Choosing the right team of domestic plasterers might seem like a challenge, but if you do a little bit of preparation, it is actually easier than you might think. It can help, before you begin your search, to spend a little while learning about what plastering involves. If you know at least a little about what you are asking someone to do, it makes it easier to ask them the right questions and to understand the answers they will give you.

Talk about preparation

You might think that all that matters in plastering is what the final job will look like. The end result is certainly important, but as the homeowner, you will also need to think about how long the job will last before you need to call out the plasterer again. Two newly plastered walls may look similar initially, but it is normally the quality of preparation work that dictates the longevity of the overall job. If you want to know how long a plastering job will last, take the time to ask prospective domestic plasterers how they will prepare the surface for the final plastering. Will they check the quality of the base plaster, or will they simply skim over the top and hide cracks which will soon reappear?

Look for specific experience

When talking to domestic plasterers, find out what type of work they normally do. Not all plastering is similar or requires identical skills. Are they familiar with different types of plaster? Are there certain parts of the home where they normally work? Do they generally work indoors or outdoors? Some plasterers just know how to skim, others are only comfortable doing rendering work and some domestic plasterers specialize in decorative plasterwork.

Obtain comparable quotes

It is always best if you can obtain quotes from multiple plasterers who have actually visited your home and inspected the area where they will be working. Quotes given over the telephone might not be accurate, so ask them to visit the site before confirming the price. Ask the plasterer for a quote in writing, and make sure that every possible expense is included. Additional costs that you might like to ask about include the removal of existing plaster and wallpaper, provision of new plasterboard and extra labour. If any quote comes in particularly low, then ask why that is. It's possible they could be using poor quality materials or that they haven't appreciated the amount of work involved.

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