Kitchen plastering and decorating in Stratford

Thinking about kitchen plastering and decorating in Stratford?

If your Stratford kitchen has blown plaster behind old tiles, hacking off and re-boarding is usually more reliable than patching over it, and gives the new tiles and units a firm base to fix to.

Some people in Stratford 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 Stratford, including the E15 postcode district, and travel out to neighbouring towns across Greater London.

What is in a typical job?

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

Edges around units, worktops and splashbacks cut in neatly at the end
Diluted mist coat on new plaster, then moisture-resistant, wipeable kitchen paint
Ceilings skimmed or overboarded, after textured coatings in older homes are tested for asbestos
Free survey visit to check walls and ceilings and give an itemised quote
Loose or blown plaster hacked off back to the wall where needed
Walls re-boarded or skimmed so units and tiles fix to a flat surface

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

Typical kitchen plastering and decorating prices for homes in Stratford, including VAT and adjusted for London. Your own figure depends on the size of the kitchen, the layout and what is moving. Expect costs in London to sit somewhat above UK averages, reflecting local labour rates.

What should you budget for kitchen plastering and decorating in Stratford?
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 Stratford and what they mean for a kitchen

You will find Victorian and Edwardian terraces, conversion flats, mansion block flats and 1930s semis throughout Greater London. 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.

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

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.

Worth knowing before the fit

Photograph the walls of your Stratford kitchen before plastering, showing where cables and pipes run, so you know where not to drill when fitting shelves later.
Before final decorating in your Stratford kitchen, check that the new worktops and floor are covered, as paint splashes are much easier to prevent than to remove.
If the house is listed or has solid walls, ask whether lime plaster is needed before the old plaster in your kitchen is stripped out.
Plaster before the units go in: skimming around fitted cabinets is slower, messier and leaves edges that are hard to finish neatly.

Questions about kitchen plastering and decorating in Stratford

How much does kitchen plastering and decorating cost in Stratford?

For skimming the walls and ceiling over sound plaster, budget around £460 to £1,000 including VAT in Stratford. That reflects typical costs in London; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.

Which parts of Stratford do you work in?

All of them. Our Greater London coverage takes in the whole of Stratford, including the E15 postcode district, as well as surrounding towns such as West Ham. 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.

Nearby places we cover

Close to Stratford? We cover these nearby towns too: