Written by Mark Reid,
Trades Editor ·Verified 23 September 2026
Bath's housing stock throws up more plastering quirks than most cities its size. You've got Georgian terraces around Lansdown and Bathwick with original lath and plaster ceilings that need careful patching rather than a quick skim, Victorian villas in Widcombe and Oldfield Park with lime-based walls that don't take kindly to modern gypsum products, and newer builds out towards Odd Down or Combe Down that just need standard plasterboard and skim work. The honey-coloured Bath stone construction common across the city also means damp patterns and settlement cracks show up differently than in brick terraces, so a plasterer who knows the local building types tends to save you money in the long run by not misdiagnosing the problem.
The businesses listed here are pulled from public business listings and ranked by their review rating and how many reviews they've got, with a small lift given to those showing a working website and phone number. We also read each business's homepage to check that plastering is genuinely their main trade, which stops general builders or decorators who dabble in plastering from cluttering up the page. Listings flagged as permanently closed get removed automatically as part of this process. Where you spot a Trust Verified badge, that business has gone through our fuller check covering trade qualifications and accreditations, public liability insurance, trading history, customer review history, and registered company information, and you can read exactly what that involves on our How We Verify page. For any business without that badge, those checks haven't been done by us, so it's on you to do them before booking.
Before agreeing to any work, ask to see photos of similar jobs, particularly if you're dealing with lime plaster or a listed building, since Bath has plenty of both and the rules around alterations can be strict. Confirm whether the quote includes materials, skip hire, and making good afterwards, as these often get left off initial estimates and added later. It's also worth asking how long they'll leave a skim coat to dry before a second coat or painting, because rushing this is a common cause of cracking. Get two or three quotes minimum, even for a small job like a single ceiling, as prices for the same work can vary by £150 or more between tradespeople in the same postcode.
How We Select & Rate The Best Plasterers in Bath
Rankings are based on review rating and review count from public business listings, with a small lift for businesses that show a working website and phone number. We check each business's homepage to confirm plastering is what they primarily do, which keeps unrelated trades off the page. Listings marked as permanently closed are removed automatically. Businesses displaying a Trust Verified badge have additionally passed our full verification, covering trade qualifications and accreditations, public liability insurance, trading history, customer review history, and registered company information; see our How We Verify page for details. Other businesses shown here haven't been independently verified by us, and appearing on this page isn't an endorsement. Always carry out your own checks before hiring anyone.
Recommended and Featured listings are paid placements, so a business's fee affects whether and where it appears. Every other listing is ranked on rating and review count from third-party business listings. How we rank & verify →
Specialising in lath and plaster ceiling repair and water damage restoration alongside full property re-plastering, DSB Plastering & Wall Insulation covers Bath and the surrounding area. The business also carries out plaster boarding, skimming, and ceiling work. A Google rating of 5.0 from 114 reviews points to consistent results across a broad range of plastering work.
Calls to M S Baker Plastering & Rendering Services often start with a tired ceiling or a render job left unfinished by someone else, needing a proper skim or exterior refinish before decorating can begin. Working around Bath, the firm handles both interior plastering and rendering, with 36 reviews averaging a full five stars from customers who've had similar work done.
Plastering and rendering work is carried out across Bath by SG Plastering & Rendering Services, covering interior finishes and exterior render on domestic properties. The business has built a record of 24 reviews rating it five out of five, reflecting consistency in the standard of finish delivered to clients in the BA2 area.
Transparency notice: Recommended and Featured listings are paid placements, so a business's fee affects whether and where it appears. All other listings are ranked by a combined score drawn from ratings and review counts published on third-party business listings, plus basic completeness signals such as a working website and phone. A Trust Verified badge means we have independently checked that business's documents; businesses without it have not been independently verified by us. How we verify →
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For a single room skim, expect somewhere between £250 and £450 depending on size and condition of the existing walls. A full ceiling on its own tends to run £180 to £300. Larger jobs, like re-plastering a whole ground floor after damp treatment or rewiring, can climb to £2,000 or more once materials and multiple visits are factored in. Older properties with lath and plaster or lime render usually cost more because the work is slower and more specialist. Getting two or three quotes is standard practice here, and it's worth doing even for small jobs since prices vary a fair bit between tradespeople.
Do I need special plaster for a period property in Bath?
Often yes. Many Georgian and Victorian properties in areas like Bathwick, Lansdown, and Larkhall have solid stone or lime-rendered walls that need to breathe. Standard gypsum plaster can trap moisture and lead to damp problems or cracking down the line. Ask your plasterer whether they work with lime plaster and have experience with older buildings before booking, particularly if your property is listed or in a conservation area.
How long does plastering take to dry before I can paint?
A standard skim coat usually needs about five to seven days per coat to dry fully before painting, though this depends on room temperature, ventilation and how thick the coat is. Lime plaster takes considerably longer, sometimes several weeks per coat, because it cures rather than just drying. Painting too early is one of the most common causes of blown paint and visible patches, so it's worth asking your plasterer for a realistic drying timeframe before you book decorators.
Can a plasterer fix a damp patch on my ceiling?
A plasterer can repair the visible damage, but they won't necessarily fix the cause. If you've got a damp patch from a leaking pipe, a failed roof, or rising damp, that needs sorting first, otherwise the new plaster will just fail again. Ask whoever you hire whether they can identify the likely cause, and if not, get a builder or damp specialist to check before any replastering work starts.
Do plasterers in Bath charge extra for listed buildings or conservation areas?
Some do, mainly because the work takes longer and may need specific materials like lime plaster rather than modern gypsum products. Bath has a large number of listed buildings, particularly around the city centre and Bathwick, so it's worth mentioning this when you request a quote so the price reflects the actual job rather than a standard estimate.
What should I check before hiring a plasterer in Bath?
Ask to see examples of previous work, ideally in a property similar to yours, and get their public liability insurance details in writing rather than just taking their word for it. Check how long they've been trading and look for consistent, recent reviews rather than just a high star rating with only a handful of comments. Confirm what the quote includes, whether that's materials, waste removal, and any making good, so you're not surprised by extra costs later. If the job involves a listed building, check they've worked with lime plaster before. And always get at least two quotes so you've got something to compare against.
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