# Plasterer in Lubenham: Solid Walls and Damp

> A plasterer in Lubenham will often be dealing with solid-walled 18th and 19th-century brick cottages in the village's conservation area, where breathable lime finishes help with damp. A standard room skim typically costs £475 to £650 and external lime render around £50 to £80 per m² in 2025/26 guides. We can pass you to the plasterer we use; the price comes from their quote.

Source: Kuote, Market Harborough trades (https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/plasterers/lubenham/). Updated 2026-11-11.

If you're looking for a plasterer in Lubenham, the village is only about two miles west of Market Harborough along the A4304, so it's a short drive for a town-based tradesperson. We're a Market Harborough family who recently renovated our own house, and we recommend the one plasterer we used and trust. We're not paid for recommendations. We just pass you to people we trust.

## Lubenham's buildings

Lubenham sits in the Welland valley, with the River Welland forming the southern boundary of the parish and of Leicestershire itself. Harborough District Council designated the Lubenham Conservation Area in 1975 and describes the village as large for the area, noting the holly and yew trees in its gardens and churchyard as a distinctive feature.

The listed buildings give a good picture of the older housing:

- **1 The Green** is a thatched cottage, listed as mid-18th century with later changes, with brick walls.
- **May Cottage on Rushes Lane** is a late 18th-century brick cottage, built with scattered burnt headers (darker, harder-fired bricks).
- **All Saints church** is Grade I listed and known for its medieval wall paintings and box pews.

Those wall paintings are a reminder of how long lime plaster can last when it's looked after. The same principle applies to an 18th-century cottage on The Green.

## The most common problem: damp on solid walls

Brick cottages of this age have solid walls with no cavity. They were built to take on some moisture and let it dry out through lime mortar, lime plaster and limewash. Over the decades many have had that replaced with cement render outside and gypsum plaster inside, which can trap moisture in the wall. The result is familiar: damp patches low on the walls, salts blooming through paint, and plaster that sounds hollow when you tap it.

Before you get a plasterer in, it's worth working out the cause:

- Is outside ground or paving higher than the inside floor?
- Are gutters and downpipes leaking onto the wall?
- Has the wall been rendered or pointed with cement?
- Is the inside finish gypsum, or modern waterproof paint?

Replastering a damp wall in gypsum without fixing the cause often just moves the problem. A plasterer who understands old buildings will look at this first. Our [lime plaster in old houses](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/guides/lime-plaster-old-houses/) guide explains why breathability matters.

Message us on WhatsApp: https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/go/plasterer

## Inside: patching, skimming and ceilings

Typical interior jobs in Lubenham's older cottages are:

- Cutting out blown or salt-damaged plaster and repairing in lime
- Repairing cracked lath-and-plaster ceilings
- Making good after rewires and new heating, using compatible materials

In newer homes around the village, it's the usual mix of skimming walls, replacing ceilings and plastering over Artex. Artex applied before 2000 can contain asbestos, so have it tested before anyone sands or scrapes it.

## Outside: render

Plasterers also render. On an old solid brick or stone wall, lime render is normally the right choice because it lets the wall breathe. In the conservation area, changing the external appearance of a house, for example rendering a brick front that wasn't rendered before, may need planning permission, and for a listed building, listed building consent. Check with Harborough District Council first. See our [rendering cost guide](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/prices/rendering-cost-market-harborough/) and our guide to [renovating in a conservation area](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/guides/renovating-in-a-conservation-area-market-harborough/).

## Typical costs

These are typical UK ranges from 2025/26 cost guides, not quotes. We found no East Midlands-specific figures, though guides agree London and the South East cost more.

| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Skim a room (gypsum) | £475 to £650 |
| Internal lime plastering | £40 to £60 per m² |
| External lime render | £50 to £80 per m² |
| Plasterer day rate | £150 to £300 |

See also [cost to skim a room](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/prices/skim-a-room-cost-market-harborough/). Damp-damaged walls take more preparation, so they tend to cost more than a straight skim. The exact price always comes from the plasterer's quote.

## Drying times

Lime takes much longer to cure than gypsum, and a damp wall that has just had its old finish removed may need time to dry before anything new goes on. Don't rush to paint, and use a breathable paint on lime. Our guide on [how long plaster takes to dry](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/guides/how-long-does-plaster-take-to-dry/) has more.

## Nearby

Lubenham is west of town, between Market Harborough and [Theddingworth](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/areas/theddingworth/) on the A4304. Read more on our [Lubenham page](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/areas/lubenham/), see our main [plasterers in Market Harborough](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/plasterers/) page, or, if you need doors, stairs or garden joinery, our page on a [carpenter in Lubenham](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/carpenters/lubenham/).

Send us a WhatsApp with photos and your postcode and we'll pass it straight to the plasterer we use.

Message us on WhatsApp: https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/go/plasterer

## Typical prices

| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skim a room (gypsum) | £475–£650 per room | Rated People 2025 and Checkatrade averages, small to large room. |
| Internal lime plastering | £40–£60 per m² | Checkatrade lime plastering guide figures. |
| External lime render | £50–£80 per m² | Checkatrade lime specialist guide. Scaffolding extra. |
| Plasterer day rate | £150–£300 per day | Trade2base, MyJobQuote and Checkatrade figures for England outside London. |

## Frequently asked questions

### Why is the plaster in my old cottage damp?

In solid-walled cottages, damp often comes from moisture getting trapped. Common causes are cement render or pointing outside, gypsum plaster or waterproof paint inside, ground levels raised against the wall, or leaking gutters. Fixing the cause comes first. Replastering in gypsum over a damp solid wall often just moves the problem somewhere else.

### Is Lubenham a conservation area?

Yes. Harborough District Council designated the Lubenham Conservation Area in 1975. It covers the historic village, which sits in the Welland valley about two miles west of Market Harborough. The council highlights its holly and yew trees as distinctive. External changes and tree work in the conservation area can need permission or notice, and listed buildings have extra protection.

### Should I use lime or cement render on an old house?

On old solid brick or stone walls, lime render is normally better because it lets moisture escape. Cement render is harder and less breathable, and can crack and trap water behind it. Cost guides put external lime render at roughly £50 to £80 per m². In Lubenham's conservation area, rendering a previously unrendered wall may need permission.

### How much does it cost to skim a room near Market Harborough?

Cost guides for 2025/26 put skimming a small to medium room at around £475 to £525 and a large room at around £625 to £650. Leicestershire is generally cheaper than London. Damp walls, poor existing plaster or ceilings add to the cost. The only reliable figure is a quote after the plasterer has seen the room.

### What paint should go on lime plaster?

A breathable finish, such as limewash, clay paint or a mineral paint, rather than standard vinyl emulsion, which forms a less permeable skin. Breathability is the whole point of lime on a solid wall, so the paint matters as much as the plaster. Let the lime cure fully first, which takes longer than gypsum.

## Sources

- [Lubenham Conservation Area - Harborough District Council](https://www.harborough.gov.uk/directory_record/1274/lubenham_conservation_area)
- [Lubenham Conservation Area map (designated 1975)](https://www.harborough.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/1646/lubenham_conservation_area_mappdf.pdf)
- [Lubenham - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubenham)
- [Lubenham - British History Online (VCH Leicestershire vol 5)](https://www.british-history.ac.uk/node/15215)
- [1 The Green, Lubenham - British Listed Buildings](https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101294175-1-the-green-lubenham)
- [May Cottage, Lubenham - Historic England 1294204](https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1294204)
- [Church of All Saints, Lubenham - The Wrenn Report](https://www.thewrennreport.co.uk/building/E60000087-1a03b44c-8d21-483e-b314-10ac531591ea/church-of-all-saints)
- [Lime mortar specialists - Checkatrade](https://www.checkatrade.com/Search/Lime-Mortar-Specialists/in/Greater-London)
- [Lime plastering - Checkatrade](https://www.checkatrade.com/Search/Lime-Plastering/in/Greater-London)
- [Cost of skimming a room - Checkatrade](https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/cost-skimming-room/)
- [Plastering costs 2025 - Rated People](https://www.ratedpeople.com/blog/?p=43047)
- [Plasterer day rates - Trade2base](https://www.trade2base.com/blog/plasterer-pricing-guide-uk)