Ceiling plastering cost in Market Harborough
Short answerSkimming a sound ceiling typically costs £275 to £600 depending on room size. Overboarding with new plasterboard and skimming is usually £400 to £1,000, and taking a ceiling down and replacing it typically runs £800 to £2,500. These are typical ranges from UK cost guides, not quotes: your plasterer prices the job after seeing it.
Ceiling plastering cost in Market Harborough depends mostly on one thing: what state the existing ceiling is in. A sound ceiling that only needs a fresh finish is a quick skim. A cracked, sagging or textured ceiling might need overboarding, and an old lath and plaster ceiling that's coming away may have to come down altogether.
This guide gives typical 2026 ranges for each option, taken from the main UK cost guides, and explains how to tell which one you're likely to need. The exact price always comes from the plasterer's quote once they've seen it.
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Typical ceiling plastering cost in Market Harborough
These are typical UK ranges, including labour and materials. Local plasterer rates in Leicestershire sit in line with the national averages, so there's no reason to adjust them much for LE16.
| Job | Typical range | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skim a small ceiling (about 9m²) | £275 to £350 | per room | Box room, bathroom, small bedroom |
| Skim a medium ceiling (about 15m²) | £350 to £450 | per room | Checkatrade about £360; Rated People average about £400 |
| Skim a large ceiling (about 25m²) | £500 to £600 | per room | Checkatrade about £575; Rated People about £600 |
| Ceiling skim per m² | £20 to £35 | per m² | Fantastic Services, outside London and the South East |
| Overboard with new plasterboard and skim | £400 to £1,000 | per room | MyJobQuote £400 to £1,000; Checkatrade £700 to £1,000 for board and plaster |
| Take down old ceiling, reboard and skim | £800 to £2,500 | per room | Bookabuilder £800 to £2,500+; more for large or lath and plaster ceilings |
| Lath and plaster ceiling patch repair | £250 to £600 | per job | Small area only; larger repairs cost more |
If the job grows to a full lath and plaster replacement, Bookabuilder puts that at about £1,200 to £3,000 or more.
Skim, overboard or replace: which do you need?
A skim
Best for a ceiling that's sound but tired: fine cracks, old patch repairs, a slightly uneven finish. The plasterer applies two thin coats of finish plaster over the existing surface. It's the cheapest option and usually a day's work.
Overboarding
New plasterboard is screwed through the old ceiling into the joists, then skimmed. It's a good choice when the ceiling has lots of cracks, or a textured finish you'd rather cover than remove. It also avoids the mess of pulling a ceiling down. The ceiling drops by the thickness of the board, so light fittings need adjusting.
Taking it down and replacing
Needed when the old ceiling is sagging, loose, badly water damaged, or when you want access to the joists for wiring, plumbing or insulation. It's messy and produces a lot of waste, which adds to disposal costs. MyJobQuote notes that old lath work is especially labour intensive.
If you're unsure, our guide to skimming vs replastering explains how plasterers judge it.
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Safety first: Artex and old ceilings
Many textured ceilings in British homes are Artex or a similar coating. Coatings applied before 2000 can contain a small amount of asbestos. Don't sand, scrape or drill a textured ceiling until a sample has been tested by a lab, which typically costs around £35 to £100 a sample. If it does contain asbestos, overboarding or skimming over it can be an option, but removal needs trained asbestos operatives and sometimes a licensed contractor. Our Artex removal cost guide and plastering over Artex guide go into detail.
Old lath and plaster ceilings are heavy. If a ceiling has a bulge or you can push it up and feel it move, keep people out of the room and get it looked at soon.
What pushes the cost up
- Size and height. A stairwell or vaulted ceiling needs a tower or platform.
- Condition. Hidden water damage or loose plaster discovered once work starts.
- Textured finishes. Testing, and possibly specialist removal, for Artex.
- Lath and plaster. Older properties, like many in Market Harborough's historic centre and conservation area, are more likely to have lime-based ceilings. These may be better repaired in lime than replaced with plasterboard, which can cost more. See lime plaster in old houses.
- Coving and cornices. Working round, removing or matching decorative plaster takes time.
- Waste. Taking down a ceiling fills skips quickly.
What can bring it down
- Plastering several ceilings in one visit
- Clearing the room completely
- Booking the electrician first, so new downlights, cables or a ceiling rose are in place before the plaster goes up. If you're rewiring, see our house rewire cost guide and renovation order of trades
How long it takes
A skim on an average ceiling is usually done in a day. Overboarding and skimming takes one to two days. Taking a ceiling down, reboarding and skimming can take two to three days for one room, plus clearing up. After that, allow the plaster to dry fully before painting: see how long plaster takes to dry.
How to get an accurate quote
Send us on WhatsApp:
- The room's length and width, and ceiling height
- Photos of the ceiling in daylight, plus close-ups of cracks, stains or texture
- Roughly how old the house is
- Whether you want lights moved or added (so the electrician can be lined up first)
- Any asbestos test result, if you have one
We'll pass it to the plasterer we use. For tips on comparing prices, see how to get quotes from tradespeople.
Message us about a plastererFree. We pass you straight to the tradesperson we trust.
Questions to ask your plasterer
- Do you think this needs a skim, overboarding or replacing, and why?
- Does the price include taking away old plaster and lath?
- Will you remove and refit coving, or is that extra?
- If it's lath and plaster, would you repair it in lime?
- Is the textured coating tested, and what happens if it contains asbestos?
- How long before I can paint?
Find out more about the plasterer we recommend on our plasterers in Market Harborough page, or see the cost to skim a room if you're doing the walls too.
Typical prices
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skim a small ceiling (about 9m²) | £275–£350 per room | Checkatrade small ceiling about £275. |
| Skim a medium ceiling (about 15m²) | £350–£450 per room | Checkatrade about £360; Rated People average about £400. |
| Skim a large ceiling (about 25m²) | £500–£600 per room | Checkatrade about £575; Rated People about £600. |
| Ceiling skim per m² | £20–£35 per m² | Fantastic Services, outside London and the South East. |
| Overboard ceiling and skim | £400–£1,000 per room | MyJobQuote £400 to £1,000; Checkatrade £700 to £1,000. |
| Take down ceiling, reboard and skim | £800–£2,500 per room | Bookabuilder £800 to £2,500+. Lath and plaster replacement can reach £3,000+. |
| Lath and plaster ceiling patch repair | £250–£600 per job | Small area. Bookabuilder 2026. |
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to replaster a ceiling?
Skimming a sound ceiling typically costs about £275 to £600 depending on its size. Replacing a ceiling, where the old one is taken down and new plasterboard is fitted and skimmed, typically costs around £800 to £2,500 per room according to UK cost guides. Lath and plaster ceilings and large rooms sit at the top of that range. Your plasterer's quote will give the real figure.
How much is a ceiling skim for an average room?
For a medium room with a ceiling of about 15m², UK guides put a skim at roughly £350 to £450, with Checkatrade quoting about £360 and Rated People's 2025 average about £400. Small ceilings are usually around £275 to £350 and large ones £500 to £600. Prices assume a sound surface without Artex.
Is it better to overboard or take down a ceiling?
Overboarding is usually cheaper and much less messy, and it's a good way to cover a cracked or textured ceiling. Taking the ceiling down makes sense if it's sagging, loose or water damaged, or if you need access to joists for wiring or insulation. A plasterer will check whether the old ceiling is firmly fixed before recommending overboarding.
Can you plaster over an Artex ceiling?
Often, yes. Artex can be skimmed or overboarded rather than removed. Because textured coatings applied before 2000 can contain asbestos, get a sample tested before anyone sands, scrapes or drills it. Covering it leaves the material in place undisturbed, so keep a record of the test for future work. Removal of asbestos Artex needs trained specialists.
How long does it take to plaster a ceiling?
Skimming an average ceiling is usually a one-day job. Overboarding and skimming takes one to two days, and taking a ceiling down and replacing it can take two to three days for a single room. Fresh plaster then needs several days to a week to dry before you apply a mist coat, depending on the weather and ventilation.