How to Find a Trustworthy Plasterer in the UK

Look for membership of a recognised body such as the Federation of Plastering and Drywall Contractors (FPDC). Membership is not a legal requirement, but it means the plasterer has agreed to a code of practice.

Ask to see photographs of previous work similar in scale to yours. A full ceiling needs different skills to a small patch repair.

Fresh plaster needs to dry before it can be painted. Ask how long this will take, and be wary of a plasterer who will not give a timeframe.

New plaster usually needs a diluted first coat of paint, often called a mist coat. Ask the plasterer to confirm when the surface will be ready for it.

Agree the finish in writing, since plastering disputes are more often about the final surface than the price.

Textured ceiling coatings, often known as Artex, applied before 2000 can contain asbestos. Scraping or sanding them can release fibres.

Ask the plasterer whether they plan to test the coating before disturbing it. Plastering over a sound textured ceiling, or boarding over it, can avoid disturbing it at all.

• Will you skim over the existing plaster, or hack it off and replaster?
• Who will make good around sockets, switches and light fittings?
• How will you protect floors and furniture from dust?
• Is removing waste included in the price?

Plastering faults can take weeks to appear, so a history of finished jobs is useful. On Propvio, a review only appears once a homeowner has logged the job and the plasterer has confirmed it.

A consistent run of confirmed jobs is more reliable than a few reviews left in a short space of time.

Ask for a written quote naming each wall or ceiling, the finish expected, and how existing damage will be dealt with first.

See What to Ask a Tradesperson Before Work Starts for questions that suit any job.