How to pick a plasterer

Let’s face it, most of us don’t have the first clue about plastering, although that doesn’t stop many of us ‘having a go’ ourselves. Our advice? Don’t do that. If you have a DIY job you’re trying to save money on, you may be tempted to do much of it yourself.

There are plenty of places you can try your hand, but plastering is one job you really don’t want to get wrong, no matter how easy you think it looks. Remember, those are skilled craftsmen you are watching on YouTube; they’ve spent years training to make it look that simple. Instead, here are a few things that will help you choose the right professional plasterer for your job.

• LEARN A LITTLE YOURSELF

You don’t need to sign up for classes or take up an apprenticeship, but learning a little about the different types of plastering will help you no end. Knowing the basics will help you to ask the right questions and, as a result, will help you choose the right plasterer for your job. A good place to start your research is online DIY forums where you can ask plasterers themselves about what skills are needed for different types of project.

• ASK HOW YOUR PLASTERER PLANS TO PREPARE FOR YOUR PROJECT

It’s important to ask how each tradesman plans to prepare your walls or ceilings. Anything can look OK when it’s first plastered, but how well the surface has been prepared will determine how long your well finished look will last. Bear in mind, the longer your plasterer plans to spend preparing your wall, the higher their cost will be. However, in the long run it’s well worth paying that little extra, particularly if you have an older home.

• ASK HOW THEY PLAN TO DO THE JOB

This is where learning a little about the job can help when asking questions. It’s worth asking your plasterer about the process itself. For example, some plasterers just apply one coat of skimming. This looks nice enough, but when you paint it you can see that there’s only one coat, and you can see
trowel-marks. So ask them how many coats of plaster they intend to put on.

• ASK ABOUT SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE

Some plasterers specialise in working with particular types of plaster, or working on specific areas of people’s homes. You might think all plasterers do much the same work, but there are some plasterers who can just skim, while there are others who can just render, so it’s really important to check. It’s best to choose a tradesman who has plenty of experience of doing your type of job.

• FIND OUT WHAT PREVIOUS CUSTOMERS THOUGHT

If you’re hiring for a large project, it’s likely a plasterer will be in your home for several days. It’s important to choose a tradesman who takes a tidy, professional approach to a job, and cleans up really well afterwards. Ask to view work the tradesman has done for previous customers, and if possible, speak to one of these customers yourself. Also, ask about qualifications.