The short answer
Plastering a ceiling in the UK typically costs between £250 and £600 for an average room, depending on the size of the ceiling, its condition and whether it simply needs a skim or needs overboarding first. Skimming a sound ceiling — a thin finish coat of multi-finish plaster over existing plaster or plasterboard — is the lower-cost job. Where an old lath-and-plaster ceiling is cracked, sagging or has artex that is being covered, the plasterer usually overboards it (screws new plasterboard up) and then skims, which adds materials and labour. Ceilings cost more per square metre than walls because the work is done overhead, which is slower and more physically demanding. A large room, a high ceiling, or removing an old ceiling entirely pushes the figure higher.
Ceilings are the part of a room people most often underestimate. Working overhead is slower than working on a wall, and the condition of an older ceiling can turn a simple skim into an overboarding job.
Cost to plaster a ceiling
- Skim a small ceiling£200–£350
- Skim an average ceiling£250–£450
- Overboard and skim an average ceiling£400–£700
- Large or high ceiling£600–£1,000+
- Why ceilings cost moreOverhead work is slower
Skim, overboard or full re-plaster
The right approach — and therefore the cost — depends on what the ceiling is made of and its condition:
- Skim only: a thin finish coat over a ceiling that is already sound and flat, usually existing plasterboard or solid plaster. This is the quickest, lowest-cost option.
- Overboard and skim: new plasterboard is screwed up underneath the old ceiling, the joints are taped with scrim, and then the new board is skimmed. This is common where an old lath-and-plaster ceiling is cracked or sagging, or where artex is being covered cleanly. It adds the cost of boards, fixings and the extra labour of boarding.
- Pull down and re-plaster: the most involved and most expensive route, used where the old ceiling is failing badly. The old ceiling is taken down (a messy job), new plasterboard is fixed to the joists, and then skimmed. This adds waste removal and a lot of labour.
A plasterer will usually recommend overboarding over pulling a ceiling down where the structure allows, because it avoids the mess, dust and disposal of a full strip-out.
| Ceiling job | Typical UK cost | Rough time |
|---|---|---|
| Skim a small ceiling (sound) | £200–£350 | Half a day–1 day |
| Skim an average ceiling (sound) | £250–£450 | 1 day |
| Overboard and skim, average ceiling | £400–£700 | 1–2 days |
| Pull down and re-plaster, average ceiling | £600–£1,000+ | 2–3 days |
Indicative UK figures for guidance only. Sources: Checkatrade and MyJobQuote cost guides. Condition, height and access change the price significantly.
Why ceilings cost more than walls
Square metre for square metre, a ceiling usually costs more to plaster than a wall, and there are practical reasons for that:
- Overhead work is slower: applying and flattening plaster above your head is more tiring and more time-consuming than working on a vertical wall, so the same area takes longer.
- It is harder to get flat: a ceiling shows imperfections clearly under daylight and artificial light, so a good finish demands care.
- Access: the plasterer works from hop-ups, trestles or a platform, which slows movement compared with standing on the floor.
- Height: a high ceiling in a hallway, stairwell or Victorian room needs scaffolding or a tower, which adds cost.
Because of this, do not assume a ceiling is a small add-on to a wall quote. On a re-plastering job it can be one of the more significant lines.
What changes the figure
Within those ranges, several things move a ceiling quote up or down:
- Condition: a sound, flat ceiling needing only a skim is the lower-cost end. A cracked, sagging lath-and-plaster ceiling that needs overboarding or removal is the most expensive.
- Size and height: larger rooms cost more, and a tall ceiling that needs a tower or scaffold adds access cost.
- Coving and features: ornate cornices, ceiling roses or coving that must be worked around (or reinstated) add time.
- Mess and disposal: pulling down an old ceiling generates a lot of waste, and removing and disposing of it adds to the bill.
- Prep: sealing a powdery surface, applying a bonding agent to artex, or taping board joints all take time before the finish coat goes on.
When you receive a quote, confirm whether it is for a straight skim or for overboarding, and whether any coving, waste removal or access equipment is included — these are the items that most often separate a low quote from a realistic one.
It is also worth thinking about the order of work if you are doing a whole room. Ceilings are normally plastered before walls, so that any plaster dropping onto the walls during the overhead work is simply covered by the wall skim afterwards. If you only intend to do the ceiling, the plasterer will mask and protect the walls instead, which is part of why a ceiling-only job is not as cheap per square metre as it might seem — the protection and clean-down still have to happen. Telling the plasterer up front whether the walls are being done at the same time lets them sequence the job and price it accurately.
Finally, consider the lighting in the room. Ceilings are unforgiving because they are lit from below by daylight from windows and by artificial lights, which rakes across the surface and shows up any waviness or trowel marks. A room with large windows or spotlights set into or near the ceiling demands a flatter finish than a hallway with soft, overhead light. This is one reason a good plasterer takes extra time over a ceiling, and why overboarding can be the better choice where a dead-flat result is wanted under bright or angled light.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a ceiling cost more to plaster than a wall?
Because the work is done overhead, which is slower and more physically demanding than plastering a vertical wall. The plasterer also works from hop-ups or a platform rather than standing on the floor, and a flat, even ceiling finish shows imperfections clearly under light, so it demands extra care. For the same area, a ceiling generally takes longer than a wall.
Is it better to overboard a ceiling or pull it down?
Overboarding — fixing new plasterboard under the old ceiling and skimming it — is usually preferred where the structure allows, because it avoids the dust, mess and disposal of pulling an old ceiling down. A plasterer will recommend taking a ceiling down only where it is sagging or failing badly enough that overboarding is not sound. Pulling down is more expensive because of the extra labour and waste removal.
Can you skim straight over an artex ceiling?
Sometimes, after the surface is treated with a suitable bonding agent so the plaster keys to it, but many plasterers prefer to overboard artex for a reliably flat result. Crucially, older textured coatings can contain asbestos, so an artex ceiling should be checked before it is sanded, scraped or disturbed in any way.
Sources & further reading
Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific room. They are guidance, not a quotation.