol£28£217
Plasterer near Leicester£29£200
Plasterer near Cardiff£27£194
Plasterer near Coventry£36£238
Plasterer near Bradford£28£201
Plasterer near Nottingham£27£198
Plasterer near Newcastle Upon Tyne£29£202
Plasterer near Brighton and Hove£29£208
Plasterer near Derby£26£198
Plasterer near Hull£25£207
Plasterer near Plymouth£28£204
Plasterer near Stoke-on-Trent£25£195
Plasterer near Southampton£35£205
Plasterer near Northampton£29£203
Plasterer near Wolverhampton£33£244
Plasterer near Luton£34£224
Plasterer near Portsmouth£33£201
Plasterer near Reading£34£226
Plasterer near Norwich£25£190
Plasterer near Milton Keynes£31£212
Plasterer near Bournemouth£31£212
Plasterer near Aberdeen£27£230
Plasterer near Peterborough£38£251
Plasterer near Bolton£27£194
Plasterer near Swindon£27£209
Plasterer near Southend-on-Sea£31£211
Plasterer near Warrington£27£200
Plasterer near Oxford£31£218
Plasterer near Swansea£26£191
Plasterer near Sunderland£29£199
Plasterer near Slough£35£228
Plasterer near Kingswood£28£217
Plasterer near Telford£25£249
Plasterer near Cambridge£32£212
Plasterer near Ipswich£28£196
Plasterer near Blackpool£27£190
Plasterer near Middlesbrough£38£195
Plasterer near Dundee£29£211
Plasterer near Huddersfield£28£200
Plasterer near York£26£194
Plasterer near Poole£31£214
Plasterer near Watford£38£233
Plasterer near Newport£28£196
Plasterer near Colchester£28£197
Plasterer near Exeter£25£300
Plasterer near Blackburn£27£194
Plasterer near Crawley£32£212
Plasterer near Gloucester£27£210
Plasterer near Stockport£27£198
Plasterer near Basingstoke£33£224
Plasterer near Basildon£33£218
Plasterer near Cheltenham£27£208
Plasterer near Gateshead£29£201
Plasterer near Worthing£29£209
Plasterer near Rochdale£28£197
Plasterer near Oldham£28£198
Plasterer near Chelmsford£32£215
Plasterer near Birkenhead£28£197
Plasterer near Maidstone£35£206
Plasterer near Gillingham£33£208
Plasterer near Salford£27£196
Plasterer near Solihull£35£254
Plasterer near St Helens£27£195
Plasterer near Worcester£27£211
Plasterer near Lincoln£26£200
Plasterer near West Bromwich£34£248
Plasterer near Eastbourne£29£210
Plasterer near Wakefield£28£202
Plasterer near Wythenshawe£27£197
Plasterer near Bedford£32£211
Plasterer near Hemel Hempstead£38£228
Plasterer near Preston£26£191
Plasterer near Stevenage£34£223
Plasterer near Southport£28£194
Plasterer near Bath£28£216
Plasterer near Harlow£38£228
Plasterer near Sutton Coldfield£34£250
Plasterer near Darlington£38£197
Plasterer near Chester£26£193
Plasterer near Hastings£30£217
Plasterer near Nuneaton£32£226
Plasterer near Halifax£28£199
Plasterer near Hartlepool£32£194
Plasterer near Aylesbury£34£222
Plasterer near Doncaster£26£204
Plasterer near Grimsby£25£180
Plasterer near Wallasey£28£197
Plasterer near Stockton-on-Tees£37£196
Plasterer near Weston-super-Mare£28£211
Plasterer near High Wycombe£35£225
Plasterer near Ashford£33£256
Plasterer near Redditch£28£205
Plasterer near Wigan£27£195
Plasterer near Scunthorpe£25£200
Plasterer near Bury£27£195
Plasterer near Paisley£30£235
Plasterer near Bracknell£34£227
Plasterer near Burnley£26£193
Plasterer near Rugby£29£195
Plasterer near Guildford£34£227
Plasterer near Carlisle£26£188
Plasterer near Chatham£33£210
Plasterer near East Kilbride£30£230
Plasterer near Newcastle-under-Lyme£25£195
Plasterer near Chesterfield£27£206
Plasterer near Burton upon Trent£26£198
Plasterer near Tamworth£30£223
Plasterer near Shrewsbury£25£275
Plasterer near Woking£35£228
Plasterer near St Albans£37£228
Plasterer near Harrogate£26£193
Plasterer near Crewe£26£195
Plasterer near South Shields£29£201
Plasterer near Craigavon£30£210
Plasterer near Stafford£28£210
Plasterer near Rotherham£26£206
Plasterer near Barnsley£26£206
Plasterer near Lowestoft£25£173
Plasterer near Walsall£34£247
Plasterer near Gosport£34£201
Plasterer near Dartford£35£224
Plasterer near Bognor Regis£29£206
Plasterer near Corby£28£200
Plasterer near Paignton£28£250
Plasterer near Maidenhead£35£227
Plasterer near Rochester£34£211
Plasterer near Ellesmere Port£27£195
Plasterer near Loughborough£27£199
Plasterer near Dudley£34£248
Plasterer near Bangor£30£250
Plasterer near Dewsbury£28£201
Plasterer near Mansfield£27£202
Plasterer near Margate£28£190
Plasterer near Kettering£28£197
Plasterer near Cannock£32£239
Plasterer near Sale£27£196
Plasterer near Taunton£26£209
Plasterer near Runcorn£26£194
Plasterer near Farnborough£34£228
Plasterer near Tynemouth£29£201
Plasterer near Hereford£25£199
Plasterer near Halesowen£34£250
Plasterer near Widnes£27£194
Plasterer near Huyton with Roby£27£194
Plasterer near Scarborough£25£200
Plasterer near Gravesend£34£219
Plasterer near Bebington£28£196
Plasterer near Kidderminster£31£239
Plasterer near Stourbridge£35£249
Plasterer near Barry£27£192
Plasterer near Smethwick£34£248
Plasterer near Dunfermline£30£230
Plasterer near Livingston£30£228
Plasterer near Weymouth£29£232
Plasterer near Brentwood£34£224
Plasterer near Barrow-in-Furness£25£250
Plasterer near Hamilton£29£200
Plasterer near Canterbury£31£228
Plasterer near Wellingborough£28£196
Plasterer near Sittingbourne£35£218
Plasterer near Macclesfield£27£199
Plasterer near Bootle£28£195
Plasterer near Carlton£27£198
Plasterer near Esher£35£227
Plasterer near Clacton-on-Sea£28£198
Plasterer near Lancaster£25£186
Plasterer near Beeston£28£201
Plasterer near Banbury£26£188
Plasterer near Torquay£28£250
Plasterer near Folkestone£31£245
Plasterer near Kingswinford£34£249
Plasterer near Bloxwich£34£247
Plasterer near Bridgend£27£192
Plasterer near Welwyn Garden City£38£228
Plasterer near Lisburn£30£237
Plasterer near Leamington Spa£30£190
Plasterer near Washington£29£200
Plasterer near Tunbridge Wells£32£208
Plasterer near Kirkcaldy£30£225
Plasterer near Hinckley£32£208
Plasterer near Durham£30£198
Plasterer near Cumbernauld£30£227
Plasterer near Wokingham£34£228
Plasterer near Horsham£31£212
Plasterer near Crosby£28£196
Plasterer near Yeovil£30£233
Plasterer near Thundersley£33£213
Plasterer near Altrincham£27£197
Plasterer near Willenhall£34£247
Plasterer near Christchurch£31£212
Plasterer near Keighley£27£195