1. The number of coats makes a difference
You may be tempted by the single coat plaster you saw at the hardware store, but we don’t recommend this. Why? Single coat plaster may be ok for touching up a small area but for larger jobs it won’t give you the finish you need. Professional plasterers will almost always use two coats of gypsum-based plaster to surface your walls. This will result in a smooth, even finish free of blemishes that is ready for a couple of coats of paint.
2. Ask for their licence and qualifications
You may not alway think to ask for a tradies licence or qualifications – and assume they ‘have all that stuff’. Fact is not everyone does. Hipages checks the licensing of every tradie we list on the platform, and this is indicated on their profile page, which gives you some peace of mind. Nevertheless, you do need to make sure your plasterer can legally work in your home – which licensing allows them to do
In NSW for example you must have a licence before you do any residential building work that is valued at more than $5000 (incl GST) in labour and materials.
3. Look at their previous work
This tip is easier than you may think – and doesn’t actually involve you going around to look at a tradies previous jobs. You can just as easily review their work on their website – where many businesses highlight their workmanship in galleries – or their Facebook page. If you want to dig a little deeper then have a look at feedback and testimonials from previous clients. Hipages collects feedback on a businesses profile page, and you can also look at reviews on Google or other review sites.
4. Don’t just get one quote
You may be time poor or think it is too much hassle to get more than one quote, but take the time to get at least three – especially for bigger, more exxy jobs. Why? You may be surprised at the range of quotes you get from local plasterers. There could be a few reasons for this: some tradies are more experienced and are proud of their workmanship and attention to detail, and charge accordingly. Other businesses could simply be trying their luck, and charge hundreds or more than their competitors – for no good reason. Getting at least 3 quotes lets you compare apples with apples, especially when it is all detailed in a written quote.
5. Timelines for your project
It is a good idea to get a clear idea from a tradie when they can start your job, and how long it is going to take. This could be a deal breaker, if for example they are so busy they can only start your job in a few months time. You also need to get a clear idea of the timing of your job, and ask them how many days/weeks it could take. If they are vague about this it is worth pressing them for a more accurate timeline, as it could be really inconvenient otherwise.
You should now be able to hire a local plasterer – and know a little more about your project, so your walls get the finish they deserve!
