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.
In London, we price plastering and skimming against our guide for London, £700–£2,100 including VAT, then adjust it once we have surveyed your home. We work across Brent, Islington, Westminster and Bexley and the rest of the county or region. Planning and building control requirements follow the rules for England, and we look into your property's position before a written quote is sent.
- Guide price
- £700–£2,100 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–3 days per room, plus drying time
- Planning rules
- England
- Price level
- About 30% above the national guide
- Towns listed
- 90
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does plastering and skimming cost in London?
What will plastering and skimming cost in London? Our guide range is £700–£2,100 including VAT. That figure is adjusted for London, about 30% above the national guide, and is intended for planning a budget. A firm written price for your chosen specification follows a free survey at your home.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in London |
|---|---|---|
| Patch repairs or one wall | Repairing cracks, filling cable channels after a rewire or skimming a single wall. | £200–£650 |
| One room, walls and ceiling | Skimming or boarding and skimming the walls and ceiling of a typical room. | £700–£2,100 |
| Whole house | Skimming or re-plastering most rooms in a typical 3-bed house during a renovation. | £6,500–£15,500 |
Your price depends mostly on:
- Total wall and ceiling area to be plastered
- Skim over sound plaster or full re-plaster back to brick
- Removing artex, wallpaper or failed plaster first
- Number of corners, windows and openings to bead
Scope of the work
- 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
- Plasterboard fixed to ceilings or walls where needed
- Skim coat or full two-coat plaster to agreed areas
- Patching around new sockets, pipes and windows
Homes in London
London's housing is dominated by Victorian and Edwardian terraces, often in yellow London stock brick, with Georgian terraces in central districts and mansion blocks across many inner areas. Outer boroughs have large belts of interwar semis, and there are extensive post-war council estates. Many houses have been split into flats, and conservation areas are widespread.
Terraces suit side-return extensions and rear dormer loft conversions; interwar semis commonly take hip-to-gable lofts. Shared party walls, restricted parking and conservation rules often shape the plans and the programme.
London Clay shrinks and swells with the seasons, and street trees close to houses can contribute to movement, which affects foundation design.
Planning and building rules in London
Each UK nation sets its own consent rules, and London is in England. What follows is a plain summary; we check the specifics for your property with the council before pricing anything.
Internal work such as a new kitchen, bathroom, flooring, plastering or decorating does not need planning permission in England, unless the house is listed, when listed building consent may be needed even for internal changes.
Some internal work is covered by Building Regulations: new electrical circuits and work in bathrooms (Part P), new drainage, structural changes, extractor ventilation and any new window. Notifiable work is certified by a registered installer or by building control.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
How does the job run?
We look at the job
We begin by looking at the job in person. During the free survey we discuss options, materials and budget for plastering and skimming, and photograph or measure anything the quote needs to reflect.
Quote in writing
You get the price in writing, itemised so you can see where the money goes. As long as the specification stays the same, that is the price you pay for plastering and skimming.
Booking the work
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
The job proceeds in the order set out in the programme, with dust and debris kept under control. Finally we tidy away, inspect the work together and pass the finished project over to you with its paperwork.
How we work
Questions about plastering and skimming in London
Who do I deal with during the job?
One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.
Should older houses be plastered with lime?
Older homes with solid walls and no damp-proof course are often better with lime plaster, because it lets moisture move through the wall and evaporate. Modern gypsum plaster can trap moisture in these walls, which can cause damp patches and blown plaster. Lime takes longer to apply and dry, so it costs more. We check your wall construction before recommending a material.
What is the difference between skimming and re-plastering?
Skimming applies a thin finishing coat, a few millimetres thick, over plaster or plasterboard that is still sound. Re-plastering removes the old plaster back to the brick or block and applies new base and finishing coats. Skimming is quicker and cheaper, but if the existing plaster is loose, hollow or crumbling, a skim will not hold. We tap-test walls to decide which is needed.
What happens at the survey?
We visit your home at a time that suits you, look at the area involved, take measurements and check access, condition and any services that might be affected. We talk through what you want from plastering and skimming, explain the options and answer questions. There is no charge and no obligation; afterwards we send a written quote.
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 London
Homes in all of the following London towns can get a written quote for plastering and skimming. Open a town page to see prices and the postcodes we cover.
- Acton
- Archway
- Barking
- Barnes
- Barnet
- Battersea
- Beckenham
- Becontree
- Bexley
- Blackheath
- Blackwall
- Bow
- Brent
- Brixton
- Camden Town
- Canary Wharf
- Canning Town
- Carshalton
- Catford
- Chalk Farm
- Chelsea
- Chessington
- Chingford
- Chiswick
- Coulsdon
- Cricklewood
- Croydon
- Dagenham
- East Barnet
- Edmonton
- Eltham
- Enfield Town
- Feltham
- Finchley
- Fulham
- Golders Green
- Greenford
- Greenwich
- Hadley Wood
- Hampton
- Hanworth
- Harrow
- Hayes
- Heston
- Highbury
- Holloway
- Hook
- Hornchurch
- Hounslow
- Ilford
- Isleworth
- Islington
- Kilburn
- Leytonstone
- Mitcham
- Morden
- Muswell Hill
- New Malden
- Northolt
- Notting Hill
- Peckham
- Pimlico
- Pinner
- Purley
- Putney
- Richmond
- Romford
- Ruislip
- Shepherds Bush
- Soho
- South Croydon
- Southall
- Stamford Hill
- Stratford
- Streatham
- Surbiton
- Sutton
- Thamesmead
- Tottenham
- Uxbridge
- Wallington
- Walthamstow
- Wealdstone
- Welling
- Wembley
- Westminster
- Willesden
- Wimbledon
- Wood Green
- Woodford Green