Cost to plaster a small extension

[Locoblade]

Hi all

Could anyone give me a rough idea how much it would cost to internally plaster a newly built single storey extension (walls and ceiling), it will be brick built, approx 5m x 2.5m in total with one internal dividing wall making it into a loo and utility room?

Ive had a price given to me as part of the quote from the builder who's doing the build, and they've quoted £1k+VAT to do that and some patching up of a rendered bit of the existing house that will be bricked up (about 1m x 1m).

Given that we had our entire lounge/dining room ceiling (inc coving) and two bedroom walls plastered for less than half that, it seemed quite expensive to me, but maybe I'm being optimistic?

 

[roy c]

Hi all.

Given that we had our entire lounge/dining room ceiling (inc coving) and two bedroom walls plastered for less than half that, it seemed quite expensive to me, but maybe I'm being optimistic?

Why don't you give them a ring and get a quote from them?

 

[Locoblade]

There's no extension there at the moment so they wouldnt be able to quote yet, so at the moment Im just after an idea.

 

[roy c]

Do what you are doing on here, give them the dimensions or the plans and they should be able to quote off plan....

 

[Locoblade]

Roy, I could do that yes, but as I'd be asking them to quote with the intention of them possibly doing the work, they're unlikely to give me a rough idea without coming round to look at the plans etc, and I don't wan't to waste their time at this stage when all I want is a ballpark figure which I hoped somebody on here could give from the top of their head.

 

[brist]

Sounds like u are being ripped off id charge about £400 for the extension.

 

[Richard C]

You should be able to get some realistic quotes based on the size of the rooms. Expect to pay £160 - £200/day for a single bod & from the sizes you give, dot & dab + skim should take 2 good days or maybe 2 ½ max. + materials, which are relatively cheap by comparison. Float & skim (base & top coat plasters) will be at least twice as expensive as a simple skim over existing plaster (if that’s what you had done before) simply because it will take twice as long; it’s the time involved that pushes the price up so you must make sure you compare like with like. Dot & dab will be less expensive as it’s quicker but on a new extension, it would be nice to do a proper job IMO.

 

[Locoblade]

Thanks for the info Richard, that may explain some of the price increase over what we had done before.

Thinking about it though, Id have thought the utility will be plasterboarded internally first woudlnt it, so would it still need the two coats?

 

[Richard C]

Thanks for the info Richard, that may explain some of the price increase over what we had done before.

Thinking about it though, Id have thought the utility will be plasterboarded internally first woudlnt it, so would it still need the two coats?

If the dividing wall is studwork with plasterboard facing then all it will need is a skim; I was assuming it was all block work which needs either float & skim or plasterboard dot & dab then skim.

 

[Locoblade]

Hi Richard, thanks for the comments. The dividing wall will be studwork and I assume the ceiling will already be in place with plasterboard, but those combined probably only accounts for around 25% of the area to be covered. I wasnt sure if dot & dabbing plasterboard would be included in the "plastering" segment of the quote though or if it would be done earlier in the build by the builders themself (they'll subcontract plasterers in)? If it includes that then I can more see where the additional time would be spent, will have to ask.

Is dot/dab/skim cheaper than float/skim by the way, and is there any long term preference for one or the other?

 

[Richard C]

I wasnt sure if dot & dabbing plasterboard would be included in the "plastering" segment of the quote though or if it would be done earlier in the build by the builders themself (they'll subcontract plasterers in)? If it includes that then I can more see where the additional time would be spent, will have to ask.

Could be either & you have to be careful when getting quotes that you specify exactly what you want as builders will inevitably try & keep costs down. If it’s dot & dab (cheaper) the builder may well do it himself & get a spread in just to skim the whole lot or he may get a spread to dot/dab/skim. If you wanted float & skim on the block walls, you should have made this absolutely clear at the time of quoting; my conservatory was specified as full plaster work but the builder still tried to palm me off with dot/dab/skim until I presented him with his quote which clearly states what I’d asked for. Totaly irony is that we came to an agreement & he paid me to plaster my own conservatory!

Is dot/dab/skim cheaper than float/skim by the way, and is there any long term preference for one or the other?

As I said previously; full float & skim plaster work will take at least twice as long as dot/dab/skim so will be 2x the labour charge. To dot/dab boards takes little time, especially if you have a mate working with you for that bit & then all it needs is the joints taped & skimming. Dot/dab/skim is used more than ever nowadays as it’s cheaper & doesn’t require as much skill; even though their work may be 1st class, you’d be surprised how many “plasterers” have only ever done skimming & wouldn’t not know how/where to start applying a plaster base coat. Long term, I don’t think dot/dab boards are any more likely to fall of the wall than conventional plaster but they can sound hollow, will not accept fixings as well as plaster & can also get damaged if you hit it hard or push something hard & sharp into it. My Personal preference is to float & skim block walls, certainly on a new extension but I do have a couple of walls in my renovated property that I’ve dot/dabbed!

 

[Locoblade]

Many thanks again Richard, sorry for misunderstanding, when you said float/skim was 2x more expensive I thought you were comparing against what I had done previously, going over existing plaster etc rather than dot/dab then skimming

Sounds like I need to pester the builders to find out what exactly the "plastering" section of their quote entails

 

[Richard C]

Many thanks again Richard, sorry for misunderstanding, when you said float/skim was 2x more expensive I thought you were comparing against what I had done previously, going over existing plaster etc rather than dot/dab then skimming

Now I’m getting confused, sorry if I have but where have I confused you? Yes I was suggesting you compare the price against the skim job over existing plaster you had done last time. Dot/dab/skim will obviously be more expensive than a straight skim over existing; the cost of the boards + adhesive + the time taken to put them up but it will still be considerably less than float/skim.

Sounds like I need to pester the builders to find out what exactly the "plastering" section of their quote entails.

I would do exactly that before going any further & act as if you were expecting float/skim. Let your builder tell you what he’s provided for as he may well have included it & you don’t want to give the game away & lead yourself open to additional cost.

 

[Locoblade]

Float & skim (base & top coat plasters) will be at least twice as expensive as a simple skim over existing plaster

This was the bit I read as float / skim being twice as expensive as existing skim, but I didn't then read this bit properly that also mentioned the relative cost of dot & dab...

Dot & dab will be less expensive as it’s quicker but on a new extension, it would be nice to do a proper job IMO.

Don't worry, it was me not you