Plastering: compare quotes and prices

Define the plastering work

The work may include repairs, filling, base coats, finishing coats and decorative plasterwork. A new partition or suspended ceiling is a separate drylining project with an additional structure. Painting is not automatically included in a finished plaster surface.

Separate interior walls, ceilings, façades and building bases. Equal areas do not mean equal effort. Ceilings, stairwells and tall façades change access and equipment requirements.

Decide on the final finish first

Will the surface be painted, papered, tiled or left as exposed textured plaster? That decision affects preparation. “Ready for painting” alone may not define the agreed smoothness, texture and further work.

Show your expectations early for fine wallpaper, glossy coatings or side lighting. An agreed sample or trial area makes the target clearer than a general request for a perfect wall. A smooth finish does not automatically straighten a wall that is out of alignment.

What do Q1 to Q4 mean?

For filled plasterboard, Q1 to Q4 describe different surface quality levels. The appropriate level depends on the final covering. They are not a blanket promise of an entirely mark-free appearance under every light.

Assess cracks, loose areas and older surfaces

A recurring crack is not simply a gap to fill. Its cause and whether the substrate continues to move need to be established. New plaster cannot absorb structural movement indefinitely.

Loose or hollow areas and changes of material require a compatible system. Historic finishes and decorative plasterwork also raise questions about what can be retained. Profiles, ornaments and missing pieces cannot usefully be priced as ordinary wall area.

Before old plaster or coatings are removed or sanded, suspected hazardous materials must be assessed. For protected buildings, agree the approach with the relevant authority. An unknown substrate should remain an explicit uncertainty rather than being assumed trouble-free.

Suit the system to bathrooms, basements and façades

A dry living room, a domestic bathroom and a constantly wet surface have different requirements. Not every gypsum plaster suits every exposure. Have the material, final covering and required waterproofing assessed together; “suitable for damp rooms” does not describe the entire system.

Simply renewing a visible patch is insufficient on damp or salt-affected walls. The cause and future exposure need to inform the repair. Façades and building bases add weather, splash water and junction details.

How much does plastering cost?

One Swiss 2026 guide rate lists CHF 32–48/m² for base plaster on brick or concrete, including material and excluding VAT. Ancillary work needs project-specific clarification. This is an individual provider figure, not a market average.

Your quote depends on the treated area, existing layers, removal, materials, build-up and required result. Repairs, edges, reveals and decorative plaster may need separate items. A large new-build area rate is not directly comparable with fragmented repairs in an older property.

For example, a wall measuring 5 × 2.6 metres is 13 m² before openings. Ten linear metres of cornice repair or several ceiling roses are different quantities. List these separately rather than combining everything into a square-metre rate.

Allow for drying and subsequent trades

Waiting periods may be required between preparation, plaster coats, skimming and final coating. They depend on the product, thickness and conditions. A general day-based rule does not provide a reliable schedule for every plaster.

Coordinate plastering, painting and tiling. Establish who checks and accepts the surface before the next stage. Furniture, floor protection, dust control, access and waste removal also need arrangements before work starts.

External work needs suitable weather and sometimes protective measures. A fixed completion date should not mean coating a substrate that is still unsuitable.

Compare detailed quotes

Avoid a single unexplained “plastering lump sum”. A clear quote describes the initial condition and agreed result. Where damage remains concealed, specify how additional work will be identified and approved.

• Areas covered. Walls, ceilings and external surfaces with measurements; mouldings and decorative pieces separately.
• Build-up and finish. Preparation, materials, expected appearance and the boundary with painting or tiling.
• Additional costs and timing. Access, scaffolding, protection, disposal, VAT and the order of subsequent work.