Updated 27 September 2026 · 66 figures · 32 sources
Plastering & rendering prices UK 2026
What plasterers charge in 2026: day rates, prices for 14 common jobs, the prep that changes the price, and the regulations to flag. Every figure links to where it came from. Use the calculator, or price a real job in the Grafto app.
Day rates (T2B pricing)England & Wales £150–£250 · London & SE £180–£280 · Scotland & North £130–£220
Skim walls (market)£15–£30/m²
Worked example: skim walls, 30 m²£472
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Plastering job prices
| Job | Market band | Basis | Worked example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skim walls | £15–£30/m² | total, ex VAT | £472 30 m² · 1.5 days |
| Skim a ceiling | £18–£45/m² | total, ex VAT | £300 12 m² · 1 days |
| Skim a room (walls and ceiling) | small bedroom: £450–£650/room · double bedroom: £600–£850/room · living room: £850–£1,150/room · bathroom: £300–£500/room | total, ex VAT | £774 1 room · 2.5 days |
| Skim a whole house | 2-bed: £2,600–£4,200/house · 3-bed: £3,500–£5,500/house · 4-bed: £4,500–£6,500/house | total, ex VAT | £4,357 1 house · 9 days |
| Replaster (hack off, float and set) | £30–£55/m² | total, ex VAT | £1,081 30 m² · 2 days |
| Plasterboard and skim a ceiling | £33–£50/m² | total, ex VAT | £496 12 m² · 1 days |
| Dry line walls (dot & dab) | £35–£65/m² | total, ex VAT | £1,086 30 m² · 2 days |
| Plaster patch repair | crack or small hole: £100–£250 · patch up to 1m²: £100–£300 · section 1–3m²: £250–£450 | total, ex VAT | £190 1 job · 4 h |
| Artex ceiling (cover or remove) | skim over: £15–£32/m² · overboard & skim: £25–£40/m² · remove & re-skim: £30–£50/m² | total, ex VAT | £311 12 m² · 1 days |
| External render | sand & cement: £40–£70/m² · monocouche (through-colour): £50–£90/m² · silicone thin-coat: £55–£100/m² · pebbledash: £45–£75/m² · lime: £70–£120/m² | supply & fit, ex scaffold | £3,942 60 m² · 5.5 days |
| Render patch repair | £100–£350 | total, ex VAT | £261 1 job · 4 h |
| Coving | polystyrene: £5–£20/m · polyurethane: £10–£40/m · plaster: £25–£60/m | total, ex VAT | £358 14 m · 1 days |
| Polished plaster or microcement | Venetian: £50–£120/m² · microcement: £60–£100/m² | total, ex VAT | £794 12 m² · 2.5 days |
| Lath and plaster repair (lime) | ceiling: £100–£180/m² · wall: £80–£140/m² | labour only | £818 4 m² · 2.5 days |
Bands are for a typical job at regional multiplier ×1.0 (Midlands, South West, East). London ×1.25, South East ×1.10, North, Wales and Scotland ×0.88. Worked examples use the researched default rates, ex VAT and travel.
Rates
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Day rates (T2B pricing) | England & Wales £150–£250 · London & SE £180–£280 · Scotland & North £130–£220 (labour only) | Trade2Base |
| Day rates (T2B costs) | sole trader £200–£350 · two-man gang £350–£600 | Trade2Base |
| Day rates by region (MyJobQuote) | North £180–£250 · Midlands £200–£275 · London/SE £250–£350+ · hourly £25–£40, minimum ~£50 | MyJobQuote |
| Day rate (Checkatrade) | typical plasterer £300 a day | Checkatrade |
| Day rates (BookaBuilder) | £200–£300, London £300–£350 | BookaBuilderUK |
| Artex specialists (T2B) | £180–£300 a day; bedroom ceiling skim-over is ½–1 day | Trade2Base |
| Period plasterer (squote) | £240–£340 regional, £280–£400 London; 4–8 m² a day per operative | squote |
| Markup and deposits (T2B) | 15–25% on materials · 25–33% deposit on jobs over £500 · stage payments on big jobs | Trade2Base |
Skim
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Skim labour (T2B pricing) | £5–£10/m² labour only; lower on big open rooms, higher on small, awkward or ceilings | Trade2Base |
| Skim labour (T2B costs) | £3–£8/m² skim · £8–£20/m² full plaster (labour) | Trade2Base |
| Skim all-in (MyBuilder) | skimming £15–£30/m² · wall skimming labour £6–£12/m² · repairs £50–£150 | MyBuilder |
| Skim all-in (MyJobQuote) | over board £15–£25/m² · full two-coat £30–£40/m² · old uneven walls £35–£55/m² | MyJobQuote |
| Average skim (Checkatrade) | about £24/m²; re-skim small £440 · medium £480 · large £650 | Checkatrade |
| Skim all-in (BookaBuilder) | £10–£20/m² labour and materials; 3×4 m room walls & ceiling £600–£1,000 | BookaBuilderUK |
Rooms
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Skim by room (MyJobQuote) | single bed £450–£650 · double £600–£850 · living room £850–£1,150 · kitchen £600–£950 · bathroom £300–£500 · en-suite £250–£450 | MyJobQuote |
| Room by size (MyBuilder) | small £350–£750 · medium £430–£1,000 · large £570–£1,800 | MyBuilder |
| Plaster from scratch (Checkatrade) | small £636 · medium £755 · large £1,300 | Checkatrade |
| Plaster a room (Checkatrade) | small 9 m² £1,100 · large 18 m² £1,900 · 1 day small, 2–3 days large | Checkatrade |
| Whole house (MyJobQuote) | 2-bed £2,600–£4,200 · 3-bed £3,500–£5,500 · 4-bed £4,500–£6,500 | MyJobQuote |
| Time on site (MyJobQuote) | small room 1 day · medium 1–2 · large 2–3 · patch 2–4 hours | MyJobQuote |
Ceilings
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling skim (MyJobQuote) | £18–£45/m²; skim only ≤10 m² £200–£350 · 15 m² £280–£440 · 25 m² £425–£575 | MyJobQuote |
| Ceiling by method (MyJobQuote) | board 10 m² £240–£380 · wet plaster £280–£450; ceiling average £390, about a day | MyJobQuote |
| Ceiling skim (Checkatrade) | small 9 m² £275 · medium 15 m² £360 · large 25 m² £575 | Checkatrade |
| Ceilings (MyBuilder) | standard £200–£400 · vaulted £400–£700 · ornate £500–£900 | MyBuilder |
Boards
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Plasterboard (MyBuilder) | ceiling install £18–£39/m² · 4×3 m ceiling £400–£600, 1–2 days · waste £50–£150 | MyBuilder |
| Board prices (MyBuilder) | standard £2–£5/m² · moisture £4–£6 · fire £5–£7 · acoustic £5–£8 · insulated £28–£43/m² | MyBuilder |
| Dry lining (T2B) | dot & dab £12–£22/m² labour · metal frame £20–£40 · full room supply, fix, tape & joint £35–£65/m² | Trade2Base |
| Partition example (T2B) | 3×2.4 m: frame £40–£80 · boards £60–£120 · fixings £20–£40 · tape £15–£30 · labour £300–£600 | Trade2Base |
| Board premiums (T2B) | moisture +15–25% · fire +10–20% · acoustic +20–35% · thermal +30–60% on materials | Trade2Base |
| Approved Document L | renovated thermal elements must meet the renovation U-values | GOV.UK |
Replaster
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full plaster (T2B) | labour £15–£25/m² · materials £3–£6/m²; 3×4 m room walls about £900–£1,100 | Trade2Base |
| Drying times (T2B) | skim 24–48 h to mist coat · two-coat 5–10 days · three-coat masonry 2–4 weeks | Trade2Base |
| Hardwall (British Gypsum) | about 3.0 m² per 25 kg at 11 mm · sets 1.5–2 h · 15 L water a bag | British Gypsum |
Materials
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage (T2B) | finish 25 kg: 5–6 m² at 2 mm (two coats) · bonding/Hardwall 2.5–3 m² at 11 mm · render 50 kg ~2.5 m² at 10 mm · PVA 5 L 10–20 m² | Trade2Base |
| Bag prices (T2B) | finish £12–£16 · browning £10–£14 · bonding £11–£15 · PVA 5 L £8–£14 · scrim £4–£8 · board £8–£12 · room materials £30–£80 | Trade2Base |
| Multi-Finish (Wickes) | £11.25 a 25 kg bag · 10 m² at 2 mm · sets in about 1.5 h | Wickes |
| Bags per day (Quality Plastering) | about 10 m² a bag; best plasterers 18 bags a day, slowest 3 | Quality Plastering Nottingham |
| Prep items (BookaBuilder) | PVA 5 L £10–£20 · angle beads £2–£5 · boards £10–£15 · wallpaper strip & prep £150–£600 | BookaBuilderUK |
Artex
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Artex by method (T2B) | skim over £15–£25/m² (£200–£450 a ceiling) · overboard & skim £25–£40/m² · remove & re-skim £30–£50/m² | Trade2Base |
| Asbestos (T2B) | sample test £50–£100 · specialist removal hundreds to low thousands per ceiling | Trade2Base |
| Artex removal (Checkatrade) | steam £15.45/m² · chemical £22.60–£32.54/m² · plaster over £9.65–£31.71/m² · asbestos survey £250–£350 | Checkatrade |
| Whole-house artex (T2B) | 7 ceilings, about 75 m², skim-over £1,800–£3,200, two-person team about a week | Trade2Base |
Repairs
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Patches (MyJobQuote) | patch £100–£300 · single wall £250–£400 | MyJobQuote |
| Holes (Checkatrade) | small crack about £100 · foot-sized hole £120+ · board patch about £120 | Checkatrade |
Coving
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Coving per metre (MyJobQuote) | polystyrene £5–£20 · polyurethane £10–£40 · plaster £25–£60 · wood/MDF £15–£65 | MyJobQuote |
| Coving per room (MyJobQuote) | polyurethane £130–£210 · standard £250–£450 · bespoke £750–£1,250 · ½–1 day small room | MyJobQuote |
| Coving labour (T2B) | plaster £8–£15/m labour · polystyrene £3–£6/m · 14 m room £112–£210 plaster | Trade2Base |
Render
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Render per m² (T2B) | sand & cement £40–£70 · monocouche £50–£90 · silicone £55–£100 · K-Rend £55–£95 · pebbledash £45–£75 · lime £70–£120 · EWI £100–£180 | Trade2Base |
| Render extras (T2B) | masonry paint £8–£15/m² · hack off +£10–£25/m² · labour 60–70%, materials 30–40% | Trade2Base |
| Scaffold (T2B render) | 2-storey terrace £600–£1,200 · semi £900–£1,800 · detached £1,500–£3,500+ | Trade2Base |
| Cement render (MyJobQuote) | £30–£50/m² · terrace £2,650–£4,400 (3–4 days) · semi £3,900–£4,850 (5 days) · detached £5,950–£7,450 (8 days) | MyJobQuote |
| Render removal (MyJobQuote) | terrace £1,500–£3,000 (1 day) · semi £3,000–£5,000 (2 days) · crack repairs £15–£30/m² · 4–6 weeks drying | MyJobQuote |
| Monocouche (Checkatrade) | £55–£75/m², about £65 average; lasts 10+ years | Checkatrade |
| Lime render (MyJobQuote) | £60–£100/m² · coats 3 mm, 15 mm, 10 mm with 1–7 days curing · repairs £100–£350 a patch | MyJobQuote |
Specialist
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Specialist finishes (T2B) | Venetian £50–£120/m² · microcement £60–£100 · clay £30–£60 · lime +30–50% | Trade2Base |
| Lath and plaster (squote) | ceiling £100–£180/m² (laths sound), £250–£450 re-lath · wall £80–£140, £180–£320 re-lath · listed £200–£400 | squote |
| Lime materials (squote) | haired lime £45–£70 per 25 kg · putty £35–£60 · coats cure 7–14 days · 4–6 weeks to paint | squote |
Compliance
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 25% rule (LABC) | rendering 25% or more of the walls is renovating a thermal element: insulation and a building regs application | LABC Front Door |
| 25% rule (Wales) | re-rendering, re-plastering or re-lining 25%+ of an external wall: regs normally apply | GOV.WALES |
| Dust (HSE) | plastering, sanding and hacking off make fine dust: control at source, then RPE | HSE |
| Scaffold weeks (T2B) | scaffold is priced by the week; 2–3 weeks for most render jobs | Trade2Base |
| Asbestos (HSE) | textured coatings are usually non-licensed work but still need trained, controlled removal | HSE |
| Listed buildings (Historic England) | altering a listed building in a way that affects its character needs consent; ask the conservation officer | Historic England |
| Scotland | building standards: warrants for insulation work set by the council verifier | Scottish Government |
Waste
| What | 2026 figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Skip hire | 8-yard skip about £331 (UK index) | Rent-a-Skip |
| Scaffold for ceilings (HSE) | stairwells and voids: towers or platforms, not ladders | HSE |
Prep that changes the price
| Condition | How you spot it | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Blown or hollow plaster | Tap the walls: any plaster sound hollow or move? | Cut out and re-bond blown areas (£100–£300, only if found) |
| Damp or salts | Moisture meter: damp readings or white salts? | Don't plaster over live damp: find and fix the cause first |
| Wallpaper on the walls | Photo: wallpaper, woodchip or lining paper, seams, patterned paper | Strip wallpaper and scrape back |
| Lath and plaster | Lath and plaster (timber laths, hairy lime behind)? | Lath and plaster: bond the old lime first; gypsum over lime can fail if the lime is loose |
| Artex or textured coating | Photo: swirl, stipple, comb or popcorn texture on ceiling or walls | Knock off artex peaks, seal with PVA/grit primer. Textured coating: skim over it; test for asbestos before sanding or scraping (pre-2000) |
| Polystyrene ceiling tiles | Photo: square polystyrene tiles on the ceiling | |
| Sagging or cracked ceiling | Does the ceiling move when pushed or sag in the middle? | Take down and overboard the loose area (£200–£600, only if found). Loose ceiling: take down or overboard; skim alone will not hold it |
| Sockets and switches on the walls | Photo: sockets, switches, light switches on the walls | Isolate and loosen faceplates before plastering; an electrician refits if boxes need moving |
| Hollow or cracked render | Tap the render: hollow, cracked or bulging areas? | Cut out and patch loose render (£100–£350, only if found) |
Materials price list (38 items)
What the materials cost at UK merchants right now: the cheapest like-for-like, the middle of the range and a premium pick, each linked to the listing. Prices ex VAT, checked 27/09/2026.
Plaster, beads & coving
Plasterboard, drylining & insulation
Render & masonry finishes
Tools
| Item | Budget | Trade | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plastering trowel 14in each · Finishing trowel | £14.16 Magnusson Cement Finishing Trowel 14" x 4" Screwfix | £36.66 OX Pro Ultra Flex Finishing Trowel 14" x 4 1/4" Screwfix | £54.16 Refina Superflex2 Plastering Trowel 14" x 4 1/2" Screwfix |
| Plasterer's hawk each · Carries plaster to the wall | £8.32 Essentials Plastic Plasterers Hawk 13" x 13" Screwfix | £17.49 300mm x 300mm Aluminium Plastering Hawk with Detachable Handle for Eas B&Q | £26.00 Faithfull Mill Finish Alloy Plasterer's Hawk 300 X 300mm (12 X 12 B&Q |
| Mixing paddle each · Mixes plaster in the bucket | £5.83 Erbauer Hex Shank Mixing Paddle 80mm x 400mm Screwfix | £11.66 Erbauer Hex Shank Mixer Paddle 120mm x 600mm Screwfix | £14.16 Erbauer Threaded Shank Mixer Paddle 140mm x 600mm Screwfix |
| Flexi tub each · Mixing and water | £6.23 Red Gorilla Polyethylene Tub Black 38Ltr Screwfix | £8.57 Red Gorilla Polyethylene Tub Yellow 38Ltr Screwfix | £15.83 Red Gorilla Polyethylene Tub Black 75Ltr Screwfix |
Sealants, fixings & consumables
| Item | Budget | Trade | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dust sheets / polythene pack · Protects floors and furniture | £3.74 LickTools Polyethylene Dust Sheet 3.65m x 3.65m Screwfix | £9.16 Cotton Twill Dust Sheet 12' x 9' Screwfix | £15.83 Fortress Trade Cotton Dust Sheet 12' x 12' Screwfix |
Collected from Screwfix, B&Q, Roofing Superstore and other merchants' public listings. Prices change; trade accounts are often cheaper.
How to price a plastering job
1
Measure it right
Measure every surface, take off doors and windows, and add waste for cuts and pattern.
2
Ask what changes it
Walls now. These move the price more than anything else.
3
Check it against the market
Compare your price with the band. Outside it by 20%? Recheck the prep and your rates, or explain the difference to the customer.
Regulations to flag
- UK: Pre-2000 textured coatings (Artex) may contain asbestos: test before sanding, scraping or removing; skimming over seals it
- UK: Hacking off, mixing and sanding make fine dust: damp down, extract and wear FFP3 masks (COSHH)
- UK: Work at Height Regulations: scaffold or towers for render and stairwells
- England: Re-rendering, re-plastering or dry lining 25% or more of an external wall is a renovation of a thermal element: building regs apply and insulation usually has to be improved
- England: Approved Document L: thermal board or EWI must meet the renovation U-value
- England: Listed buildings: altering historic fabric (lime plaster, lath) can need listed building consent
- Wales: Re-rendering or re-plastering 25% or more of an external wall: building regulations normally apply and insulation must be improved
- Scotland: Adding insulation (thermal board or external wall insulation) can need a building warrant: check with the council
Questions
How much does a plasterer charge per day in the UK in 2026?
Day rates (T2B pricing): England & Wales £150–£250 · London & SE £180–£280 · Scotland & North £130–£220 (labour only) (Trade2Base). London and the South East run higher; the North, Wales and Scotland run lower.
How much does skim walls cost in 2026?
The researched UK market band is £15–£30/m² (total, ex VAT), before regional adjustment. Grafto's worked example comes to about £472 for the trade-choice option.
How much does skim a ceiling cost in 2026?
The researched UK market band is £18–£45/m² (total, ex VAT), before regional adjustment. Grafto's worked example comes to about £300 for the trade-choice option.
How much does skim a room (walls and ceiling) cost in 2026?
The researched UK market band is small bedroom: £450–£650/room · double bedroom: £600–£850/room · living room: £850–£1,150/room · bathroom: £300–£500/room (total, ex VAT), before regional adjustment. Grafto's worked example comes to about £774 for the trade-choice option.
How much does skim a whole house cost in 2026?
The researched UK market band is 2-bed: £2,600–£4,200/house · 3-bed: £3,500–£5,500/house · 4-bed: £4,500–£6,500/house (total, ex VAT), before regional adjustment. Grafto's worked example comes to about £4,357 for the trade-choice option.
How do I price a plastering job?
Measure it, answer the questions that change the price (substrate, size, access), list the prep you can see, then work out labour days from realistic output, materials with waste, travel and a contingency. Grafto does this in under a minute and checks the result against the market band.
Sources
- Plastering pricing guide UK: day rates, skim costs and rendering prices — Trade2Base, checked 2026-09-27
- Plastering costs UK: skim coat, full plaster, artex removal and coving — Trade2Base, checked 2026-09-27
- Plasterboard installation costs UK: stud wall, dry lining and ceilings — Trade2Base, checked 2026-09-27
- Rendering costs UK: sand & cement, silicone and K-Rend — Trade2Base, checked 2026-09-27
- Artex removal costs UK: remove or cover textured ceilings — Trade2Base, checked 2026-09-27
- Scaffolding hire costs UK — Trade2Base, checked 2026-09-27
- Cost to plaster a room — Checkatrade, checked 2026-09-27
- Cost to skim a room: pricing breakdown — Checkatrade, checked 2026-09-27
- Costs to repair a hole in plasterboard — Checkatrade, checked 2026-09-27
- Artex removal cost — Checkatrade, checked 2026-09-27
- Cost of monocouche rendering — Checkatrade, checked 2026-09-27
- Cost of plastering explained — MyBuilder, checked 2026-09-27
- Plasterboard installation costs — MyBuilder, checked 2026-09-27
- How much to plaster a ceiling? — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- How much to plaster a room? — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- Coving installation cost — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- Cement render cost guide — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- Lime render cost — MyJobQuote, checked 2026-09-27
- Cost to plaster a room UK 2026: skimming rates and prep — BookaBuilderUK, checked 2026-09-27
- How many rooms can a plasterer do in a day? — Quality Plastering Nottingham, checked 2026-09-27
- Lath and plaster repair costs UK — squote, checked 2026-09-27
- Thistle HardWall product data sheet — British Gypsum, checked 2026-09-27
- British Gypsum Thistle Multi Finish Plaster 25kg — Wickes, checked 2026-09-27
- Will I need building regulations approval for rendering my external walls? — LABC Front Door, checked 2026-09-27
- Approved Document L: conservation of fuel and power — GOV.UK, checked 2026-09-27
- Building regulations: external walls — GOV.WALES, checked 2026-09-27
- Building standards — Scottish Government, checked 2026-09-27
- Asbestos: what you need to know — HSE, checked 2026-09-27
- Construction dust: frequently asked questions — HSE, checked 2026-09-27
- Working at height — HSE, checked 2026-09-27
- Listed building consent — Historic England, checked 2026-09-27
- Skip hire price index 2026 — Rent-a-Skip, checked 2026-09-25