Kitchen plastering and decorating in Alton

Thinking about kitchen plastering and decorating in Alton?

If you own an older solid-walled house in Hampshire, the walls may have lime plaster, which is often better repaired with lime than covered with gypsum.

Once the old kitchen is out in an Alton home, the walls behind it are often patched, chased and uneven, and a skim gives the new units a sound surface. We cover all of Alton, including the GU34 postcode district, and travel out to neighbouring towns across Hampshire.

What does kitchen plastering and decorating in Alton include?

After the survey visit we write the scope down. For kitchen plastering and decorating in Alton it usually covers:

Ceilings skimmed or overboarded, after textured coatings in older homes are tested for asbestos
Loose or blown plaster hacked off back to the wall where needed
Chases around new sockets, cable runs and pipework filled and made good
Edges around units, worktops and splashbacks cut in neatly at the end
Ceilings, walls, skirting, architraves and door frames decorated to finish the room
Walls re-boarded or skimmed so units and tiles fix to a flat surface

What should you budget for kitchen plastering and decorating in Alton?

As a starting point for Alton, these ranges include VAT at 20% and allow for typical labour costs in the South East. Labour in the South East generally costs more than the UK average, which lifts these ranges a little.

What should you budget for kitchen plastering and decorating in Alton?
Typical project	Guide price
Skim kitchen walls and ceiling over sound plasterPrepared and skimmed	£400–£920
Hack off, re-board and skim a kitchenOld plaster removed back to the wall	£1,000–£2,100
Kitchen decoratedWalls, ceiling and woodwork	£460–£1,400

Guide prices are for a typical kitchen, with labour and standard materials for plastering or decorating; asbestos testing, structural repairs, damp treatment and lime plaster are not included and are quoted separately if needed. Prices include VAT at 20%.

Local homes and their kitchens

In and around Alton, homes range across Victorian terraces, 1930s semis, post-war estate houses and thatched and brick cottages. Terraces in Southampton and Portsmouth often have a narrow back kitchen, while post-war estate houses tend to have a compact rectangular room suited to an L-shape.

Water across Hampshire is mostly hard, largely from chalk sources, so limescale on taps and boiling water taps is common and a filter can help. Dense terraced streets can be very tight for parking, and New Forest lanes and village roads may limit the size of delivery vehicle.

Building regulations, electrics and gas in Alton

Skimming, re-boarding and decorating a kitchen in England need no planning permission or building regulations approval in most cases. In a listed building, listed building consent may be needed before original plaster is removed, and older solid walls may be better suited to breathable lime plaster than gypsum. Hacking an outside wall back to brick and re-boarding it may count as renovating a thermal element under Part L, so check with building control first.

Homes within the New Forest or South Downs national parks, listed cottages and conservation areas may need consent for a new extractor vent or alterations to historic features.

Planning ahead

If your Hampshire home was built before 2000, arrange an asbestos test on any textured ceiling before plastering is booked, so the programme is not held up.
Keep a small tin of each paint used in your Alton kitchen, labelled with the colour and finish, for touching up marks around handles and the bin.
Small hairline cracks can appear as new plaster dries; ask for them to be filled and sanded just before the final coats, not straight away.
Fresh plaster usually needs three to six weeks to dry fully, so plan for a mist coat first and the final colour once it has dried.

Questions about kitchen plastering and decorating in Alton

How much does kitchen plastering and decorating cost in Alton?

Guide prices in Alton are about £400 to £920 including VAT for skimming the walls and ceiling over sound plaster. The final price depends on the size of the kitchen and what is moving, and is set out in an itemised written quote.

Which parts of Alton do you work in?

All of them. Our Hampshire coverage takes in the whole of Alton, including the GU34 postcode district, as well as surrounding towns such as Bordon. If you are unsure, send us your postcode.

Can a textured kitchen ceiling be skimmed over?

Often, yes, but have it tested first if the house was built before 2000. Some older textured ceiling coatings contain asbestos, so a sample should be tested before anyone sands, scrapes or drills them. If the result is clear, the ceiling can usually be skimmed or overboarded. If asbestos is found, follow the report's advice and use a specialist asbestos contractor.

How long should new plaster dry before painting?

Fresh plaster usually needs three to six weeks to dry fully before full decorating, depending on its thickness, the time of year and how well the room is ventilated. It turns from dark to an even, pale colour as it dries. A diluted mist coat can usually go on sooner to seal the surface, with the final coats applied once drying has finished.

What paint should be used on kitchen walls?

A moisture-resistant paint with a wipeable or scrubbable finish, often sold as kitchen and bathroom paint, suits most kitchen walls. It copes with steam and can be cleaned without marking. Silk or eggshell finishes are easier to wipe than flat matt, and woodwork usually gets a satinwood or gloss. New plaster needs a diluted mist coat before any of these.

Kitchen plastering and decorating in neighbouring towns

The same service is available a short drive from Alton, including: