Plaster Contractor Near Me: London Prices and How to Vet One
If you have just typed "plaster contractor near me" into Google, you are probably staring at a crack, a damp patch, or a ceiling that came down slightly and needs putting back. A local plaster contractor typically charges £180 to £350 per day in London, or £25 to £45 per square metre for skimming, depending on the borough, the size of the job and whether it is a small repair or a full replaster. Small patch jobs under 2 square metres are often cheaper to book through a general handyman than a specialist plasterer, since most plastering firms have a minimum call-out.
Contents
- What "plaster contractor near me" actually means
- Plaster contractor prices in London, 2026
- Skim coat, replaster or patch repair: which do you need
- The most expensive mistake homeowners make
- How to vet a plaster contractor before you book
- Areas we cover
- How long plaster takes to dry before painting
- FAQ
What "plaster contractor near me" actually means
Most people searching this term are not sure yet whether they need a full plastering firm, a one-man band, or just a handyman who can skim a small area. That distinction matters because it changes both the price and the wait time. A dedicated plaster contractor is set up for bigger jobs: whole rooms, ceilings, new-build finishing after a wall has been taken out. A handyman with plastering experience is usually the faster and cheaper route for a single crack, a patch after a socket move, or a small area of blown plaster near a window.
In London the search also carries a local filter people do not always say out loud: they want someone who already knows period properties. A lot of the housing stock in Chelsea, Kensington, Fulham and Islington is Victorian or Edwardian, with lath and plaster walls rather than plasterboard. That changes technique, drying time and price, and it is worth asking about upfront rather than finding out halfway through the job.
Plaster contractor prices in London, 2026
Prices vary by borough, access, and whether the plasterer is VAT registered, but the ranges below reflect what is typical across central and southwest London in 2026. Always get a fixed quote for the job rather than relying on a day rate alone, since day rates do not tell you how many days a job will take.
| Job type | Typical price range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small crack or patch repair (under 1m²) | £80 to £180 | Often cheaper via a handyman call-out than a specialist plasterer |
| Skim coat, single wall | £150 to £300 | Depends on wall size and number of coats |
| Skim coat, ceiling (average room) | £200 to £400 | Ceilings take longer due to overhead work and drying |
| Full room replaster (walls and ceiling) | £800 to £1,800 | Higher end for period properties with lath and plaster |
| Day rate, self-employed plasterer | £180 to £350 | Varies by area; Chelsea and Kensington often at the top of the range |
| Damp-affected wall, hack off and replaster | £350 to £700 per wall | Price rises sharply if damp proofing is needed first |
These are guide figures. Get quotes confirmed against the actual property, since access (scaffolding, listed building restrictions, narrow terraced staircases in Notting Hill or Battersea) can push a price up regardless of the square metreage.
Skim coat, replaster or patch repair: which do you need
A skim coat is a thin top layer applied over existing plasterboard or a sound base coat, usually to refresh a wall or cover minor imperfections. A replaster strips the wall back to brick or lath and rebuilds it in coats, which is what you need when plaster is cracked through, hollow-sounding when tapped, or coming away from the wall. A patch repair fills and blends a small localised area, and it is the right call for a single crack, a hole from a removed fixture, or damage after a leak has already been fixed.
The mistake people make is assuming a hairline crack always means a skim will fix it. If the crack is on an external wall or runs diagonally from a window or door corner, it can be a sign of movement, and skimming over it without investigating just means the crack comes back within a year. Our plastering services in London page covers how we assess which category a job falls into before quoting.
The most expensive mistake: plastering over an unresolved cause
The single costliest mistake we see is a homeowner paying to have a wall replastered without first fixing whatever caused the damage. Damp from a leaking gutter, a failed damp proof course, or condensation from poor ventilation will come straight back through new plaster within months. You end up paying for the same wall twice, sometimes three times. Before any plaster contractor starts, ask them directly: "what caused this, and has it been fixed?" A contractor who cannot answer that, or who does not ask, is not the one to hire.
If the cause is a guttering issue, it is worth sorting that separately first. Our guttering services in London team can check whether water ingress from above is the real source before any plasterer touches the wall.
How to vet a plaster contractor before you book
Anyone can call themselves a plasterer. There is no legal requirement to be registered or qualified to skim a wall in the UK, which means the vetting has to happen on your end. Ask these things before you commit:
- How many coats, and what plaster? A proper skim is usually two coats of finish plaster over a bonding or backing coat on bare brick. One thin coat over uneven brick will crack.
- What is the drying and curing plan? New plaster needs air movement, not heat, and rushing it with a heater causes cracking and blowing.
- Can they show recent work in a similar property? A contractor who mostly does new-build plasterboard may not have handled lath and plaster in a period Wimbledon or Richmond house before, and that is fine, but you want to know in advance, not discover it mid-job.
- Is the quote per job or per day? Per-day quotes without a job estimate are a common way costs creep upward.
- Do they carry public liability insurance? Ask for the certificate, not just a verbal yes.
For smaller repairs, a general handyman who plasters regularly as part of wider maintenance work can be the more practical choice, particularly if you also need the crack painted over afterwards or a skirting board refitted. Our small jobs and odd job handyman service covers exactly this kind of combined patch-and-finish work, and it is usually cheaper than booking a specialist plasterer for a job under half a day.
Areas we cover
We take on plastering and plaster repair work across Chelsea, Kensington, Wimbledon, Knightsbridge, Fulham, Battersea, Clapham, Putney, Richmond and Notting Hill, along with the wider southwest and central London patch. Period property is common in most of these areas, which is why we quote lath and plaster jobs separately from standard plasterboard skims rather than using one flat rate across the board. If your property falls outside this list, get in touch and ask, since we cover a wider radius for larger jobs.
How long plaster takes to dry before painting
Fresh plaster needs roughly one week of drying time per 5mm of thickness in normal room conditions, so a standard skim coat is usually ready to paint (with a mist coat) after about a week, though this varies with ventilation, the season and the size of the room. Painting too early is a common cause of patchy or flaking finish, since trapped moisture pushes through the paint film. In winter, or in a room with poor airflow, drying can take noticeably longer, and pushing it with a space heater tends to cause surface cracking rather than speed anything up safely.
If the plastering work followed water damage from a leak or an emergency repair, it is worth having that fixed and dried out properly first. Our emergency handyman London team can deal with the urgent leak or damage on the day, with plastering scheduled in afterward once everything is confirmed dry.
FAQ
How much does a plasterer charge per day in London?
Self-employed plasterers in London typically charge £180 to £350 per day as of 2026, with the higher end more common in central areas like Chelsea and Kensington. Day rate alone does not tell you the total cost, since that depends on how many days the job takes, so it is better to ask for a fixed price for the whole job where possible.
How long does plaster take to dry before painting?
A standard skim coat generally needs about a week to dry before painting, roughly one week per 5mm of thickness, though this varies with room ventilation and the season. Painting over plaster that is still damp underneath is a common cause of paint flaking or patchy finish, so it is worth waiting the full week even if the surface looks dry.
Do I need a plasterer or a handyman for a small crack?
For a single crack, a small patch, or damage from a removed fixture, a general handyman with plastering experience is usually faster and cheaper than booking a specialist plasterer, since most dedicated plastering firms have a minimum call-out fee. For a full wall, a ceiling, or a room affected by damp, a specialist plaster contractor is the better choice.
Why does new plaster keep cracking?
Cracking usually comes from one of three causes: the plaster was rushed with artificial heat rather than allowed to dry naturally, only a single thin coat was applied over an uneven base, or the underlying cause of the original damage (movement, damp, or a leak) was never fixed before the wall was replastered. A good contractor should ask what caused the original damage before quoting.
How much does it cost to plaster a ceiling in London?
Skimming an average-sized ceiling in London typically costs £200 to £400, depending on room size, access, and whether the existing ceiling needs repair work before skimming. Ceilings generally cost more than an equivalent wall area because of the overhead working position and longer setup time.
Do plastering contractors need to be registered or certified?
There is no legal requirement in the UK for a plasterer to hold a specific licence or registration to carry out domestic plastering work. This makes it important to check public liability insurance, ask to see recent work, and get references directly, rather than assuming a certification exists that guarantees quality.
Is it cheaper to skim over old plaster than to replaster fully?
Yes, a skim coat over sound existing plaster is generally £150 to £300 cheaper than a full replaster, which typically runs £800 to £1,800 per room in London. But skimming only works if the base plaster underneath is solid and not hollow, cracked through, or affected by damp. A contractor should tap and check the wall before recommending which option is appropriate.
What is the difference between plastering and rendering?
Plastering refers to interior wall and ceiling finishing, typically using gypsum-based products like skim or bonding coat. Rendering is the exterior equivalent, using cement or lime-based mixes applied to outside walls for weatherproofing and finish. They use different materials and techniques, so a contractor skilled in one is not automatically experienced in the other.