Plastering is one of those jobs that looks deceptively simple until you see what a bad one looks like under raking light. A good plasterer produces a flat, even surface that takes paint cleanly. Getting there depends on what is already on the walls, the size of the room, and the finish required.
In 2026, expect to pay £400–£750 in labour for a standard double bedroom, or £700–£1,400 for a larger living or dining room. Add materials on top.
Cost Breakdown by Room Size
The table below covers a full replaster (remove existing plaster, plasterboard or dot-and-dab if needed, bonding coat, finish coat). Skim-only pricing is lower, see further below.
| Room Type | Approx. Wall/Ceiling Area | Labour Only | Labour + Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small bedroom / bathroom | 35–45 m² | £350–£550 | £450–£700 |
| Standard double bedroom | 50–65 m² | £450–£750 | £600–£950 |
| Large bedroom / small living room | 65–85 m² | £600–£950 | £750–£1,200 |
| Large living / dining room | 85–120 m² | £800–£1,400 | £1,050–£1,800 |
| Open-plan kitchen-diner | 100–150 m² | £950–£1,700 | £1,250–£2,200 |
These are national averages. London and South East rates are typically 20–35% higher.
What Affects the Price?
Existing surface condition is the biggest variable. Skimming over dry-lining plasterboard is faster than hacking off old lime plaster from a Victorian property, which creates more mess, takes longer, and may reveal uneven brickwork needing extra coats.
Ceiling height adds time and requires additional scaffolding boards or hop-ups. High Victorian ceilings (3–4 m) can add 20–40% to the cost of plastering a ceiling.
Cornicing and mouldings, if you need existing coving matched or new coving fitted, this is charged separately, typically £8–£20 per linear metre for standard mouldings.
Number of coats, a single skim coat (over plasterboard in good condition) is the cheapest option. Full two-coat work (bonding/browning coat plus finish coat) takes longer and costs more.
Access and geography, difficult access, parking charges in urban areas, and London / South East location all push prices up.
Skim-Only vs Full Replaster
A skim coat is a thin (2–3 mm) finishing layer applied over sound existing plaster or new plasterboard. It is the right choice when the background is in good condition and you just want a fresh, paintable surface.
A full replaster strips back to the masonry, applies a scratch coat (also called a bonding or browning coat, 8–12 mm), and follows with a finish skim. This is needed when existing plaster is blown (hollow-sounding when tapped), crumbling, badly contaminated, or when you have had walls stripped back to brick.
| Type | Approx. Labour Cost per m² | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Skim coat only (over board) | £8–£14/m² | New plasterboard, sound existing plaster |
| Skim coat (over existing plaster) | £10–£16/m²1 | Existing plaster sound, surface damaged |
| Full two-coat replaster | £18–£35/m² | Blown plaster, bare brick, damp remediation |
| Dot and dab plasterboard + skim | £20–£40/m² | Solid wall insulation, levelling uneven walls |
The cited prices in this table were published in 2023 and brought to 2026. What that means.
Plasterer Day Rates 2026
Most plasterers price jobs rather than quote strictly by the day, but day rates help you sense-check a quote:
- National average: £180–£260/day2
- London / South East: £230–£320/day3
- A typical double bedroom takes 1.5–2.5 days depending on condition and type of work.
If a quote for a standard bedroom comes in under £250 labour, be cautious. Quality plastering requires skill and time. Very low quotes often mean rushing, poor mixing, or inexperienced labour.
Materials Cost
Materials typically add £100–£300 per room depending on product and area:
- Gypsum finish plaster (Thistle or similar): £12–£18 per 25 kg bag; one bag covers roughly 5 m² at 2 mm
- Browning / bonding coat: £10–£16 per 25 kg bag
- Plasterboard (12.5 mm, standard): £6–£10 per 2400×1200 mm board
- Bonding compound / PVA: £5–£15 per litre
- Scrim tape: £5–£10 per roll
- Corner beads: £2–£4 each
What to Watch Out For
Drying time, fresh plaster must dry fully before decoration. Allow a minimum of 2–4 weeks per 10 mm depth before applying emulsion. Painting too soon traps moisture and causes the paint to peel.
Mist coat, new plaster must be sealed with a mist coat (heavily diluted emulsion, typically 4:1 water to paint) before normal painting. Skipping this step causes peeling and flaking.
Blown plaster, if patches sound hollow when tapped, those sections need to be cut back and replastered before a skim. A plasterer who skims over blown areas is wasting your money.
Lime plaster in period properties, Victorian and Edwardian homes often have original lime plaster on lath. Patching like-for-like with modern gypsum plaster causes cracking at the joints. Specify lime or hair-lime plaster for repair work in period buildings.
Building Regulations
Standard interior plastering does not require Building Regulations approval. However, if you are plastering as part of a wall insulation upgrade (e.g., internal wall insulation), the thermal element must achieve minimum U-value standards under Part L of the Building Regulations (0.30 W/m²K for an existing solid wall). Your contractor should be aware of this and ideally provide thermal calculations.4
Getting a Good Plasterer
Ask specifically whether the price includes:
- Preparation (hacking off existing plaster if required)
- Making good around windows, door frames, and cables
- Clearing up and disposing of waste
- All materials, or labour only
Get at least two quotes. Reputable plasterers are often booked 2–6 weeks in advance in busy urban areas, a contractor available immediately is worth questioning.
References (4)
Figures in this note were checked against the sources below on 14 September 2026. Superscript numbers in the text point to them. Every source the site cites, by topic.
- 1coststrong locallyRoyal Borough of Greenwich, Housing and Safer Communities, a government page.RN-SXB1KMA price, true at 2023-06, brought forward on the Construction Output Price Index. The priced schedules from a London borough's capital programme delivery contract with its contractor, published as a spreadsheet. Genuine competitively tendered rates for housing works at real scale, which is rare to see in public. Read them as contract rates for volume work under a framework, which is a different market from a homeowner buying one job.
- 2costvery strongOffice for National Statistics.RN-MMT1DOA price, true at 2025-03. The ASHE Table 14 dataset gives annual estimates of paid hours worked and earnings for UK employees by sex and by full-time or part-time status, broken down to four-digit Standard Occupational Classification, which is the level that isolates individual construction trades such as bricklayers, carpenters, plasterers and electricians. Released 23 October 2025 as the 2025 provisional edition (zip, about 10.7 MB), with revised and provisional editions back to 2017. A correction dated 19 December 2025 suppressed annual pay estimates for SOC 3312 police officers in some areas; construction occupations are unaffected.
- 3costvery strongHomes and Communities Agency, a government page.RN-IJYN87A price, true at 2026-07. The GOV.UK publication page for the Homes and Communities Agency guidance on dereliction, demolition and remediation costs, prepared with Ove Arup and Partners. Held for its regional adjustment factors, which are what the register uses it for: the multipliers that take a national construction rate to a region. It is not a source of current prices, and the rates in the guidance itself are of its own date.
- 4technicalvery strongMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.RN-L0FCJXThe in-force U-value tables a DIY insulation or door note must quote, with the exact numbers. Table 4.2, limiting U-values for new fabric elements in existing dwellings, sets roof 0.15, wall 0.18, floor 0.18, swimming pool basin 0.25, window 1.4 or Window Energy Rating Band B minimum, rooflight 2.2, doors with more than 60 per cent of the internal face glazed 1.4 or Doorset Energy Rating Band C minimum, and other doors 1.4 or Doorset Energy Rating Band B minimum. Table 4.3, for existing elements, gives a roof threshold of 0.35 and an improved value of 0.16, which is the figure a loft insulation note needs: paragraph 4.12 says a retained element whose U-value is higher than the column (a) threshold, for example through a loft or garage conversion, should be upgraded to the column (b) value. Paragraph 4.13 allows a lesser upgrade only where the improved value is not technically or functionally feasible or would not achieve a simple payback of 15 years or less. Paragraph 4.8 requires a replacement element to be no worse than the one it replaces as well as meeting Table 4.2. Paragraph 4.10 gives the heritage exception: where character must be maintained, a centre pane U-value of no more than 1.2 or low-emissivity secondary glazing. Note 9 records that the timber window concession of 1.6 or Band C ended on 14 June 2023. The 2021 edition came into force on 15 June 2022; a 2026 edition exists at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69c122a6cfa346b9d4704a55/ADL1_2026.pdf.
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Equans pricing schedules, contract SPS-2686, Kitchens schedule item 37, Royal Borough of Greenwich, Housing and Safer Communities, accessed 16 September 2026. Priced at 2023-06; brought to 2026 on the Construction Output Price Index, housing repair and maintenance (Great Britain), published by Office for National Statistics, a factor of 1.0358. royalgreenwich.gov.uk
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Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025, Table 14.6a, SOC 5321, Office for National Statistics, accessed 16 September 2026. Priced at 2025-03, so no calibration is needed. ons.gov.uk
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Guidance on dereliction, demolition and remediation costs, regional adjustment factors, Homes and Communities Agency with Ove Arup and Partners, accessed 21 September 2026. Priced at 2026-07, so no calibration is needed. gov.uk
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Approved Document L, Conservation of fuel and power, Volume 1: Dwellings, 2021 edition incorporating 2023 amendments, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, accessed 14 September 2026. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
