Skimming the walls of an average room in London typically costs £550 to £1,100, and a full replaster from the brick costs more. Most of the difference between quotes comes from the state of the walls, the ceiling height and how much has to come off first. These are typical London ranges, not Vayton's fixed prices: every job is priced after we have seen the walls or photographs of them.
Typical plastering prices in London
| Job | Typical London price |
|---|---|
| Skim over sound plaster or new plasterboard | £15 to £30 per m² |
| Hack off and replaster | £25 to £40 per m², more with damp or damaged brick |
| Skim the walls of an average room | £550 to £1,100 |
| Skim a ceiling | £180 to £500 |
| Plasterer's day rate | £200 to £350 |
London prices usually run 20 to 30 per cent above the rest of the UK, which is why national guides quote lower figures. Most prices exclude VAT, and some exclude materials, so check what each quote includes.
How to work out the area
Measure the length of each wall and the height of the room, multiply them, add the walls together and take off large openings such as doors and windows. A room 4 m by 3.5 m with a 2.4 m ceiling has about 36 m² of wall before openings. Measure the ceiling separately by multiplying its length and width.
Skimming or replastering?
A skim is a thin finishing coat, about 2 to 3 mm, over sound plaster or new plasterboard. It is the cheaper option and suits walls that are firm but marked, patched or uneven on the surface.
Replastering means hacking off the old plaster back to the brick and building it up again. It is needed when plaster is hollow, crumbling or damaged by damp. Tap the wall: a hollow sound across a wide area usually means the plaster has come away. On ceilings, overboarding with plasterboard and skimming is often quicker than replastering.
What pushes the price up
- Old wallpaper, paint or textured coatings that have to come off first.
- High ceilings, stairwells and work that needs a tower or scaffold.
- Lots of corners, reveals and beads around windows and doors.
- Damp or salt-damaged plaster, which has to come off, with the cause fixed first.
- Lime plaster in period houses, which should usually be repaired with lime rather than gypsum.
- A furnished room that has to be emptied and protected.
Textured ceilings such as Artex applied before 2000 can contain asbestos. Have them tested before anyone sands, scrapes or drills them.
How long it takes
An experienced plasterer can usually skim the walls of an average room in a day, with a ceiling taking a few hours more. Replastering takes longer because of the backing coat. New plaster then has to dry before it is painted, and the first coat should be a mist coat. Our guide on how long after plastering you can paint explains the drying times.
Getting quotes you can compare
Ask each plasterer to price the same thing: which walls and ceilings, skim or replaster, who removes old paper or coatings, whether materials and waste are included, and whether beads and making good around sockets are in the price. Photographs of each wall, rough room sizes and the age of the house are usually enough for a first figure.
Plastering in London with Vayton
We skim, replaster and board walls and ceilings across London, from single rooms to whole houses and commercial fit-outs. Drylining is a large part of our work: at IQ Nursery in Dickens Yard, Ealing, we framed and boarded the walls and formed the plasterboard arches. See our plasterers in London page, or send us photographs for a quote.
Common questions about plastering costs
How much does it cost to skim a room?
Skimming the walls of an average room in London typically costs £550 to £1,100. A small bedroom sits at the lower end, and a large living room with a high ceiling at the top or above it. Add £180 to £500 if the ceiling needs skimming too.
What does plastering cost per m²?
A skim over sound plaster or plasterboard typically costs £15 to £30 per m² in London. Hacking off and replastering typically costs £25 to £40 per m², more where there is damp or the brick needs repair.
Is it cheaper to skim or to plasterboard?
Skimming sound walls is usually cheaper. Where the old plaster is failing, boarding over it and skimming can cost about the same as replastering and is quicker and drier, though it takes a little space off the room.
Can you paint straight after skimming?
No. Let the plaster dry until it is an even pale colour, then apply a mist coat of diluted emulsion before the finishing coats.