Cost to Skim a Room

Planning to skim a room in 2026?

Whether you are renovating one room or refreshing your whole home, this guide explains the latest UK skimming costs. Compare prices for walls and ceilings, find out what affects the total cost, and get free quotes from local plasterers.

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How Much Does It Cost to Skim a Room?

On average, it costs between £455 and £758 to skim a room in the UK. A small room, such as a bathroom, costs around £380, while a large living room costs approximately £860. Skimming a ceiling is usually priced separately and can add £180-£500 to the total.

Room Skimming Prices 2026

Prices used for this table are skimming: £15-£25 per m² and plastering: £30-£40 per m². The figures are calculated using the wall area.

A plasterer often charges according to their day rate. The average day rate for a plasterer is between £180 and £250, but the cost will be higher in London and the South East of England, where you might pay around £300 a day.

Skimming Costs: Supply Only

Labour makes up most of the cost of skimming a room, while the materials are relatively inexpensive. If you are purchasing the materials yourself, typical prices include:

• Plaster - £8.50-£15 per 25kg bag (a medium-sized room will need between 3 and 8 bags)
• PVA Bonding/Primer – £4-£8 (often sold in 2.5 litres and 5 litre containers)
• Beading - £2.50-£6 each
• Fixings, tape and accessories - £10-£35
• Excluding the cost of plaster, you should expect to pay between £30 and £70 for materials.

Labour Costs and Timescales – How Much Do Plasterers Charge to Skim a Room?

Most plasterers charge by the job rather than using a fixed hourly rate. However, quotes are generally based on how long the work will take, with average day rates ranging from £180-£250 and increasing to around £300 or more in London.

Typical Timeframes:

Your quote will reflect the condition of your walls. If repairs are needed, access is difficult, or the work is complex, the price will be higher than for a straightforward job.

How Long Does It Take for Plaster to Dry?

Fresh plaster usually takes between 3 and 7 days to dry before it can be decorated. The drying time depends on several factors:

• The type of plaster
• The room temperature (a well-ventilated room is better)
• The surface (brick or concrete takes longer to dry than plaster on plasterboard)
• Humidity – High humidity will slow down the drying process

The easiest way to tell if the plaster is drying is to observe the colour change. When plaster is wet, it is a dark brown colour, but as it begins to dry, it turns a pink or peach colour. Once the wall has this lighter shade all over it, it should be dry and ready to decorate.

What Affects the Cost of Skimming a Room?

There are several factors that affect the cost of skimming a room, and they include:

The Room Size

A larger room takes longer to plaster and uses more materials and will therefore cost more.

The Condition of the Existing Plaster

If your walls are in good condition, then the plastering work will be straightforward. But if the walls need repairs and cracked or loose plaster needs to be removed and replaced, then this will increase material and labour costs.

Whether Ceilings Are Included

To get a consistent appearance, many homeowners choose to have the ceiling skimmed along with the walls. This will be an additional re-skimming cost and can add between £180 and £500 onto an original quote.

Ceiling Height and Access

Increased labour costs can occur if access is difficult, there are high ceilings or awkward layouts to work around. A plasterer might need to use specialist equipment to work at height, which may mean additional costs.

Artex and Other Existing Textured Finishes

Artex was a highly popular wall and ceiling covering in the 1960s and 1970s, and even in the 1980s. Properties with Artex ceilings may contain asbestos, especially if it was applied before 1984.

Your plasterer may well advise you to leave the Artex in place and skim over the texture, rather than having it removed.

If you decide you want the Artex removed, then you need to use a company dealing with asbestos removal, and you may be looking at between £17 and £127 per m², depending on the method of removal.

Re-Skimming vs Plastering from Scratch

Skimming is applying a light coat of plaster onto a surface that is in good condition to make it smooth and flat. It’s a good way to refresh the walls of older properties or hide small cracks or dents.

Plastering from scratch is when the plaster is applied to bare blockwork or brick. A plasterer will apply a base coat before the plaster and then a finishing coat to complete the job. The cost of plastering from scratch is considerably more expensive than skimming because the work takes longer, and extra materials are required.

Additional Costs to Add to Your Budget

Your quote may only include the cost to skim walls and not the additional costs of any extra work that needs to be done before the plasterer can begin the skimming work. Typical additional costs to add to your budget include:

Wallpaper Removal

Wallpaper needs to be stripped before any skimming can be done. If you want the wallpaper removed, then you should expect to pay between £40 and £120 for a single wall or between £300 and £600 for a large room.

Ceiling Overboarding

If you decide to lay plasterboard over a damaged ceiling or one that is covered in Artex, the cost will be, on average, between £400 and £1,000.

Repairs to Damaged or Blown Plaster

Minor repairs to fix damaged or blown plaster will cost, on average, between £100 and £300, depending on how much work is needed.

Radiator Removal and Refitting

Any radiators will need to be moved to skim a wall completely. For a plumber to remove and refit the radiator, you should expect to pay between £80 and £250; costs may be higher in London.

Moving Furniture

Most plasterers will ask that the room they are working in be cleared before they arrive. If you know that you can’t move the furniture, ask the plasterer if they can add this to the quote.

Average costs are between £50 and £100, depending on the amount of furniture to be moved.

Waste Disposal

Skimming walls in good condition doesn’t accumulate too much waste. But if you have wallpaper or plaster removed, then you will need to remove and dispose of the waste. The plasterer might add this cost to the quote as an additional service, or you could hire a skip.

Hiring a small skip that holds around 30 bin bags will cost between £60 and £130.

What's Included in a Plasterer’s Quote?

When you are comparing quotes, check to see what is and isn’t included.

Normally included:

• Labour
• Materials
• Surface preparation
• Minor filling or patch repairs
• End of job basic clean-up

Not usually included:

• Wallpaper stripping
• Major repairs
• Radiator removal
• Furniture removal
• Waste disposal for large amounts of waste
• Decorating

Hiring a Plasterer vs DIY

Like most things, when you are watching a professional, the job looks easy. But skimming and plastering is a skill that takes time to learn. If you are competent at DIY, you may want to attempt skimming in low-visibility areas. For a quality finish on ceilings and walls, we recommend hiring a professional.

Tips to Keep Skimming Costs Down

Here are some ways you can keep the cost of skimming down:

• Strip wallpaper
• Remove heavy furniture and clear the room
• Have more than one room skimmed to combine costs
• Get at least 3 quotes for local plasterers

Checklist: Hiring a Plasterer Near You

Before you decide to hire a plasterer, use this checklist to ensure each quote contains the information you need to make the right decision.

• Get at least 3 written quotes so that you can compare the services offered and the price for the job.
• Ask the plasterer if they have a website or if they have company reviews on the internet that you can read.
• Reach out to family, friends and neighbours for recommendations
• Confirm the plasterer has public liability insurance
• Ask whether waste removal is included in the price
• Confirm that any additions you have requested, such as furniture removal, have been added
• Check when the work can start and the payment terms
• Ask if they guarantee the work

Make sure you receive the quote in writing and that it is fully itemised.

Should You Skim or Replaster?

Skimming is usually the best option when the existing plaster is firmly attached and only has minor cracks, dents or an uneven finish. A thin finishing coat can create a smooth surface without removing the original plaster.

Replastering is more suitable when the existing plaster is loose, crumbling, badly cracked or affected by damp. The damaged material may need to be removed before a new base coat and finishing coat are applied. This takes longer and costs more than skimming, but it provides a more reliable surface when the existing walls are in poor condition.

A plasterer can inspect the walls and advise which method is appropriate before providing a quote.

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