Plastering · North Devon
Plastering that leaves a wall flat, sound and ready for paint, not for arguments.
Whether it is a single ceiling, a full re-skim after a leak, or boarding and plastering a whole new build, our plastering is done in-house by the same team that carries out your carpentry; so the substrate is right before the trowel ever touches it.
Established 2020 · £5m public liability · 12-month workmanship guarantee · In-house team of five
- ~20 years in the tradeAdam project-manages every job personally
- In-house, not subbed outBoarding and plastering by our own team
- £5m public liabilityPlus £10m employers' liability cover
- 12-month guaranteeNo-quibble workmanship cover after completion
- Lime-friendlyComfortable working on older Devon cottages
Service overview
What plastering work with us actually involves
Plastering covers everything from a single damaged ceiling to boarding and skimming a whole extension, plus external rendering. We take it on as a standalone job or as part of a larger build, and it is completed by our own team rather than handed off to whoever happens to be free that week.
Most jobs fall into one of a few categories: dot-and-dab or mechanically fixed plasterboard on new stud or masonry walls, a two-coat skim over boarding, a re-skim over existing plaster that has blown or cracked, and external rendering: sand and cement, monocouche or lime, depending on the wall build-up and the exposure the property faces. On new builds and extensions, boarding and plastering follow straight on from first fix, so the substrate is checked and signed off before a single sheet goes up.
Older cottages across North Devon throw up their own problems: solid stone or cob walls, no cavity, and existing lime plaster that needs matching rather than ripping out and replacing with modern gypsum. Sealing a breathable wall behind the wrong material traps moisture and causes exactly the damp problem you were trying to fix. Where a wall needs to breathe, we work in lime rather than force a quick gypsum skim onto it.
We do not walk onto a plastering job blind. Cracking, damp staining and bulging plaster usually have a cause behind them, a leaking gutter, a failed damp-proof course, movement in the structure, and we will tell you if that needs addressing first rather than skimming over a problem that will reappear within a year.
- Who it is forHomeowners re-skimming a single room after damp or damage, anyone boarding out a loft conversion or extension, and self-builders who need internal finishes and external render carried through to a ready-to-decorate standard.
- When you need itAfter first fix on a new room or extension, when a ceiling has cracked or come away, when a render finish is failing and letting water in, or when you are stripping a room back to bare walls for a full renovation.
- Why a proper plastering job mattersA rushed skim shows every joint and every trowel mark under paint, especially under strong light. A render applied to the wrong substrate, or without the right key and weathering detail, fails within a few winters rather than lasting decades.
What it costs to get wrong
What goes wrong with poor plastering and rendering
Plastering looks simple from the outside: mix it, spread it, leave it to dry. Most of the problems we get called out to fix come from someone skipping the preparation stage nobody sees.
Skimming over the wrong background
Plaster applied straight onto an unsuitable or unprepared surface: dusty brickwork, old wallpaper, a badly keyed render, loses its bond and blows within months. The fix is to hack it all off and start again, at double the cost of doing it right first time.
Trapped damp behind modern materials
Gypsum plaster and cement render on a solid stone or cob wall stop moisture escaping the way it is designed to. The damp has to go somewhere, and it usually shows up as staining, mould or the new plaster failing from behind.
Boarding fixed badly
Plasterboard that is not fixed at the right centres, or dot-and-dab adhesive applied too thin or too sparse, leaves a wall that flexes, cracks along joints and sounds hollow when you knock it.
Render with no weathering detail
Render applied without bellcasts, movement joints and correctly detailed reveals looks fine for a season and then cracks, lets water track behind it and blows off the wall: a particular risk on exposed coastal properties towards Braunton and Instow.
Skimming over an undiagnosed cause
Cracking or staining plaster is often a symptom, not the problem. Skim over a leaking gutter or a failed damp course and the crack or stain comes straight back through the new finish.
How the job runs
From first visit to final snag
- 01
Site visit and free estimate
We look at the walls or ceilings involved, check what is behind the existing finish where relevant, and give you an honest ballpark figure with no obligation.
- 02
Detailed quote
A full itemised quote is produced for a fee, refunded in full if you go ahead: setting out preparation, materials, whether lime or gypsum is appropriate, and any making-good needed first.
- 03
Preparation and background check
Old plaster hacked off where needed, backgrounds keyed or PVA'd, boarding fixed at correct centres, and any underlying damp or movement issue flagged and addressed before we go any further.
- 04
Boarding and plastering, or render
Plasterboard fixed and taped, or scratch and float coats applied for render, with beads and stop ends set true so corners and reveals finish crisp.
- 05
Skim or top coat
A finishing skim coat or render top coat is applied and trowelled to a flat, even finish, matched to the surrounding surfaces where it is a repair.
- 06
Drying, snagging and guarantee
We advise on drying times before decoration, check the finish once dry, and back the completed work with our 12-month no-quibble workmanship guarantee.
Why us
What you get by building with us
In-house, not subcontracted out
Boarding and plastering are carried out by our own team, so the standard is consistent whether it is a single ceiling or a whole new build.
Substrate checked before it is covered
Because we are also carpenters and builders, we know what a plastered wall needs to sit on and will not skim over a background that is going to fail.
Lime-friendly for older properties
Comfortable working in lime on cob and solid stone cottages so the wall keeps breathing the way it was built to.
Root cause addressed, not just covered
Cracking or damp is investigated before it is skimmed over, so you are not paying for the same repair again in a year.
Weathering detail on external render
Bellcasts, movement joints and reveal detailing sized for North Devon's exposure, not just a flat coat over a wall.
Backed by a workmanship guarantee
A 12-month no-quibble guarantee on completed plastering and rendering work, plus £5m public liability cover on every job.
In detail
Plastering and rendering detail: materials, substrates and finish
The right approach changes with the wall behind it. Here is how we decide, and what it means for how your job is carried out.
Boarding and dry lining
New stud partitions and masonry walls are boarded with plasterboard fixed mechanically at the correct centres, or bonded with dot-and-dab adhesive on masonry where that suits the build-up. Joints are taped and filled before skimming so the finished wall does not telegraph a line under paint once the light hits it side-on.
Insulated plasterboard is used where a wall needs improved thermal performance without losing internal space, which comes up often in extensions and renovations tying old fabric into a new insulation strategy.
Skimming and re-skimming
A skim coat is a two-coat gypsum finish trowelled to a smooth, flat surface ready for mist coat and paint. On new boarding this follows straight after taping and filling. On a re-skim, existing plaster is hacked back to sound background first: skimming over loose or blown plaster just delays the failure rather than fixing it.
Ceilings are treated with particular care, since sagging boards or a poorly fixed skim show up immediately under any overhead light. Where an old ceiling has come away from its laths, we assess whether it needs full replacement rather than a patch that will crack again along the same line.
Lime plaster on older buildings
Cob, cordwood and solid stone walls common in older North Devon cottages need to move moisture out through the wall rather than trap it. Lime plaster, applied in the right number of coats over a suitable lath or key, allows that movement to continue and avoids the damp problems that follow sealing a breathable wall behind gypsum or cement.
Lime work takes longer to cure between coats than gypsum, and we build that time into the programme rather than rushing a material that needs it. Matching an existing lime finish on a partial repair also means matching the mix and the trowel technique, not just the colour.
External rendering
Render systems are chosen against the wall build-up and the exposure the property faces: traditional sand and cement with a scratch, float and top coat, through-coloured monocouche render for lower maintenance, or lime render on solid-walled buildings where breathability matters.
Detailing carries the render through the winters that follow: bellcasts to throw water clear of openings, movement joints where render spans different substrates, and correctly formed reveals and cills. Coastal exposure towards Braunton and Instow pushes those details harder than a sheltered inland wall ever will.
Fitting into a wider build
On new builds and extensions, plastering follows first fix carpentry, electrics and plumbing, once insulation is in and the shell is weathertight. Being the same firm that carried out the carpentry means door linings and window boards are already sitting true, so the plasterer is not fighting an out-of-square opening.
On standalone repair jobs, we work around your household: dust sheeting, room-by-room sequencing where you are staying in the property, and clear drying-time advice so you know when it is safe to decorate.
Questions
Straight answers before you commit
If your question isn't here, ring Adam directly; you'll get the same straight answer on the phone.
How much does plastering cost?
It depends on the size of the area, whether it is a skim onto existing sound plaster or a full hack-off and re-board, and whether lime or gypsum is appropriate. Your initial estimate is free; a full itemised quote carries a fee, refunded in full if you proceed.
Can you match existing lime plaster in an old cottage?
Yes. We are comfortable working in lime on cob and solid stone properties, matching the coat build-up and finish to keep the wall breathing rather than sealing it behind a modern gypsum skim.
How long does plaster take to dry before I can paint?
Gypsum skim typically needs to dry out fully before a mist coat, usually taking longer in cold or damp weather than a warm summer. Lime plaster needs considerably longer between coats and before decoration. We give you a realistic timescale for your job rather than a generic figure.
Do you do external rendering as well as internal plastering?
Yes, including sand and cement, monocouche and lime render, chosen against your wall build-up and how exposed the property is.
My ceiling has cracked: can it be patched or does it need replacing?
It depends on the cause. A hairline crack from normal movement can often be repaired. A ceiling that has come away from its laths or joists, or is sagging, needs full replacement, patching it just delays the same failure.
Will you find out why my wall is damp before plastering it?
Yes. Skimming over a leaking gutter, failed damp course or condensation problem just hides it temporarily. We flag what we think is causing it before doing the plastering work, so you are not paying twice.
Do you carry out plastering on its own, or only as part of a larger job?
Both. We take on standalone plastering and rendering jobs as well as carrying it out as part of new builds, extensions and renovations.
Is plastering work guaranteed?
Yes, all completed work is backed by our 12-month no-quibble workmanship guarantee, and we carry £5 million public liability insurance.
Do you use subcontractors for plastering?
No, boarding and plastering are carried out in-house by our own team as part of the wider work we do.
Which areas do you cover for plastering and rendering?
We are based at Langtree near Great Torrington and work across North Devon, including Bideford, Barnstaple, Holsworthy, Hatherleigh, Winkleigh and Braunton.
Related work
Other trades we cover in-house
Renovations
Full property refurbishments, including period and listed cottages.
View service
Extensions
Single and two-storey extensions, structural work included.
View service
Carpentry
First and second fix carpentry led by a City & Guilds qualified carpenter.
View service
General Building
Brickwork, blockwork and repairs from a qualified bricklayer by trade.
View serviceWhere we work
Plastering across North Devon
Next step
Get an honest figure for your plastering or rendering job
Tell us what needs doing: a single room, a full re-board or an external render, and Adam will give you a free initial estimate, including whether lime or gypsum is the right call for your walls.
£5m public liability · £10m employers' liability · 12-month no-quibble workmanship guarantee