How Much to Charge for Plastering in the UK
Pricing plastering work is tricky. Charge too much and you lose the job. Charge too little and you're working for minimum wage by the time you factor in materials and prep. Here's what UK plasterers are actually charging.
Average plastering day rates
Most self-employed plasterers in the UK charge between £200 and £350 per day, depending on location and experience:
- London and South East: £280–£350/day
- Midlands and North West: £220–£280/day
- Scotland, Wales, North East: £200–£260/day
These rates typically don't include materials. If you're supplying materials, add 15–25% to your quote.
Per room pricing
Many plasterers quote per room rather than by the day. Here are typical trade rates:
| Job | Typical Price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Skim small room (10–12m²) | £350–£500 | 1 day |
| Skim medium room (15–18m²) | £500–£700 | 1–1.5 days |
| Skim large room (20–25m²) | £700–£950 | 1.5–2 days |
| Full re-plaster small room | £600–£800 | 1.5–2 days |
| Ceiling skim (standard room) | £250–£400 | 0.5–1 day |
| Plasterboard and skim (per m²) | £25–£40 | Varies |
Per square metre rates
- Skimming only: £15–£25 per m²
- Board and skim: £25–£40 per m²
- Dot and dab + skim: £30–£45 per m²
- External rendering: £40–£60 per m² (including materials)
How to price plastering jobs accurately
- Measure the walls - total square metres minus windows and doors
- Assess the condition - is it a clean skim over existing plaster or full re-board?
- Factor in prep time - PVA, scraping, filling, and protecting floors
- Add materials - plaster (roughly £8–12 per bag, covering ~3m² per bag for skim)
- Include your margin - don't forget to pay yourself properly
A more reliable way to send accurate plastering quotes is to keep your per-m² rates, room measurements, prep assumptions and material allowances in one repeatable quoting workflow. That makes each quote easier to check before the customer approves it.
Common pricing mistakes
- Not checking the walls first - old plaster might need stripping, which doubles the job
- Forgetting ceilings - customers assume ceilings are included unless you specify
- Underestimating prep - prep can be 30% of the total time
- Not charging for materials - always itemise materials separately