Plasterer in Market Harborough: The One We Used and Trust
Short answerIf you need a plasterer in Market Harborough, message us on WhatsApp and we will pass you straight to the plasterer we used on our own renovation. Skimming the walls of a typical room costs roughly £400 to £760 in 2026, a ceiling about £275 to £575, and plasterer day rates in Leicestershire listings run around £175 to £350. The exact price comes from the plasterer's quote after they have seen the room.
Looking for a plasterer in Market Harborough? We are one local family who have just finished renovating our house, and the plasterer we used is someone we would have back in a heartbeat. Message us on WhatsApp, we pass your enquiry straight to them, and they contact you to look at the job and quote.
We're not paid for recommendations. We just pass you to people we trust.
This page covers what our plasterer typically does, what plastering costs locally, the two things worth checking before anyone touches your walls (Artex and lime), how to choose a plasterer, and the villages we cover.
Message us about a plastererFree. We pass you straight to the tradesperson we trust.
Why we recommend our plasterer
Plastering is the trade you notice every day afterwards. Every wall and ceiling in a room shows the quality of the finish, especially once the paint goes on and the low winter sun comes across it. During a renovation the plasterer also sits in the middle of the job, after the electrician and plumber have done first fix and before they come back for second fix, so a plasterer who keeps to dates keeps everyone else on track.
We haven't vetted anyone the way a directory would. We have watched our plasterer work in our own home and lived with the walls since. You should still do your own checks, which we cover below. The about page explains how our recommendations work.
Typical plastering jobs
- Skimming walls and ceilings over sound plaster: the most common job, and often all a tired room needs.
- Replastering where old plaster has blown, crumbled or been damaged by damp. Our guide on skimming vs replastering helps you tell which you need.
- Ceilings: skimming, overboarding a cracked ceiling, or taking a ceiling down and starting again.
- Covering or removing Artex, once it has been tested.
- Making good after a rewire or new plumbing, where walls have been chased out.
- External rendering on suitable walls.
Check two things before anyone starts
Artex and asbestos
Textured coatings such as Artex applied before 2000 may contain asbestos. That doesn't mean they do, but you can't tell by looking. Get a sample tested before anyone sands, scrapes or drills it; lab tests typically cost £35 to £100 a sample. If it is clear, it can be skimmed or removed in the normal way. If it isn't, many people overboard and skim rather than remove it. Our guide on plastering over Artex and the Artex removal cost guide explain the options.
Lime plaster in older houses
Market Harborough and its villages have plenty of older buildings, and several villages, such as Great Bowden, Lubenham and Foxton, have conservation areas. Older solid-walled houses were often plastered in lime, which lets moisture move through the wall. Skimming over lime with modern gypsum can trap damp. If your house is old, ask your plasterer to check what is on the walls first, and read our guide to lime plaster in old houses.
What a plasterer typically costs in Market Harborough
These are typical 2026 ranges from UK cost guides, plus Leicester and Leicestershire listings where they exist. They are not quotes: your plasterer prices the job once they've seen the walls.
| Job | Typical range | Price guide |
|---|---|---|
| Skim walls, small to large room | £400 to £760 a room | Cost to skim a room |
| Skim a ceiling | £275 to £575 a room | Ceiling plastering cost |
| Overboard a ceiling and skim | £400 to £1,000 a room | Ceiling plastering cost |
| Plasterer day rate, Leicester listings | £175 to £350 a day | Plasterer day rate |
| Skim over tested-clear Artex | £300 to £500 a room | Artex removal cost |
| Skim walls, three-bed house | £3,000 to £7,500 | Cost to replaster a house |
| Render, all types | £30 to £100 per m² | Rendering cost |
Prices rise for high ceilings, lots of making good, awkward access or lime work, which takes longer. Fresh plaster also needs time to dry before you paint, usually days for a skim and longer for thicker coats; see how long plaster takes to dry.
How to choose a good plasterer
Unlike electrical or gas work, there is no compulsory register for plasterers. So it pays to check a little more yourself.
- Ask about training. Many plasterers hold an NVQ Level 2 in plastering, which is the usual route to a CSCS Blue Skilled Worker card. It is not a legal requirement for home jobs, but it is a reasonable question.
- Look at recent work. Ask to see photos of finished walls, ideally under a raking light, or speak to a recent customer.
- Check insurance. Public liability insurance matters when someone is working in your home.
- Ask about lime and Artex. A good plasterer will raise both before you do in an older house.
- Get a written quote. It should say whether it covers preparation, beads, making good, protecting floors and taking waste away. Our guide on how to get quotes from tradespeople helps.
A directory gives you lots of choice; a personal recommendation gives you someone a neighbour has seen work. Both have their place, as we explain in directory vs personal recommendation.
Plasterers in the villages around Market Harborough
Our plasterer covers the town and the villages around it. Each village page covers what is specific to that place:
- Plasterer in Little Bowden, under a mile from the town centre
- Plasterer in Great Bowden, about a mile away, with its conservation area around the greens
- Plasterer in Lubenham, about 1.8 miles west
- Plasterer in Foxton, about 2.7 miles away
- Plasterer in Kibworth, about 5.4 miles north-west
- Plasterer in Fleckney, about 6.7 miles north-west
Elsewhere nearby? Message us anyway. There is more about each place in the area guides for Little Bowden, Great Bowden, Lubenham, Foxton, Kibworth and Fleckney.
Part of a bigger renovation?
Plastering goes after first fix and before second fix. Our guide to the order of trades explains how the plasterer fits around the electrician, plumber and carpenter. In a conservation area, read renovating in a conservation area first. Or head back to the home page.
Message us about a plastererFree. We pass you straight to the tradesperson we trust.
Typical prices
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skim walls, small to large room | £400–£760 per room | Checkatrade, Rated People and MyJobQuote. Not a quote. |
| Skim a ceiling | £275–£575 per room | Small (9m²) to large (25m²) ceiling. Checkatrade. |
| Overboard ceiling and skim | £400–£1,000 per room | MyJobQuote; Checkatrade £700 to £1,000. |
| Plasterer day rate, Leicester listings | £175–£350 per day | BizHub365 and Hamuch Leicester listings. |
| Skim over Artex (tested clear) | £300–£500 per room | Trade2base 2026. |
| Asbestos sample test | £35–£100 per job | Per sample. |
| Skim walls throughout a three-bed house | £3,000–£7,500 per job | Ceilings add 30 to 40 percent. |
| House rendering, all render types | £30–£100 per m² | Checkatrade and MyBuilder. |
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to skim a room in Market Harborough?
UK cost guides put skimming the walls of a typical room at roughly £400 to £760 in 2026, depending on size, with an average of about £24 per m². A ceiling adds around £275 to £575. High ceilings, lots of making good or lime work cost more. These are typical ranges, and the exact price comes from the plasterer once they have seen the room.
What is a plasterer's day rate in Leicestershire?
Plasterers advertising in Leicester list roughly £175 to £350 a day, or about £23 to £35 an hour, while UK guides give a typical £150 to £300 a day. Most plasterers price bigger jobs as a fixed quote rather than by the day, which makes it easier to compare. Always check what the price includes, such as preparation and waste.
Can you plaster over Artex?
Usually yes, once you know it is safe. Artex applied before 2000 may contain asbestos, so get a sample tested before anyone sands or scrapes it. If it is clear, a plasterer can apply a bonding coat and skim over it, typically £300 to £500 a room. If it contains asbestos, overboarding and skimming is often the simplest option.
Should I skim or replaster my walls?
If the existing plaster is sound and firmly attached, a skim is usually enough. If it sounds hollow when tapped, crumbles or has damp damage, that area needs hacking off and replastering, which typically costs £1,100 to £1,900 a room. In older solid-walled houses, check whether the walls are lime before anyone skims them with gypsum.
Do plasterers need to be registered?
No. There is no compulsory register for plasterers doing home jobs, unlike Gas Safe for gas work or competent person schemes for electrical work. Many plasterers hold an NVQ Level 2 and a CSCS card, which are fair things to ask about. Look at recent work, check public liability insurance and get a written quote before work starts.