Plastering is applying a smooth finishing coat of plaster to walls and ceilings, either as a thin skim over sound surfaces or as a full re-plaster after removing failed plaster, creating a flat surface ready for decoration.
Homes across County Armagh vary a great deal, so we price plastering and skimming only after seeing the property. Our coverage takes in Craigavon, Portadown and Armagh and the surrounding districts. As a guide, expect £450–£1,400 including VAT in Northern Ireland; the final figure depends on size, materials and access. Any permissions are checked against the rules for Northern Ireland before we quote.
- Guide price
- £450–£1,400 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–3 days per room, plus drying time
- Planning rules
- Northern Ireland
- Price level
- About 14% below the national guide
- Towns listed
- 3
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does plastering and skimming cost in County Armagh?
The costs listed here are typical for plastering and skimming around County Armagh and include VAT. They reflect labour and material costs in Northern Ireland, about 14% below the national guide, giving a range of £450–£1,400. Exact pricing depends on your home, so we only fix it once a free site survey is done.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in County Armagh |
|---|---|---|
| Patch repairs or one wall | Repairing cracks, filling cable channels after a rewire or skimming a single wall. | £150–£450 |
| One room, walls and ceiling | Skimming or boarding and skimming the walls and ceiling of a typical room. | £450–£1,400 |
| Whole house | Skimming or re-plastering most rooms in a typical 3-bed house during a renovation. | £4,300–£10,500 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Skim over sound plaster or full re-plaster back to brick
- Ceiling height, stairwells and access
- Removing artex, wallpaper or failed plaster first
- Number of corners, windows and openings to bead
What do you get?
- Survey of walls and ceilings, including tap-testing for hollow plaster
- Floor and furniture protection with dust sheets and masking
- Removal of loose or failed plaster and old wallpaper
- Skim coat or full two-coat plaster to agreed areas
- Patching around new sockets, pipes and windows
- Waste removal and a tidy finish ready for decorating
Housing across County Armagh
Armagh city has Georgian buildings, many in local limestone, around its historic centre. Portadown and Lurgan, linked by the Craigavon plan of the 1960s, have Victorian terraces, post-war estates and newer developments. The countryside is dotted with detached rural houses and bungalows, often finished in roughcast or render.
Rural bungalows and detached homes commonly take extensions, loft rooms, driveways and fencing. Terraces suit rear extensions and window replacement, and rendered houses often need re-rendering or painting.
A moderate inland climate with frequent rain and winter frost, and low ground near Lough Neagh can be wet.
Do you need permission in County Armagh?
Homes in County Armagh come under the regulations for Northern Ireland, summarised below. We don't rely on general rules alone: we confirm the position for your address with the council before a quote goes out.
Internal improvements do not need planning permission in Northern Ireland unless the building is listed.
The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) apply to structural work, drainage and ventilation; electrical work should be tested and certified.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
From survey to handover
We look at the job
Book a visit and we'll come to you. The survey covers measurements, the state of what's there now and any obvious constraints, so the price that follows is based on your actual home, not an average.
Price and scope agreed
We turn the survey notes into a written quote. The price is fixed for the specification we agree, and the document sets out materials, scope and payment stages in plain language.
Dates and permissions
Once you accept, we agree start dates, order materials and deal with any planning, building control or neighbour notices the job needs. You'll know who is coming and when before work begins.
Finish and handover
On site, the agreed plan is followed and any change is put in writing first. At completion we do a final clean, go through the snagging list with you and leave you with the relevant documents.
How we work
Questions about plastering and skimming in County Armagh
How messy is plastering?
Plastering is wet work, so some mess is unavoidable, but good protection keeps it under control. We cover floors with dust sheets, mask sockets, switches and skirting, and move or cover furniture. Removing old plaster creates the most dust, so we seal doorways and keep the area ventilated. At the end, we clear waste and leave the room tidy and ready for decorating.
Can you plaster over artex?
Artex and similar textured ceilings can usually be covered, either by applying a bonding coat and then a skim, or by fixing new plasterboard over the top and skimming that. Some older textured coatings contain hazardous fibres, so they should not be sanded or scraped until a sample has been tested. We can arrange a test before quoting and choose a method that avoids disturbing the coating.
Is the price fixed?
Yes, for the specification we agree. Your written quote sets out exactly what is included at a fixed price. It only changes if you ask for something different, or if a problem the survey could not reasonably reveal later needs extra work. In either case we explain the change and confirm it in writing before going ahead.
Which postcodes in County Armagh do you cover?
We cover BT64, BT62 and BT61, along with the rest of County Armagh. If your postcode is not listed, get in touch anyway: our coverage is UK-wide, and we can usually arrange a survey wherever you live. Enter your postcode in the guide-price tool or contact form and we will confirm.
When can I paint new plaster?
New plaster can be painted once it is fully dry and evenly pale in colour. The first coat should be a mist coat, which is watered-down emulsion or a specialist primer that soaks into the plaster and seals it. Applying normal emulsion straight on can cause peeling. Vinyl or wipeable paints should be avoided for the first coat, because they stop moisture escaping.
Towns in County Armagh
Our coverage for plastering and skimming in County Armagh includes the towns listed here. Each page explains guide costs, typical timings and the neighbouring places we also serve.