The Short Answer
On our estimates, skimming a typical room costs about £400 to £700, or £15 to £30 per m². A full replaster, where the old plaster comes off and two new coats go on, is £30 to £55 per m²: about £600 to £1,100 for a small room and £900 to £1,900 for a large one.
Skimming a small room is usually a day's work. Then give it time to dry: Screwfix's guide says most plasterers allow 3 days to a week before you paint, with a thinned mist coat first.
Plastering prices
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Skim, per m² | £15 to £30 |
| Full replaster, per m² | £30 to £55 |
| Skim a typical room | £400 to £700 |
| Replaster a small room | £600 to £1,100 |
| Replaster a large room | £900 to £1,900 |
| Patch repair | £100 to £300 |
| Replaster a three-bed semi throughout | £3,500 to £5,500 |
| Plasterer, per day | £180 to £350 |
Skim or replaster?
Skimming is a thin finishing coat over existing plaster or plasterboard that's still sound, to give a smooth surface ready to paint. Replastering means a base coat and a finishing coat on bare walls, after the old plaster comes off.
Skimming is faster and cheaper, but if the walls are cracked or uneven, a full replaster will last longer. I'd skim where the old plaster is firmly stuck and only cosmetic; where it's hollow, crumbling or badly cracked, skimming over it is money spent twice.
What a quote should include
Most domestic plastering is quoted as a fixed price. It usually covers:
- labour and standard materials, often including plaster, PVA and corner beads;
- basic preparation, including minor cracks;
- removing old plaster that can't be plastered over.
And usually not: scaffolding for high rooms, decorating afterwards, extensive wall repairs, or taking the rubble away. New plasterboard and bonding coats can be extra too. I'd ask for the ceiling to be priced at the same time, and for the quote to say what's in and out.
How long it takes, and drying
We estimate a small room at a day, a medium room at 1 to 2 days and a large room at 2 to 3 days; a patch repair is 2 to 4 hours.
Then the plaster has to dry. Screwfix's guide says the tried and tested rule is up to 4 weeks for complete dryness, though most plasterers will tell you 3 days to a week is usually enough. Wait until it's turned an even pale pink: dark brown patches mean it's still wet, and drying is slower in the damp months. Start with a mist coat (paint thinned with water) so the paint sticks; paint too soon and it can crack, flake and peel. See decorating costs.
Old textured ceilings
The Health and Safety Executive says textured decorative coatings, often known by the trade name Artex, can contain asbestos, and any building put up or refurbished before 2000 may contain it somewhere. Working on them is classed as low-risk, non-licensed work for people trained to recognise asbestos, but if you think you've found it, stop and follow HSE's guidance. I'd have an old textured ceiling tested before anyone sands or scrapes it.
Get plastering quotes
Plastering is priced by the area and whether the walls need a skim or a full replaster.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to plaster a room?
On our estimates, about £400 to £700 to skim a typical room, or £600 to £1,100 to fully replaster a small room.
How do I calculate plastering costs?
Measure the wall and ceiling area in m² and multiply: about £15 to £30 per m² to skim, or £30 to £55 per m² for a full replaster, on our estimates.
Is skimming a wall cheaper than plastering?
Yes. Skimming is a thin coat over sound plaster, so it's faster and cheaper. A full replaster costs more but lasts longer on cracked or uneven walls.
How much does a plasterer charge per day?
About £180 to £350 on our estimates, with London and the South East at the top.
How long should plaster dry before painting?
Screwfix's guide says most plasterers allow 3 days to a week, and its rule of thumb for full dryness is up to 4 weeks. Wait until it's an even pale pink, then use a mist coat.
How we priced thisView sources (3, 2 official)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- IndustryHow long after plastering can you paint?, Screwfix. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- OfficialLocations of asbestos and taking the right action, Health and Safety Executive. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- OfficialDiagrams showing where asbestos can occur in buildings, Health and Safety Executive. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
