Kitchen plastering and decorating in Melksham

Who usually needs kitchen plastering and decorating in Melksham?

Some people in Melksham are keeping their units but want the whole room redecorated in a tougher, wipeable paint after years of steam and cooking marks.

Homeowners in Wiltshire with textured ceilings in older kitchens often want them smoothed, and the first step is an asbestos test if the house dates from before 2000. Kitchens in every part of Melksham are covered, and the survey visit is free wherever you are in Wiltshire.

What does the job involve?

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

Diluted mist coat on new plaster, then moisture-resistant, wipeable kitchen paint
Walls re-boarded or skimmed so units and tiles fix to a flat surface
Ceilings, walls, skirting, architraves and door frames decorated to finish the room
Chases around new sockets, cable runs and pipework filled and made good
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

Kitchen plastering and decorating prices in Melksham

Use these ranges to plan your budget. They include VAT, reflect costs in the South West, and are firmed up once we have seen your Melksham kitchen. Prices across the South West are broadly in line with UK averages.

Kitchen plastering and decorating prices in Melksham
Typical project	Guide price
Skim kitchen walls and ceiling over sound plasterPrepared and skimmed	£360–£820
Hack off, re-board and skim a kitchenOld plaster removed back to the wall	£930–£1,900
Kitchen decoratedWalls, ceiling and woodwork	£410–£1,200

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

You will find thatched and stone cottages, Victorian railway terraces, post-war estate houses and new-build estates throughout Wiltshire. Railway terraces in Swindon often have a narrow back kitchen, while stone and thatched cottages in the villages tend to have small kitchens with low ceilings.

Village lanes and farm tracks can be narrow for delivery lorries, and Salisbury's historic centre has limited parking, so delivery is planned in advance. Wiltshire's water is hard, much of it from chalk, so limescale on taps and boiling water taps is common and a filter can help.

Do you need approval for kitchen plastering and decorating in Melksham?

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.

Listed thatched cottages, Salisbury's historic centre and other conservation areas may need consent for a new external vent or changes to historic features.

Practical advice for Melksham homeowners

Before final decorating in your Melksham kitchen, check that the new worktops and floor are covered, as paint splashes are much easier to prevent than to remove.
Ventilate your Melksham kitchen gently while new plaster dries, but avoid blasting heaters at it, as forcing it dry can cause cracking.
Pick the final paint colour for your Melksham kitchen while the plaster dries, testing samples on the dried mist coat rather than on bare plaster.
Older homes with solid walls may have lime plaster, which is often better repaired with lime than gypsum, particularly where the building is listed.

Questions about kitchen plastering and decorating in Melksham

How much does kitchen plastering and decorating cost in Melksham?

Kitchen plastering and decorating in Melksham typically costs £360 to £820 including VAT for skimming the walls and ceiling over sound plaster, based on prices in the South West. Larger or more involved jobs cost more, and your price is fixed in writing after a free survey visit.

Can you measure up in Melksham before quoting?

Yes. Every quote starts with a free, no-obligation survey visit to your home in Melksham. We measure the room, check the walls, floor and service positions, then send an itemised written quote.

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.

Should a kitchen be plastered before or after the units are fitted?

Before. Plastering is done after strip-out and first-fix electrics and plumbing, so new cables and pipes are chased in and covered, and before the base and wall units go in. Units then fix to a flat, finished surface, and the decorator only needs to cut in around them at the end. Patch repairs after fitting are possible but harder to hide.

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

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