Plasterboard fireplace

[m0t]

Father in law has a really small fireplace that's been removed leaving bare brick.

I was going to stick some board over it and put in a small vent for airflow. He's got a plasterer coming next month to skim the ceiling and he's agreed to skim the plasterboard over the fire at the same time.

Should I be recessing the plasterboard slightly so that when the plasterer skims it comes up level with the surrounding plaster or should it be flush?

 

[Wayners]

Flush to back a tad. Flush is fine though. Not so bad if I can drag straight edge over but sometimes it is 3 mixes and hours trying to level 3-4mm depth.. Get insulation behind board maybe...

I brick up first with thermal blocks. Cut with saw. Get in any old how. Bonding over. Better job