# Plasterer day rate in Market Harborough

> A plasterer's day rate in the UK typically runs from about £150 to £300 in 2026, and plasterers advertising in Leicester list roughly £175 to £350 a day, or about £23 to £35 an hour. Most plasterers price bigger jobs as a fixed quote rather than by the day. These are typical ranges, not quotes.

Source: Kuote, Market Harborough trades (https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/prices/plasterer-day-rate-market-harborough/). Updated 2026-11-11.

If you're trying to budget a plastering job, knowing the plasterer day rate in Market Harborough is a useful starting point. In 2026, most UK cost guides put a self-employed plasterer at somewhere between £150 and £300 a day, and listings for plasterers working in Leicester and Wigston sit in a similar band. Leicestershire is not London, so you shouldn't expect South East prices here.

This page sets out the typical rates we found, what a day of plastering actually gets done, and why most plasterers will give you a fixed price for the job instead. Your plasterer's own quote is always the figure that counts.

We're not paid for recommendations. We just pass you to people we trust.

## Typical plasterer day rate in Market Harborough and Leicestershire

| Rate | Typical range | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plasterer day rate, UK typical | £150 to £300 | per day | Trade2base £150 to £250; Checkatrade uses about £300 |
| Plasterer day rate, Leicester listings | £175 to £350 | per day | BizHub365 experienced plasterers £200 to £350; Hamuch listings £175 to £250 |
| Plasterer hourly rate, Leicestershire listings | £23 to £35 | per hour | Hamuch Leicester listings; Wigston average about £24 an hour |
| Skim, priced by area | £15 to £30 | per m² | For comparison with a day rate. Checkatrade average £24 per m² |

Sources differ quite a bit. Trade-facing guides such as Trade2base tend to be lower because they're written for plasterers setting prices. Homeowner guides such as Checkatrade sit higher. Rates in London and the South East are higher still: Trade2base puts them at around £180 to £280 a day, and other guides higher again.

## What affects a plasterer's day rate

- **Experience and finish quality.** A plasterer known for a flawless finish can charge more and is often booked weeks ahead.
- **Specialist skills.** Lime plastering, ornate cornice work and rendering usually command a higher rate than gypsum skimming.
- **A labourer.** Some plasterers work with a labourer who mixes and carries. That raises the day cost but usually gets more done.
- **Travel and parking.** Jobs in town centres with tight parking, or a long drive, can be priced in.
- **Short jobs.** Small patches often carry a minimum charge, because a plasterer can't easily fit another job into the same day once plaster is mixed and drying.

## Day rate or fixed price?

Most plasterers prefer to quote a fixed price for a defined job, such as "skim the walls and ceiling of the back bedroom". That's usually better for you, because the risk of it taking longer sits with them. Day rates make more sense for:

- Lots of small patches and repairs around the house
- Making good after an electrician or plumber, where the amount of work is hard to pin down. If you're rewiring, see our [house rewire cost guide](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/prices/house-rewire-cost-market-harborough/)
- Jobs where you're not sure what's under the surface, such as old lime plaster

If you do agree a day rate, agree roughly how many days you expect, and what happens if it overruns.

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

## What a day of plastering gets you

As a rough guide from UK cost guides:

- **Skimming:** a small room's walls in a day; large rooms or rooms with ceilings take two to three days
- **A ceiling skim:** usually one ceiling in a day
- **Overboarding:** a ceiling boarded and skimmed in one to two days

Drying time comes after this. Fresh plaster needs several days to a week before decorating: see [how long plaster takes to dry](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/guides/how-long-does-plaster-take-to-dry/).

For typical prices on specific jobs, see:

- [Cost to skim a room](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/prices/skim-a-room-cost-market-harborough/)
- [Ceiling plastering cost](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/prices/ceiling-plastering-cost-market-harborough/)
- [Artex removal cost](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/prices/artex-removal-cost-market-harborough/)
- [Cost to replaster a house](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/prices/replaster-house-cost-market-harborough/)
- [Rendering cost](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/prices/rendering-cost-market-harborough/)

## What's normally included in the day rate

Usually labour only. Check whether the plasterer expects you to buy materials (plaster, beads, PVA, plasterboard) or adds them to the bill. Ask about waste too: taking away bags of old plaster is often extra. Protection of floors and furniture should be standard.

## How to make the most of a plasterer's day

1. Have the room empty, or furniture in the middle and covered
2. Strip wallpaper and remove picture hooks and nails before they arrive
3. Make sure the electrician and plumber have finished first fix, so nothing has to be chased into new plaster. Our [renovation order of trades guide](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/guides/renovation-order-of-trades/) explains why
4. Clear a path to an outside tap or water supply for mixing
5. Agree in writing what's included

## How to get an accurate price

Send us photos and rough room sizes on WhatsApp, say what you want doing, and we'll pass it to the plasterer we use. They'll tell you whether they'd price it as a fixed job or by the day. More tips are in [how to get quotes from tradespeople](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/guides/how-to-get-quotes-from-tradespeople/).

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

## Questions to ask

- Is this a fixed price or a day rate?
- How many days do you expect it to take?
- Are materials included?
- Will you have a labourer with you?
- Is waste removal included?
- Is there a minimum charge for small jobs?

You can read more about the plasterer we recommend on our [plasterers in Market Harborough](https://kuote.co.uk/market-harborough/plasterers/) page.

## Typical prices

| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plasterer day rate, UK typical | £150–£300 per day | Trade2base £150 to £250; Checkatrade about £300. |
| Plasterer day rate, Leicester listings | £175–£350 per day | BizHub365 experienced £200 to £350; Hamuch listings £175 to £250. |
| Plasterer hourly rate, Leicestershire listings | £23–£35 per hour | Hamuch Leicester listings; Wigston average about £24 an hour. |
| Skim per m² | £15–£30 per m² | For comparison. Checkatrade average £24 per m². |

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does a plasterer charge per day in 2026?

Most UK cost guides put a self-employed plasterer at about £150 to £300 a day in 2026. Plasterers advertising in Leicester list roughly £175 to £350 a day. Experienced plasterers, specialists in lime or decorative work, and plasterers working with a labourer tend to charge more. Rates in London and the South East are higher than in Leicestershire.

### What is a plasterer's hourly rate in Leicestershire?

Listings for plasterers in Leicester show hourly rates of roughly £23 to £35, with an average of about £24 an hour in Wigston. In practice most plasterers don't charge by the hour, because plaster has to be mixed and applied in one go. They usually quote a fixed price or a day rate, sometimes with a minimum charge for small jobs.

### Is it better to pay a plasterer by the day or by the job?

For a clearly defined job, such as skimming a room, a fixed price is usually better because the risk of overrunning sits with the plasterer. A day rate suits lots of small repairs, making good after other trades, or jobs where the condition of the wall is unknown. If you agree a day rate, agree an expected number of days.

### How much can a plasterer do in a day?

A plasterer can usually skim the walls of a small room in a day, or skim one ceiling. Larger rooms, or walls and ceiling together, typically take two to three days. Overboarding a ceiling and skimming it takes one to two days. Drying time before decorating is on top of that, often several days to a week.

### Do plasterers include materials in their day rate?

Not always. Many day rates are labour only, with plaster, beads, PVA and plasterboard added at cost or bought by you. Fixed-price quotes usually include materials. Ask whether waste removal is included as well, as bags of old plaster can add up. Get the arrangement in writing before work starts.

## Sources

- [Checkatrade: How much do tradespeople cost?](https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/how-much-do-tradespeople-cost/)
- [Checkatrade: Cost of skimming a room](https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/cost-skimming-room/)
- [Trade2base: Plasterer pricing guide UK](https://www.trade2base.com/blog/plasterer-pricing-guide-uk)
- [Trade2base: Artex removal costs UK (plasterer day rates)](https://www.trade2base.com/blog/artex-removal-costs-uk)
- [BizHub365: Plasterer prices in Leicester](https://www.bizhub365.com/find/plasterer/leicester/cost/)
- [Hamuch: Plasterer rates in Leicester](https://www.hamuch.com/rates/plasterer/leicester)
- [Hamuch: Plasterer rates in Wigston](https://www.hamuch.com/rates/plasterer/wigston)
- [Rated People: Plastering cost guide (2025)](https://www.ratedpeople.com/blog/?p=43047)