Price of Ceiling Plastering

Do you want to know how much it would cost to have a plaster ceiling installed?

If the plaster on your walls or ceiling is cracked, it's time to re-plaster them.

Let's get started...

Plastering a ceiling typically costs between £250 and £300. The cost, however, will be determined by the size of the ceiling and the method used, with the aforementioned price only being an average.

Having old or damaged plaster replaced will give you a fresh and smooth new look, giving you more decorating options.

Plasterboard would cost around £400 to £500 to apply to a ceiling for a small ceiling, £550 to £700 for a medium ceiling, and £800 to £1,000 for a large ceiling.

In the case of wet plaster, you should budget around £200 to £400 for a small ceiling, £300 to £450 for a medium ceiling, and £450 to £750 for a large ceiling.

So, what about the overall cost?

The total fee will be determined by a number of factors, including:

• Ceiling height
• Ceiling state
• Location
• The number of tradespeople employed
• Materials
• The location of the property
• Simple access

Plaster Ceiling Price

The expenses involved in purchasing the necessary materials are listed below (we exclude labor costs and other expenses such as waste removal from this section).

Of course, these costs are especially important for those who want to do this work themselves.

Plasterboard, for example, ranges in price from £5 to £55 per board. It is unlikely to fall outside of this range, but the price will be heavily influenced by the quality, as with other materials.

In that regard, undercoat plaster costs around £0 The price of multi-finish plaster ranges from 50 to £1 per kg. 30 to £0 40 per kg, while finish plaster costs £0 70 to £0 In most cases, the price per kg is .

How Much Does Ceiling Plastering Cost Extra?

Additional fees may be incurred, as with any work. Let's look at some common scenarios that may arise when having a ceiling plastered.

Additional Plastering

You might want to have more than the ceiling plastered. Plastering costs vary greatly depending on the type of job, from a single wall to a decorative plastering ceiling.

Here are some typical examples:

• Plastering a wall costs between £150 and £250.
• Plastering two walls costs between £300 and £500.
• Plastering an entire room costs between £300 and £900.
• Plaster ceiling roses cost between £150 and £400.

Room Painting

Once the plaster on the ceiling or/and walls has dried (depending on which jobs you chose), you may want to hire professionals to paint and decorate the interior. Notably, there are plaster ceiling paint products on the market that are recommended.

Here are some typical prices for painting a room:

• £180 to £300 for painting a small room
• Painting a medium-sized room costs between £350 and £550.
• Painting a large room costs between £600 and £800.

Popular decoration prices:

• New skirting boards range in price from £15 to £26 per square metre.
• Internal cladding costs between £13 and £23 per square metre.
• Hanging wallpaper costs between £180 and £600 per roll, or between £16 and £160 per roll.

Minimum Charge

Some contractors may charge a flat rate. This could be a one-day minimum charge or a fixed fee that is automatically added to the total.

Ceiling Dimensions

Another important factor to consider is the size of the ceiling. The larger the ceiling, the more work that will be required (and thus the higher the labor cost) and the higher the material costs may be; all of this would result in a higher cost for a larger ceiling.

Ceiling Condition

The condition of the ceiling also has an impact on the total cost. This is because a more worn-down ceiling may require more work before it can be plastered, whereas a good-looking ceiling would not.

Hired Number of Tradespeople

The number of laborers hired may or may not be significant. Obviously, the more tradespeople you hire, the higher the hourly labor rate will be; however, if they work well together as a team, the time it takes to complete the work may be cut in half, canceling out the above factor.  

That said, this may or may not occur, and if the team works particularly well together, you may even save money by hiring a team rather than a single person. All of that being said, in most cases, this is a one-person job.

Duration

The time it takes to plaster a ceiling will also have an impact on the total cost (assuming the plasterer charges by the hour). If there is a daily labor cost, this may not matter, and if there is a set fee for the work, duration will be irrelevant to the price tag.

Plastering a Ceiling Tradesman Costs

We'll now focus on labor costs in particular. These do not include the cost of supplies or waste removal.

In most cases, the pricing is straightforward: a laborer will charge a daily rate of around £125 to £175. Having said that, the price may rise to around £175 to £225 if the plastering proves to be more difficult than it would be in most cases.

How Much Time Does It Take to Plaster a Ceiling?

We'll now look at the time requirements for plastering a ceiling.

Plastering a ceiling takes about a day on average, but the time can vary depending on a variety of factors such as the size of the ceiling, ease of access, number of tradespeople hired, and the condition of the ceiling.

The work itself may take 4-8 hours, but preparation should take only a fraction of that time.

Ceiling Plaster Types

As one might expect, there are numerous types of ceiling plaster on the market, with design typically serving as the deciding factor. Let's look at some examples.

Prices may vary, but in general, they will be the same as listed in the first section because we are discussing design differences with similar material costs.

The Price of Lime and Gypsum Plaster

Many older homes have this type of ceiling, but it may still appeal to you due to its retro design. For improved frit and durability, this type of plaster was frequently mixed with sand, animal hair, and even hay.

Its properties, however, have evolved over time. Many people now prefer gypsum prefab sheet rock instead.

Pros

Cons

• Not common nowadays
• Difficult to obtain

Cost of Popcorn Ceilings

These ceilings are a type of spray-on plaster that is combined with a material such as foam or plastic; they are also excellent noise insulators.

The 'popcorn' appearance is caused by the fact that these ceilings are not smoothed out after installation.

Pros

• Aesthetics may be your cup of tea.

Cons

• Not as prevalent
• A little out of date

Cost of a Skip Trowel

This ceiling design is created by moving a drywall trowel across the ceiling with jumps and gaps. The trowel is used to apply very small amounts of joint compound.

As a result, compound peaks are formed that can be knocked away to create a specific texture. This method is also effective for sound insulation.

Pros

Cons

• It can be challenging to pull off.
• It could take a long time to complete.

The Benefits of Plastering a Ceiling

As with any trade, there are some benefits to consider. Let's take a look at the advantages of ceiling plastering.

It prevents cracking.

Plastering a ceiling can repair cracks and reduce the risk of leaks. Before plastering the ceiling, cracks will be patched and sanded over by the contractor prior to the start of work. Plastering a ceiling can protect the surface and prevent cracks from forming in the long run.

Smoother Appearance

Plastering ceilings has the advantage of leaving a fairly smooth appearance, which only adds to the aesthetic quality of a room. This is an excellent match if the walls in the room have already been plastered; of course, you could have the entire room plastered at the same time.

Plastering removal is likely to take a few hours and cost between £50 and £100, depending on labor costs. Of course, this is a rough estimate, and various factors can come into play, as is the case with plastering a ceiling in the first place.

You may want to have plastering removed from a ceiling if you want to replace it with something else, or you may want to have it removed before adding fresh plaster.

FAQs

Q: How do you repair ceiling plaster cracks?

A: This is easily solved by using the appropriate product. Most plasterers prefer lath-and-plaster.

Q: Can plasterboard be installed over ceiling plaster?

A: This is entirely possible, but you must take a very specific approach and take the necessary steps. For example, before you begin working, you must be able to locate the joists. This is a two-person job.

Q: How long does plaster typically last?

A: Assuming that the surfaces were properly prepared before application, you can expect plastering to last for about 15-20 years, depending on factors such as how well the surface is maintained.

Q: How long does it take for plaster to dry before applying a second coat?

A: In most cases, you should wait 15-20 minutes between coats, but this will vary depending on the product. In such cases, it is always best to follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Q: How long after plastering a wall can I polish it?

A: In most cases, you'd want to wait 30-40 minutes after plastering before polishing a wall.

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