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.
We offer plastering and skimming throughout Warwickshire, from Nuneaton, Rugby, Leamington Spa and Warwick to the smaller places in between. Each project starts with a free survey at your home and ends with a written figure, fixed for the work you choose. Because Warwickshire is in England, we work to the planning system and building standards used there, and guide prices for the West Midlands run at £550–£1,550 including VAT.
- Guide price
- £550–£1,550 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–3 days per room, plus drying time
- Planning rules
- England
- Price level
- About 2% below the national guide
- Towns listed
- 7
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Plastering and skimming prices in Warwickshire
Here is how the guide price for plastering and skimming breaks down in Warwickshire. We start from national figures and adjust for the West Midlands, which comes out about 2% below the national guide. The resulting range, VAT included, is £550–£1,550, and a survey, at no cost to you, firms it up.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Warwickshire |
|---|---|---|
| Patch repairs or one wall | Repairing cracks, filling cable channels after a rewire or skimming a single wall. | £150–£500 |
| One room, walls and ceiling | Skimming or boarding and skimming the walls and ceiling of a typical room. | £550–£1,550 |
| Whole house | Skimming or re-plastering most rooms in a typical 3-bed house during a renovation. | £4,900–£12,000 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Total wall and ceiling area to be plastered
- Skim over sound plaster or full re-plaster back to brick
- Ceiling height, stairwells and access
- Removing artex, wallpaper or failed plaster first
What’s included?
- Survey of walls and ceilings, including tap-testing for hollow plaster
- Plasterboard fixed to ceilings or walls where needed
- Angle beads and stop beads for straight corners and edges
- 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 Warwickshire
Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick have timber-framed and Georgian buildings, and Leamington Spa is known for Regency stucco terraces and villas. Nuneaton and Bedworth have brick terraces from their mining and industrial past, Rugby mixes Victorian housing with large new estates, and southern villages near the Cotswolds use limestone and blue lias.
Regency and period homes may need render repairs, decorating and windows that suit conservation areas. Terraces suit loft conversions and extensions, and newer estate homes often take garage conversions and landscaping.
A moderate Midlands climate, but the Avon and its tributaries flood in places, and clay soils can move in dry spells.
Do you need permission in Warwickshire?
For anyone in Warwickshire, the relevant framework is England's. The summary below is general, so we always contact the council about your address before putting a price in writing.
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
A free survey comes first. It gives us what we need to price plastering and skimming properly, including dimensions, existing materials and access for deliveries, and gives you the chance to ask anything you like.
Price and scope agreed
We put everything into a written, fixed-price quote: the specification, what's excluded, staged payments and the expected time on site. Take whatever time you need to decide; there's no pressure to commit.
Booking the work
Before anyone starts, we confirm the programme in writing, check whether consents are required and arrange deliveries. If a skip or scaffolding on the road needs a permit, we apply for it.
On site to finish
Work goes ahead as scheduled and you deal with one contact throughout. When the last trade leaves, we clear and clean the site, talk you through what has been done and pass on any certificates and care instructions.
How we work
Frequently asked questions
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.
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.
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.
How long will plastering and skimming take?
On a typical home, allow 1–3 days per room, plus drying time. Larger projects, older buildings and extra work found once things are opened up can extend that, while simpler jobs may be shorter. Your quote includes an estimate of time on site, and your point of contact keeps you updated on the programme as the work progresses.
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.
Towns in Warwickshire
Below is our list of Warwickshire towns for plastering and skimming. If yours isn't shown, we may still cover it, so it is worth asking us directly.