Kitchen plastering and decorating in Barnet

Thinking about kitchen plastering and decorating in Barnet?

Once the old kitchen is out in a Barnet home, the walls behind it are often patched, chased and uneven, and a skim gives the new units a sound surface.

Some people in Barnet are keeping their units but want the whole room redecorated in a tougher, wipeable paint after years of steam and cooking marks. We cover all of Barnet, including the EN5 postcode district, and travel out to neighbouring towns across Greater London.

What does kitchen plastering and decorating in Barnet include?

Here is what usually goes into kitchen plastering and decorating, adjusted to your Barnet kitchen after we have measured it:

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
Free survey visit to check walls and ceilings and give an itemised quote
Diluted mist coat on new plaster, then moisture-resistant, wipeable kitchen paint
Ceilings, walls, skirting, architraves and door frames decorated to finish the room

What does kitchen plastering and decorating cost in Barnet?

As a starting point for Barnet, these ranges include VAT at 20% and allow for typical labour costs in London. Expect costs in London to sit somewhat above UK averages, reflecting local labour rates.

What does kitchen plastering and decorating cost in Barnet?
Typical project	Guide price
Skim kitchen walls and ceiling over sound plasterPrepared and skimmed	£460–£1,000
Hack off, re-board and skim a kitchenOld plaster removed back to the wall	£1,200–£2,300
Kitchen decoratedWalls, ceiling and woodwork	£520–£1,600

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%.

Kitchens in homes around Barnet

Typical homes in this part of Greater London include Victorian and Edwardian terraces, conversion flats, mansion block flats and 1930s semis. Victorian terraces often have a narrow galley beside the side return, while conversion flats and mansion blocks usually fit the kitchen into a small room or along one living-room wall.

Permit parking, red routes and flats without lifts are common, so parking suspensions, stair carries and lift bookings may need arranging before delivery day. London's mains water is hard, so limescale builds quickly on taps and boiling water taps, and a scale-reducing filter is worth planning in.

Building regulations, electrics and gas in Barnet

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.

Conservation areas are widespread across London, so a new extractor vent on a front wall may need permission, and leaseholders usually need the freeholder's written consent first.

Practical advice for Barnet homeowners

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.
Pick the final paint colour for your Barnet kitchen while the plaster dries, testing samples on the dried mist coat rather than on bare plaster.
Ventilate your Barnet kitchen gently while new plaster dries, but avoid blasting heaters at it, as forcing it dry can cause cracking.
Whether a wall can be skimmed or needs hacking off is often clear only once the old tiles and units are off, so allow some contingency.

Questions about kitchen plastering and decorating in Barnet

How much does kitchen plastering and decorating cost in Barnet?

Guide prices in Barnet are about £460 to £1,000 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 Barnet do you work in?

All of them. Our Greater London coverage takes in the whole of Barnet, including the EN5 postcode district, as well as surrounding towns such as East Barnet. If you are unsure, send us your postcode.

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.

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.

Do I need to replaster after removing kitchen tiles?

Usually, at least in places. Taking tiles off often pulls away the plaster skin or leaves adhesive ridges, so the wall may need skimming, patching or, where the plaster has come loose, hacking off and re-boarding. If you are retiling the same area, a flat, sound surface may be enough without a full skim. We check this once the tiles are off.

Kitchen plastering and decorating in neighbouring towns

We also carry out kitchen plastering and decorating in these towns near Barnet: