How Much Does Plastering Cost in the Netherlands?

Why I don’t work with a flat rate

A flat rate sounds simple, but it says little about what a job takes. Two walls of the same size can need completely different amounts of work: one is smooth, new plasterboard, the other an old brick wall full of imperfections. The same goes for a ceiling, a facade or a bathroom. That’s why I don’t hand out a rate before I’ve seen what’s actually going on.

What does count: the surface underneath, the size of the job, the shape of the room, the finish you want, and how easily I can get to the work. Below I go through each of these, so you get a feel for where your own job is likely to land.

What the surface does to the price

The surface underneath decides most of the work, more than the size of the room. A flat, straight wall of new plasterboard is ready for the first coat straight away. An old brick wall full of cracks, holes or uneven patches needs repair first, and that’s work you won’t see in a photo of how it’s meant to look once finished.

Damp plays a part too. A wall or ceiling with water damage has to be properly dry before I carry on, otherwise the new layer won’t bond. In a bathroom or another wet room I use a different, damp-resistant plaster than I do in a dry living room, and that’s a different approach again to plain plastering in a bedroom.

Size, corners and ceilings

A bigger area takes more time, but the shape of the room matters just as much. One straight wall finishes quicker than a room full of corners, door frames and a sloped section under the roof. Every corner has to keep a sharp, straight line, and that takes more care than one large, flat surface.

A ceiling is even more precise work than a wall. You’re working above your head, and every unevenness shows the moment light falls across it. A ceiling with a light fitting, a sloped section or plenty of corners takes more time than a flat surface with nothing in the way, even when the area is exactly the same.

Paint-ready or wallpaper-ready

What happens after plastering, paint or wallpaper, decides how smooth the layer has to be. Going with paint, a paint-ready finish is enough: a coat of paint still evens out small imperfections. Going with wallpaper, the wall or ceiling has to be genuinely flat, because thin wallpaper shows up every little bump or seam underneath.

Wallpaper-ready work needs an extra, finer finishing layer and more sanding than paint-ready work. Not sure yet whether you’re painting or wallpapering? Just say so, I’ll finish it to whichever standard fits your plans.

Access and preparation

How easily I can get to the job matters too. A ground-floor facade is a different job to one that runs up to the roofline, where scaffolding has to go up first. A room that’s empty and easy to move around in finishes quicker than one full of furniture that has to be moved or covered.

The route into the house counts as well: a narrow hallway or a staircase full of bends takes time when materials have to be carried through it. I tape off floors and edges before I start, so nothing’s left for you to clean up once the job’s done.

What’s included in the price

What’s included: the materials, my own work (and my colleagues’ too, on a bigger job), preparing the surface and clearing up afterwards. You won’t get a surprise bill halfway through because the wall needed more preparation than expected. I weigh that up before I give a price, not after. Clean-up is always part of the job, from taping off beforehand to clearing away dust once I’m done.

Gurtej from Klaaswaal had a repair done. Reviews on this page are in Dutch, straight from Werkspot, and I leave them exactly as customers wrote them:

“Super lieve man. Super eerlijk en duidelijk. Echt vakwerk. Eerlijke prijs. Komt afspraken na. Als je geen gedoe of hoofdpijn wilt, moet je Osman hebben.” Source: Gurtej, Klaaswaal (Werkspot review)

Why a photo is enough for a price

For most jobs, a photo is enough to give you a price. In the photo I can see the surface, the state of the wall or ceiling, and how many corners or unusual shapes are involved. Tell me roughly how much wall, ceiling or facade it is, and what kind of room, and I can size up the job straight away.

For a big or complicated job, like a whole facade or a house full of sloped walls, I’d rather come and look before I name a price. That way I know the price matches what I actually find, instead of something turning up part-way through that nobody saw coming.

How quickly you get a price

Send a photo through the form or on WhatsApp, with roughly how much wall, ceiling or facade it is and which room it’s in. I’ll look at the photo and let you know what the job involves and roughly where you’ll land. If I need more, like a second angle, I’ll ask for it.

For a job I can only judge properly by seeing it in person, we’ll arrange a time to meet. That way you know where you stand quickly, without me naming a figure before I actually understand what the job involves.

More work or less work: the overview

These factors together say more about the price than one flat rate ever could. Here’s how to read the table: if your job mostly sits in the left column, it takes more time. Mostly in the right column, and it usually goes faster.

The same approach for every service

These factors apply just as much to wall plastering, ceiling plastering, exterior rendering and plaster repair. Painting works the same way: for interior painting I look at the state of the wall and how many coats it needs. For exterior painting, the weather and the woodwork come into it too: frames untreated for a while need more preparation than wood still in good condition.

If you want plastering done first and painting after, in one project, I look at both stages together, so one job flows straight into the next.

What customers say about price

Not every customer thinks the price is low, and I’d rather say that honestly than gloss over it. A customer from Breda was more critical about the cost:

“Keurig gewerkt volgens afspraak. Kosten wel fors. Handig als de communicatie wat beter zou gaan. Spreekt maar een paar woorden Nederlands.” (Werkspot review, Breda)

That same honesty works the other way too. A customer from Streefkerk was happy with the result: “Stucwerk muur in de woonkamer: Super strak en mooi. Heel blij mee! Netjes gewerkt en glad achtergelaten. En heel vriendelijk! Aanrader.” (Werkspot review, Streefkerk)

Sterk Stukadoor means “strong plasterer” in Dutch, and I’m Osman, the tradesman who runs it myself. I’ve done this work for close to twenty years, and that shows in how I size up a price: realistic, based on what I see in a photo or a visit, not a flat figure that’s the same for every job. Werkspot customers rate me 4.9 out of 5 from 34 reviews, from small repairs to full jobs. Have a look at everything I do or send a photo of your own job.

Want to know what your job will cost? Send a photo and the measurements of the room, and I’ll quickly let you know what to expect.