Kitchen plastering and decorating in Shepherds Bush

What prompts kitchen plastering and decorating in Shepherds Bush?

When new sockets, lighting and pipework have been chased into the walls of a Shepherds Bush kitchen, plastering and making good is what hides the routes cleanly.

After a knock-through in a Shepherds Bush home, the new opening, beam and surrounding walls need plastering before the new kitchen goes in, then decorating once the plaster has dried. Homes right across Shepherds Bush are covered, as are nearby places such as Notting Hill, Bayswater and the villages in between.

What does the job involve?

The exact scope is agreed after the survey, but a typical job in Shepherds Bush covers:

Chases around new sockets, cable runs and pipework filled and made good
Loose or blown plaster hacked off back to the wall where needed
Free survey visit to check walls and ceilings and give an itemised quote
Ceilings skimmed or overboarded, after textured coatings in older homes are tested for asbestos
Ceilings, walls, skirting, architraves and door frames decorated to finish the room
Edges around units, worktops and splashbacks cut in neatly at the end

Kitchen plastering and decorating prices in Shepherds Bush

Typical kitchen plastering and decorating prices for homes in Shepherds Bush, including VAT and adjusted for London. Your own figure depends on the size of the kitchen, the layout and what is moving. Labour in London generally costs more than the UK average, which lifts these ranges a little.

Kitchen plastering and decorating prices in Shepherds Bush
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%.

House types around Shepherds Bush and what they mean for a kitchen

The housing mix across Greater London includes Victorian and Edwardian terraces, conversion flats, mansion block flats and 1930s semis, so no two kitchen fits are quite alike. 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.

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. Permit parking, red routes and flats without lifts are common, so parking suspensions, stair carries and lift bookings may need arranging before delivery day.

What rules apply to kitchen plastering and decorating in Shepherds Bush?

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.

Before you book kitchen plastering and decorating in Shepherds Bush

Pick the final paint colour for your Shepherds Bush kitchen while the plaster dries, testing samples on the dried mist coat rather than on bare plaster.
Ventilate your Shepherds Bush kitchen gently while new plaster dries, but avoid blasting heaters at it, as forcing it dry can cause cracking.
If your Greater London home was built before 2000, arrange an asbestos test on any textured ceiling before plastering is booked, so the programme is not held up.
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 Shepherds Bush

How much does kitchen plastering and decorating cost in Shepherds Bush?

Guide prices in Shepherds Bush 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.

Do you cover all of Shepherds Bush?

Yes. We work across Shepherds Bush, including the W12 postcode district, and nearby towns such as Notting Hill and Bayswater. Book a free survey visit and we will arrange a time that suits you.

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.

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.

Kitchen plastering and decorating in neighbouring towns

Close to Shepherds Bush? We cover these nearby towns too: