Written by Mark Reid,
Trades Editor ·Verified 23 September 2026
Reading's housing mix throws up all sorts for a plasterer to deal with. You've got Victorian terraces around Caversham and East Reading with lath and plaster ceilings that need dot-and-dab or a full skim, then new-build estates out towards Lower Earley and Woodley where it's mostly patch repairs and snagging work after a developer's finish falls short. Add in the student lets near the university and the older cottages in Sonning and Shinfield, and you can see why plasterers around here need to handle everything from a small crack repair to a full house re-skim after a renovation. Damp is a recurring theme too, especially in the older stock near the Thames and the Kennet, so plenty of local plasterers also do renovating plaster and tanking work alongside standard skimming.
The businesses on this page come from public business listings, ranked by their review rating and how many reviews they've built up, with a small boost for those who have a proper working website and a phone number you can actually reach them on. We check each firm's homepage to confirm plastering is genuinely what they do day to day, which stops general builders or unrelated trades sneaking onto a list like this. Any listing that's flagged as permanently closed gets pulled automatically. Where you spot a Trust Verified badge, that business has gone through our full verification, covering trade qualifications and accreditations, public liability insurance, trading history, customer review history and registered company information. Have a look at our How We Verify page for the complete rundown of what that involves. For any business without the badge, those checks haven't been done by us, so it's worth running through them yourself before you book anyone in.
Before you commit to a plasterer, ask what type of finish they're quoting for, skim coat, hardwall backing, or a full re-plaster, because prices and timescales vary hugely between those. Get them to confirm whether they're VAT registered, how they handle drying times (this matters if you're decorating soon after), and whether they'll leave the room swept and dust-sheeted properly. It's worth asking for photos of recent jobs in Reading specifically, since local conditions like damp older walls or newer plasterboard stud walls need different approaches. Always get two or three quotes rather than taking the first one, and check whether the price includes materials, skip hire, or making good afterwards, since these add-ons catch people out more often than you'd think.
How We Select & Rate The Best Plasterers in Reading
Businesses on this page are pulled from public business listings and ranked mainly by review rating and review count, with a small lift given to those showing a working website and phone number. We check each business's homepage to confirm plastering work is what they primarily do, which keeps unrelated trades off the page. Listings flagged as permanently closed are removed automatically. Where a business carries our Trust Verified badge, it has additionally passed full verification covering trade qualifications, insurance, trading history, customer review history and registered company information (see our How We Verify page for details). Businesses without that badge haven't been independently verified by us, so do your own checks before hiring.
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 →
A perfect 5-star record across a dozen Google reviews points to consistent standards at M J Ellis Plastering & Rendering. Based in Reading, the firm covers both interior plastering and external rendering, serving domestic properties across the local area. Enquiries can be made through the company's website.
Reading and the surrounding villages fall within reach of All Things Lime, a plastering business focused on traditional lime work rather than standard modern finishes. This specialism suits period cottages and older properties where breathable materials matter more than speed. Nine reviews on Google have left the business with a perfect five-star rating.
Klass Group works as a plastering contractor in Reading, covering internal wall and ceiling finishes for domestic properties. All five reviews left on Google give the maximum rating, a small but consistent record for the firm. Work is arranged directly through the company's own website rather than third-party listings.
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 standard skim on a single room, expect somewhere between £250 and £450 depending on ceiling height and how much prep work's needed. A full re-plaster of a small house, say a three-bed terrace in Caversham or Tilehurst, can run from £2,000 to £4,500 once you factor in walls, ceilings and materials. Small crack repairs or patching might only cost £80 to £150 as a call-out. Prices shift depending on access, how much furniture needs moving, and whether there's damp to deal with first. Get two or three quotes before deciding, since prices between local plasterers can vary by a few hundred pounds for the same job.
How long does plastering take to dry before I can paint?
Fresh plaster usually needs about a week per 5mm of thickness to dry fully in normal conditions, so a standard skim coat often wants five to seven days minimum before painting. Using a mist coat (heavily diluted emulsion) first helps the wall breathe rather than sealing in moisture too early. Cold, damp weather, common in Reading over autumn and winter, can slow this down considerably, so don't rush it even if the surface looks dry to the touch.
Do I need to move furniture and take up carpets before the plasterer arrives?
Most plasterers ask that rooms are cleared as much as possible, and carpets either lifted or fully protected, since plastering is a messy job with dust and splashes involved. Some will move light furniture themselves but expect this to be discussed beforehand, and it may add to the cost if it's a lot of heavy lifting. Always ask what they expect from you before the job starts so there's no confusion on the day.
What's the difference between skimming and rendering?
Skimming refers to the smooth plaster finish applied to interior walls and ceilings, usually over plasterboard or an existing plaster base. Rendering is the exterior equivalent, a coating applied to outside walls for weatherproofing and appearance, common on older Reading properties needing a refresh or repair after cracking. Some plasterers do both, but it's worth checking specifically, since rendering involves different materials and techniques, particularly with modern silicone or monocouche renders versus traditional sand and cement.
Can a plasterer fix damp patches or do I need a separate damp specialist first?
If the damp is minor and the cause has already been sorted, plenty of plasterers can apply renovating or tanking plaster to deal with the affected area. But if you're not sure what's causing the damp, whether it's rising damp, a leaking gutter, or condensation from poor ventilation, it's worth getting a damp specialist to diagnose it first. Plastering over an unresolved damp problem just means it'll come back through the new finish within months.
How do I choose between the plasterers listed on this page?
Start by reading through recent reviews rather than just the star rating, since specific comments about tidiness, timekeeping and finish quality tell you more than a number does. Ask each business for photos of similar jobs they've completed nearby, ideally in a property of a similar age to yours. Check they're happy to give a written quote breaking down labour and materials, and confirm whether they carry public liability insurance, most reputable plasterers will have this and should be able to show proof if asked. Where a business has our Trust Verified badge, that groundwork has already been done. For anyone without it, take the time to ask these questions yourself and get everything agreed in writing before work starts.
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