Cost to replaster a house in Market Harborough
Short answerSkimming the walls of a typical three-bed house usually costs about £3,000 to £7,500 in 2026, while a full replaster (hacking off and starting again) typically runs £7,000 to £13,000. Ceilings add roughly 30 to 40 percent to a skim. These are typical UK ranges, not quotes; the plasterer's survey sets the real price.
The cost to replaster a house in Market Harborough depends on whether the walls just need a fresh skim or have to be stripped back and plastered from scratch. For a typical three-bedroom house, UK cost guides for 2026 put a full skim at roughly £3,000 to £7,500, and a full hack-off and replaster at roughly £7,000 to £13,000.
That's a big gap, and the biggest single factor is the condition of the existing plaster. This guide explains the difference, how replastering fits around a rewire, and what to ask. The exact figure always comes from the plasterer's quote after a proper look round.
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Typical cost to replaster a house in Market Harborough
These are typical UK ranges including labour and materials. Local plasterer rates in Leicestershire are in line with the national figures.
| Job | Typical range | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skim walls throughout a three-bed house | £3,000 to £7,500 | per job | Less.co.uk £3,000 to £4,500 (walls only); Best Builders £4,000 to £7,500 |
| Full replaster, three-bed house | £7,000 to £13,000 | per job | Best Builders; walls stripped and replastered |
| Replaster a single room | £1,100 to £1,900 | per room | Checkatrade, small (9m²) to large (18m²) room |
| Hack off old plaster | £20 to £35 | per m² | MyJobQuote, labour only, waste extra |
| Full replaster, base coat and finish | £30 to £40 | per m² | MyJobQuote |
Ceilings, if included, add roughly 30 to 40 percent to a skim, according to Less.co.uk. Plasterboard, beads, coving and Artex removal are often priced separately. Checkatrade recommends adding a 10 to 15 percent contingency to any renovation budget.
Skim or full replaster?
A skim is a thin finish coat over existing plaster that's still sound. It's the right choice if the walls are basically solid but look tired, cracked or patched.
A full replaster means hacking the old plaster off back to brick or block, then applying a base coat (or dot and dabbing plasterboard) and a finish coat. It's needed where plaster is blown (hollow when tapped), crumbling, badly damp-damaged, or where so much has been cut out for new cables and pipes that patching isn't worth it.
Most whole-house jobs end up as a mix: skim in most rooms, replaster in the worst ones. Our guide to skimming vs replastering goes into how plasterers decide.
Older houses and lime
Many older properties, including those in Market Harborough's conservation area around the historic centre, may have lime plaster on solid walls. Replacing it with modern gypsum can cause damp problems in some walls, and a lime specialist may be needed. This usually costs more and takes longer. See lime plaster in old houses.
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Replastering after a rewire
A rewire involves chasing cables into walls and lifting floorboards, so plastering almost always follows it. Your options:
- Making good: filling chases and patching around new sockets and switches. Cheapest, but patches can show through paint.
- Skimming the affected rooms: gives a uniform finish over the patches.
- Full replaster: if the old plaster was already poor, a rewire is often the time to do it.
It's worth agreeing with the electrician what "making good" includes, because some electricians fill chases roughly and leave the finish to the plasterer. See our house rewire cost guide and rewiring an occupied house.
Order of trades
When we renovated our house we learned how much the order of trades matters. For plastering, the usual order is:
- Strip out (old plaster, Artex tested and dealt with, old fittings)
- First-fix electrics and plumbing, plus any new stud walls and door linings
- Plastering
- Drying time
- Second-fix carpentry (skirting, architrave, doors), electrics and plumbing
- Decorating
Plastering before first fix means cutting into new plaster later. Our renovation order of trades guide has the full picture.
Safety
- Artex: textured coatings applied before 2000 can contain asbestos. Get them tested before any hacking off. See our Artex removal cost guide.
- Structural cracks: large or growing cracks may be movement rather than tired plaster. Get those looked at before plastering over them.
- Damp: find and fix the cause before replastering, or the new plaster will fail.
How long it takes
Whole-house skimming is typically a week or more for a three-bed house, and a full replaster longer, depending on the size of the team and how much hacking off is needed. Drying time before decorating adds several days to a few weeks: see how long plaster takes to dry.
How to get an accurate quote
A house-wide plastering job needs a visit, but you can speed it up by messaging us on WhatsApp with:
- The number and rough size of rooms
- Photos of each room, including problem areas
- Whether ceilings are included
- Whether you're rewiring or replumbing first
- Roughly how old the house is
We'll pass it to the plasterer we use. For more on comparing quotes, see how to get quotes from tradespeople.
Message us about a plastererFree. We pass you straight to the tradesperson we trust.
Questions to ask
- Which rooms need a full replaster and which can be skimmed?
- Does the price include ceilings?
- Who removes waste, and is a skip included?
- Is making good after the electrician included?
- Do you recommend lime anywhere?
- How long should I leave it before decorating?
See more about the plasterer we use on our plasterers in Market Harborough page.
Typical prices
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skim walls throughout a three-bed house | £3,000–£7,500 per job | Less.co.uk £3,000 to £4,500 walls only; Best Builders £4,000 to £7,500. Ceilings add 30 to 40 percent. |
| Full replaster, three-bed house | £7,000–£13,000 per job | Best Builders 2026; walls stripped and replastered. |
| Replaster a single room | £1,100–£1,900 per room | Checkatrade, small (9m²) to large (18m²). |
| Hack off old plaster | £20–£35 per m² | MyJobQuote, labour only, waste extra. |
| Full replaster, base coat and finish | £30–£40 per m² | MyJobQuote. |
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to replaster a whole house?
For a typical three-bed house, UK cost guides put a full skim at around £3,000 to £7,500 and a full replaster, where old plaster is hacked off, at roughly £7,000 to £13,000 in 2026. Ceilings add about 30 to 40 percent to a skim. The condition of the walls, ceilings and any lime plaster affect the final quote.
Should you replaster after a rewire?
Usually some plastering is needed after a rewire, because cables are chased into walls. You can just make good the chases, skim the affected rooms for an even finish, or replaster fully if the old plaster was already poor. Agree with the electrician what making good includes, so nothing falls between the two trades.
How long does it take to replaster a house?
Skimming the walls of a three-bed house is typically a week or more, and a full replaster takes longer, depending on the team size and how much old plaster comes off. Plaster then needs several days to a few weeks to dry before decorating. Plan other trades around this so nothing is chased into fresh plaster.
Is it cheaper to skim or replaster?
Skimming is much cheaper because it's a thin coat over sound plaster. Checkatrade puts a full replaster of a single room at about £1,100 to £1,900, compared with roughly £400 to £760 to skim. Many houses need a mix: skimming most rooms and replastering only where the old plaster is blown or damaged.
Do you need to remove old plaster before replastering?
Only where it's failing. If old plaster is hollow, crumbling, damp-damaged or full of patches, it's hacked off and the wall is replastered. Sound plaster can usually be skimmed. Older solid walls may have lime plaster, which is often better repaired in lime. Test any textured coating for asbestos before removal.