How Much Does It Cost to Plaster a Room in London? (2026)

Last updated: 4 July 2026

Skimming a standard room in London costs about £450 to £750 in 2026, covering the walls over sound existing plaster. A ceiling on its own is roughly £150 to £350, a full hack-off and re-plaster is about £700 to £1,400 or more, and plasterboarding a wall then skimming it runs around £600 to £1,200. Most of the price is labour, and the single biggest swing is whether your old plaster can simply be skimmed over or has to be removed and built back up first. London plasterer day rates sit around £250 to £350, above the national average.

These are typical figures from current UK trade cost guides rather than a single audited survey, because no government or consumer body publishes plastering-specific prices. Treat them as a realistic starting range, then get a written quote for your actual room. This guide breaks the prices down by scenario, explains what pushes the cost up or down, sets out how VAT works, and shows you how to get a fair quote from a trusted local plasterer.

A quick answer: plastering prices in London (2026)

Job	Typical London range (2026)
Skim over sound plaster (walls, standard room)	£450 to £750
Skim a ceiling only	£150 to £350
Hack off and re-plaster (backing coat plus skim)	£700 to £1,400 or more
Plasterboard a wall, then skim	£600 to £1,200
Plasterer day rate	£250 to £350
Skimming labour and materials	£15 to £25 per square metre

These ranges are drawn from current UK trade cost guides [5][6][7], with London figures sitting above the national average. London and the South East consistently run around 20 to 40 per cent higher than the UK average for building trades, because labour costs more here and daily charges such as the Congestion Charge, ULEZ and paid parking get built into day rates.

The spread within each row is wide for a reason. A single thin skim coat over flat, sound plaster sits near the bottom, while a room that needs the old plaster hacked off, a backing coat and a fresh skim sits near the top.

What a fair plastering quote should include

Before you accept a plastering quote in London, check that it sets out the following. This is the most useful list to have in hand when you compare plasterers:

• A fixed total price, not just a day rate. A written quote is binding once you accept it, whereas an estimate is only an informed guess and can rise [3].
• A clear scope. Skim only, or hack off and re-plaster? Walls, ceiling, or both? How many coats, and what finish?
• The prep and hack-off work. Whether old plaster is being removed, and how much, since this is the difference between a cheap job and an expensive one.
• Whether VAT is included. Most plastering is standard-rated at 20 per cent, but only if the plasterer is VAT-registered, so check you are comparing like with like [1].
• Materials. Plaster, beading, plasterboard and PVA, and whether you or the plasterer is supplying them.
• Waste disposal. Whether skip hire or rubble removal is included, which matters most on hack-off jobs.
• Making good and protection. Sealing edges, protecting floors and furniture, and clearing up at the end.
• How long the price is valid and the circumstances in which it could change [3].

As a rule of thumb, get at least three written quotes for the same scope of work, be wary of anyone who will not put a price in writing, and treat a quote far below the others as a warning sign rather than a bargain [3]. TrustMark, the Government-Endorsed Quality scheme, also advises checking a trader's qualifications, references, insurance and any guarantee before you commit [4].

What affects the cost of plastering a room

Most of the bill is labour, and the main factors that move it are:

• Room size and ceiling height. More surface area in square metres means more time and more plaster. High ceilings, common in Victorian and Edwardian London homes, can also need access equipment.
• Condition of the existing surface. Sound, flat plaster can simply be skimmed. Cracked, damp, uneven or hollow-sounding plaster has to be hacked off and built back up with a backing coat first, which roughly doubles the job.
• Number of coats. A skim is a single thin finish coat. Re-plastering needs a backing coat (browning or bonding) as well, which is thicker and slower.
• Corners, reveals and coving. Internal and external corners, window reveals and decorative coving add labour out of proportion to their size and are a common cause of quote variance.
• Access and waste removal. Flats above ground level, stairwells and restricted parking all add time, and hacking off old plaster creates rubble that needs a skip or licensed disposal. London skip permits for pavement placement need a borough permit, adding cost and lead time.
• Who supplies materials. A plasterer supplying materials usually marks them up. Supplying your own plasterboard and beading can save money if you buy the right specification.
• The London premium. Higher labour rates and daily charges such as ULEZ, the Congestion Charge and parking are passed through into London day rates.

Plasterer day rates in London

A London plasterer typically charges around £250 to £350 a day in 2026, against a national average nearer £150 to £250, according to current trade cost guides [5][6]. At the very top of the London market some general builders quote higher still, but plastering work clusters in that £250 to £350 band.

Most plasterers quote a fixed price for the whole job rather than charging by the day, which is usually better for you because the risk of an overrun sits with them. Even so, the day rate is a useful sanity check. A straightforward skim of a standard room is often one day of work, so a quote that implies a much higher daily figure is worth questioning.

Cost to plaster a room by scenario

The right way to think about plastering cost is by scenario, because the same room can cost £450 or £1,400 depending on what has to happen to the walls.

• Skim over sound plaster (£450 to £750). If the existing plaster is flat, firm and sound, a plasterer can trowel a thin finish coat straight over it. This is the cheapest and quickest case for a standard room, usually a single day [5].
• Skim a ceiling only (£150 to £350). A ceiling on its own sits at the lower end because it is a smaller area, though working overhead is slower per square metre and a ceiling that needs boarding out first will cost more [5].
• Hack off and re-plaster (£700 to £1,400 or more). When plaster is blown, cracked, damp-damaged or badly uneven, it is removed back to the brick, a backing coat is applied to build up and level the surface, and a skim finishes it. Small rooms sit at the low end, larger or poor-condition rooms above it [5][6].
• Plasterboard, then skim (£600 to £1,200). For a new stud wall, or to dry-line and insulate an old cold wall, plasterboard is fixed and then skimmed. This is often quicker than hacking off and can be similarly priced [5].

If you prefer to think in square metres, skimming labour and materials commonly work out to about £15 to £25 per square metre in London, with the lower figure for large, smooth, easy-access walls and the higher figure for small, awkward rooms [5].

Skim, re-plaster, or just patch and fill?

The cheapest job is the one you do not need to do. Small cracks, screw holes and minor surface damage on otherwise sound, flat plaster can usually be filled and sanded rather than plastered at all.

Re-plastering is worth paying for when the plaster is hollow-sounding (blown), extensively cracked, crumbling, damp-damaged or too uneven to skim over cleanly, because patching will not fix an unstable surface underneath. If the wall is basically sound but tired, a skim over the top gives a fresh, smooth finish for far less than a full hack-off. A good plasterer will tap the walls and tell you honestly which of the three you actually need.

Drying time: when can you paint new plaster?

Plaster sets (turns touch-dry) within a few hours, but it is not ready to paint until it has fully dried out. As a rough guide, allow five to seven days in a warm, well-ventilated room, and up to two to four weeks in cold, damp or poorly ventilated conditions. Judge by colour rather than the calendar: fully dry plaster is an even, pale, chalky tone with no darker damp patches.

When it is dry, seal it with a mist coat (matt emulsion watered down, roughly 70 per cent paint to 30 per cent water) before the full topcoats. Do not use undiluted paint or PVA straight onto fresh plaster, as sealing the surface can cause the paint to peel. This drying time affects your project timeline, not the plastering price itself, but it is worth planning for if you have a decorator booked to follow on.

Do you pay VAT on plastering in London?

Most domestic plastering is charged at the standard 20 per cent VAT rate. Gov.uk is explicit that VAT for most work on houses and flats by builders and similar trades, naming plasterers specifically, is charged at the standard rate of 20 per cent [1]. A reduced 5 per cent rate applies only in narrow cases, such as certain energy-saving work or homes that have been empty for two years or more, and does not cover routine plastering.

There is a catch worth knowing: VAT is only added if the plasterer is VAT-registered, which is compulsory only once a business turns over more than £90,000 a year [2]. Many sole-trader plasterers sit below that threshold and do not charge VAT at all, which can make a smaller trader noticeably cheaper than a larger firm for the same work. The practical lesson is simple: always check whether a quoted price includes or excludes VAT, so that you are comparing like with like.

Finding a trusted plasterer in London

The finish you get depends far more on the plasterer than on the plaster. A skilled professional who preps properly leaves a flat, smooth surface that decorates beautifully, while a rushed job over poor preparation shows through the paint within months.

Search for a trusted local plasterer near you on loacally to compare verified local tradespeople, read reviews and request quotes from plasterers in your borough. If you would like more help choosing, our guide on how to find a trusted tradesperson in London walks through the checks that matter. Planning to paint once the plaster is dry? See our guide to the cost to decorate a room in London, and if this is part of a bigger project, our bathroom renovation cost guide sets out how the trades fit together.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to skim a room in London? Skimming a standard London room over sound existing plaster typically costs about £450 to £750 in 2026, based on current UK trade cost guides. London plasterers charge a premium, with day rates around £250 to £350, because of higher living costs, competition for skilled trades, and charges like ULEZ, the Congestion Charge and parking that get built into quotes.

Is it cheaper to plasterboard or re-plaster a wall? Plasterboarding a wall then skimming it, at roughly £600 to £1,200 for a room in London, is often quicker and can be similarly priced to a full hack-off and re-plaster at about £700 to £1,400 or more. The right choice depends on the wall's condition, whether you want to add insulation, and whether any wiring needs burying first.

How long does plaster take to dry before painting? A thin skim sets within a few hours but needs several days to weeks to dry fully before painting. Allow five to seven days in a warm, well-ventilated room, and up to two to four weeks in cold or poorly ventilated conditions. Judge by colour: dry plaster is an even, pale, chalky tone.

Do I need to re-plaster, or can I just fill and patch? Small cracks, nail holes and minor surface damage on sound, flat plaster can usually be filled and sanded rather than re-plastered. Re-plastering is needed when plaster is hollow-sounding, extensively cracked, crumbling, damp-damaged or badly uneven, because patching will not fix an unstable surface underneath.

How long does it take to plaster a room? A straightforward skim over sound plaster in a standard room usually takes a plasterer one day. A full hack-off and re-plaster, with a backing coat and a skim, typically takes one to two days of labour, plus several days to weeks of drying time before the room can be decorated.

Sources

1. Gov.uk - VAT for builders: houses and flats - https://www.gov.uk/vat-builders - checked July 2026.
2. Gov.uk - Register for VAT - https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat - checked July 2026.
3. Citizens Advice - Before you get building work done - https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/ - checked July 2026.
4. TrustMark - Tips for finding a good tradesperson - https://www.trustmark.org.uk/homeowners/tips-for-finding-a-tradesperson - updated 23 October 2025.
5. Checkatrade - Cost to plaster a room (UK market cost guide, used for price context only) - https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/cost-plaster-room/ - 2026.
6. MyBuilder - Cost of plastering (UK market cost guide, used for price context only) - https://www.mybuilder.com/plastering-rendering/price-guides/cost-of-plastering - 2026.
7. Rated People - How much does plastering cost? (UK market cost guide, used for price context only) - https://www.ratedpeople.com/blog/plastering-price-guide-how-much-does-plastering-cost - 2026.
8. Screwfix - How long does plaster take to dry? - https://www.screwfix.com/guides/building-doors/plastering/how-long-does-plaster-take-to-dry - checked July 2026.