Kitchen plastering and decorating · Greater London
Kitchen plastering and decorating in Westminster
Kitchen plastering and decorating in Westminster starts with a free survey visit: we measure up, check the walls, floor and service positions, and explain what the job involves before anything is priced.
Why do people in Westminster choose kitchen plastering and decorating?
When new sockets, lighting and pipework have been chased into the walls of a Westminster kitchen, plastering and making good is what hides the routes cleanly.
Homeowners in Greater London 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. Homes right across Westminster are covered, as are nearby places such as Pimlico, Chelsea and the villages in between.
What is included in the work?
After the survey visit we write the scope down. For kitchen plastering and decorating in Westminster it usually covers:
- 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 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
- Loose or blown plaster hacked off back to the wall where needed
How much does kitchen plastering and decorating cost in Westminster?
These guide ranges include VAT at 20% and are adjusted for prices in London. We confirm your price in writing after a free survey visit. Expect costs in London to sit somewhat above UK averages, reflecting local labour rates.
| 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%.
What kind of kitchens do we fit in Westminster?
In and around Westminster, homes range across 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.
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.
Building regulations, electrics and gas in Westminster
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 Westminster 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.
- Ventilate your Westminster kitchen gently while new plaster dries, but avoid blasting heaters at it, as forcing it dry can cause cracking.
- Before final decorating in your Westminster kitchen, check that the new worktops and floor are covered, as paint splashes are much easier to prevent than to remove.
- 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 Westminster
How much does kitchen plastering and decorating cost in Westminster?
Guide prices in Westminster 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 Westminster do you work in?
All of them. Our Greater London coverage takes in the whole of Westminster, including the SW1 and W2 postcode districts, as well as surrounding towns such as Pimlico. 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.
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.
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.
Also covering nearby towns
The same service is available a short drive from Westminster, including:
- Kitchen plastering and decorating in Pimlico
- Kitchen plastering and decorating in Chelsea
- Kitchen plastering and decorating in Battersea
- Kitchen plastering and decorating in Bayswater
- Kitchen plastering and decorating in Brixton
- Kitchen plastering and decorating in Fulham
- Kitchen plastering and decorating across Greater London