If you notice your internal or external plastering is looking tired or worn out, then it may be time for a refresh. That is where hiring a plasterer comes in handy. Not only this, but plasters can also undertake rendering, skimming and even dry walling jobs too! The cost of hiring a plasterer can vary depending on the type of job, size, and complexity of the project. However, this guide will tell you everything involved with hiring a plasterer including costs, timescales, additional costs, and types of plastering jobs so that you can get an idea on how much it will cost to hire a plasterer.
The extent of the plastering project, whether it's a single wall in a tiny room or several rooms and ceilings in a huge house, determines the cost of plastering. In order to estimate the amount of material, cost and time needed for the job, plasterers will measure the area and consider all factors. Plastering a room can start from £400 but can cost upwards of £1000 depending on the amount of plastering work that is needed. Smaller jobs such as patch repairs and skimming cost significantly less than most plastering jobs.
Below is a full breakdown of the average costs for the different types of plastering work carried out by plasterers:
|
TYPE OF PLASTERING JOB
|
AVERAGE COST |
|
Patch repair |
£70 - £130 |
|
Skimming |
£100 - £500 |
|
Plastering a ceiling |
£300 - £750 |
|
Plastering a small room |
£400 - £600 |
|
Plastering a medium-sized room |
£600 - £800 |
|
Full plastering work |
£800 - £1000 |
|
External rendering |
£2,000 - £3,000 |
Labour costs make up a large part of the overall cost of any plastering job. Plasterers typically price their jobs using two methods. The first way is by charging between £5 to £10 per square metre of wall space alongside a daily charge between £100 to £150. The second method is purely charged by a daily rate which in London typically costs £200 per day whereas in the North and other parts of the UK this daily rate costs around £150 per day. For smaller jobs, plasterers may charge by the hour which can cost anywhere between £10 to £15 per hour.
These costs will vary depending on how long the job will take to complete, the type of job, your location, and the complexity of the job.
The time it takes to complete a job depends on the size of the area, the type of job and the complexity of the job. However, the average timeframes for each job are:
|
TYPE OF JOB |
TIMEFRAME
|
|
Plaster a single wall |
3 – 4 hours |
|
Plaster a ceiling |
8 – 12 hours |
|
Plaster a whole room |
1 – 2 days |
|
Plaster two rooms |
2 – 4 days |
|
Skim a whole room |
1 – 2 days |
|
Small patch repairs |
2 – 3 hours |
Timescales will increase if you are looking to paint over a freshly plastered wall as in order to paint over plaster it must be completely dry. For patch repairs, you should wait at least 5 days to ensure that the plaster is fully dry.
Additional Costs
Alongside the cost of the job itself, there can be additional costs that may need to be included in the overall cost. Some additional costs may include:
Painting and Decorating
If you have had any plastering done, then you will be left with brown walls, the natural colour of plaster. Although you may want to decorate your home yourself, you may want to hire a painter and decorator to do the job for you. The average cost to paint a room ranges between £150 to £600 or £100 to £300 per daily rate, depending on the size of the space and number of walls. For smaller painting jobs, painters and decorators usually charge between £15 to £40 per hour.
New Skirting Boards
Plastering can be a messy job, so in order to get your home looking brand new again you may want to get new skirting boards. To hire a professional to install new skirting boards it will cost you between £5 to £15 per square metre or between £300 and £500 for a full skirting board installation. Also consider that the material you choose will also affect the cost to install new skirting boards.
Skip Hire
Plastering jobs can generate a lot of waste, so it might be necessary to hire a skip if the job is a large project. Depending on the size of the skip you need and how long you will need to hire one for, hiring a skip can cost anywhere between £70 to £500.
Scaffolding Hire
For external plastering or rendering, you may need to hire scaffolding to be able to access the property and complete the work safely. It is difficult to give an average cost for scaffolding as the cost depends on the type and size of the house, and how much scaffolding you will require. However, scaffolding hire usually costs between £200 to £1000.
Cost Factors
Each job is unique, so the cost is dependent on the individual job. Also, during any job, there can be unexpected cost factors that arise which can affect the total cost of the job. These include:
Condition of your walls
It is also important to consider the condition of your walls, as walls with major damage might require repairs before plastering, which will result in an additional cost. If your walls are in decent condition, it will more likely cost the average amount.
Size of area
As plasterers usually charge between £5 to £10 per square metre to plaster a wall, the larger the surface area the more it will cost. You can get an accurate estimate before the job if you measure the height and width of the wall and then multiply it by the cost per square metre.
Number of walls
Like surface area, the more walls that need plastering the more expensive the job will be. To plaster a single wall, on average, will cost between £150 to £300 whereas full plastering work on 4 walls can cost up to £600.
Type of Plaster
You may want to consider the type of plaster you choose when you are plastering your interior walls. Undercoat plaster, for example, usually costs £0.30 to £0.60 per kg, while topcoats usually cost £0.25 to £1 per kg.
Different types of plastering jobs
Plastering can be done to both interior and exterior surfaces. It is used to smoothen and cover any uneven parts of a surface to make sure it is ready to be decorated. There are many different jobs that come under the umbrella of plastering these include:
Plaster Skimming
Skimming involves a thin coat of plaster which is applied to walls in order to make a smooth and even surface. This kind of plaster can cover both plasterboard and pre-existing plaster. Skimming is not necessary if your plastered walls are in a good condition and is easy to paint and decorate over. To skim plaster a single wall it will, on average, cost between £150 to £200.
Plastering jobs can be done by both DIY enthusiasts and professional plasterers, however there are some jobs that need a professional touch and years of experience to get the perfect results. Jobs that can be tacked by DIY enthusiasts can include smaller areas and areas such as garages or exterior plastering whereas plastering jobs such as ceilings and interior walls require professionals as they are more complex.
Plaster skimming is needed after both wet plastering and dry lining to give the plaster a smooth and long-lasting finish. There are two stages to plaster skimming; 1) the first stage requires applying the plaster making sure that is evenly spread. 2) Within one hour of applying the plaster, you will need to trowel the plaster so that is smooth and ready to be decorated once the plaster has dried. If the plaster does not have a smooth and even finish when set, it cannot only look unappealing, but it can only be fixed by re-plastering or sanding down the whole area. The latter part requires a professional as it is a critical and complex process to get right as it ensures that the final look of the plaster will be perfect especially if it is plastering inside the home.
Plaster Skimming Prices
Plaster skimming costs can vary depending on the size of the room, whether the ceilings need plastering or the rates of the plasterer you hire. As a general guide, an average room could cost anywhere from £250 to £400 to plaster skim whereas if you hire a plasterer who works on hourly rates then this can usually cost between £25 to £30 per hour.
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Dry Wall Lining
Drywall is made of pre-rendered pieces of material that can be directly applied to walls. It works more like wallpaper than paint. Although it is quite a time-consuming process as you will have to apply multiple coats to fill in any missed gaps, apply a skim coat on top and then finally paint the wall, it is easier than applying wet plaster. One of the main advantages of dry wall is that is quick and easy to repair, and it does not produce a lot of mess.
The cost of a drywalling depends on the thickness of the panel and the required finish you choose, however drywalling a 12 square foot room costs between £500 and £1000 for both materials and labour.
Taping and Jointing
Taping and jointing is the process of covering and reinforcing gaps between plasterboard sheets. This process is an alternative to skimming as it also prepares a wall to be painted or wallpapered.
Rendering
Rendering a properties exterior wall simply involves repairing and maintaining any damaged outside surfaces. Professional renderers look for cracks, peeling, flaking, and moisture before attempting to fix the wall and enhance the surface quality. Rendering an outside wall has several benefits, including reducing heat loss and making the surface more weatherproof and durable, as well as boosting resistance to mould and algae. Expect to pay a plasterer roughly £15-£20 per hour for exterior rendering work, a total of roughly £250 per day for typical exterior rendering charges.
Sand and Cement Plaster
In order to make cement plaster, cement, sand, and water are combined in a 1:4 cement-to-sand ratio. The thickness of cement plaster can vary from 12 to 20 millilitres depending on the surface to be plastered. The benefits of cement plaster are that it is moisture resistant and can protect surfaces from various weather conditions and pollutants. It is also good for internal walls as it is extremely durable. This type of plastering will take between 4 to 6 to finish and can cost between £2000 to £3000.