Finding a plasterer in Edinburgh is not simply a matter of choosing the nearest name. A small ceiling repair in Newington, lime work in an older property near the Old Town, skimming after new plasterboard and external harling are different jobs. The right contractor is the one whose published scope matches the surface, material and finish you actually need.
This guide compares ten plastering businesses and contractors with evidence of Edinburgh work. Some are based within Edinburgh, including providers in Leith, Mayfield, Corstorphine and the south of the city. Others are based in Danderhall, Musselburgh or Tranent but are explicitly listed as operating in Edinburgh; they are labelled as service-area providers rather than presented as Edinburgh-based businesses.
That distinction is important in a city where historic buildings and modern homes sit close together. The plastering approach that suits a Georgian or older property in the New Town may not be the same as the finish required after a contemporary extension. Ask for a diagnosis, a written scope and a sample or explanation of the proposed finish before agreeing to the work.
The short answer: which plasterer may suit your project?
For a broad Edinburgh plastering service: Edinburgh Plastering and Tiling, William Bain & Sons Ltd and Paintworks & Plastering Edinburgh publish wide scopes covering repairs, skimming, ceilings and related finishes.
For period-property or traditional finishes: Paintworks & Plastering Edinburgh publishes traditional lime plastering and period-property renovation. William Bain & Sons lists ornamental plastering, cornice repair, lime mortars, roughcasting and harling.
For patch repairs, re-skimming and extensions: K Vincent Plastering & Landscaping Edinburgh publishes patch repairs, full re-skimming and plastering for extensions and loft conversions.
For plastering with domestic and commercial scope: Edinburgh Plastering and Tiling, Paintworks & Plastering Edinburgh, William Bain & Sons, Gray’s Plastering Services and several Checkatrade-listed providers publish domestic, commercial or both types of work.
For specialist or unusual finishes: Capital & Coast Plastering, Corstorphine Plastering, RKD Plastering and HCMK Plastering and Decorating list combinations of lime plaster, polished plaster, lath plastering, mouldings, dry lining, rendering or roughcasting.
These are service-fit descriptions, not quality awards. The available evidence supports a shortlist, not an objectively ranked league table.
What to establish before you ask for a quote
Start by describing the existing surface and the outcome you want. “The wall is cracked” is a useful symptom, but the plasterer also needs to know whether the wall is masonry, plasterboard, lath and plaster, previously painted, damp-affected or part of a period property.
Tell the contractor whether the work is internal or external, whether the property is occupied, how much area is involved and whether other trades are working nearby. A room re-skim, a full ceiling replacement and external roughcasting need different preparation and access arrangements.
Edinburgh’s local context can affect the conversation without deciding the result. A property in the Old Town or New Town may have older substrates and decorative details; a house in Corstorphine or a newer part of the City of Edinburgh Council area may involve plasterboard, extensions or modern render. The plasterer should inspect the actual building rather than rely on the neighbourhood label.
Ten Edinburgh plastering options, with their strongest fit
Edinburgh Plastering and Tiling: a broad wall, ceiling and repair service
Edinburgh Plastering and Tiling lists 16 Baronscourt Road, Edinburgh, as its yard address. The business describes itself as a family business established in 1986 and says it works for private and commercial properties.
Its published scope includes wall and ceiling plastering, plaster repairs, skimcoats, rendering, harling, drylining, cornice work, stone repair, pointing and tiling. The combination is useful where a plastering job sits alongside masonry, decorative or surface-repair work. The address is given as “16 Baronscourt Road (yard)” without a postcode, so retain that distinction when making contact.
Best fit: A homeowner or business looking for a broad Edinburgh plastering and associated surface-repair conversation.
Paintworks & Plastering Edinburgh: useful for repairs and older finishes
Paintworks & Plastering Edinburgh publishes an address at 69/12 Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3AA, and states that it serves Edinburgh. The owner-led company says it was established in 1992 and offers plastering and decorating for domestic and commercial customers.
The listed plastering work includes skimming, covering Artex, plasterboard, wall and ceiling repairs, straightening, coving and cornicing, dot-and-dab, ceiling repair, traditional lime plastering, period-property renovation and fireplace removal. That range makes it a relevant enquiry where preparation and final decoration need to be considered together.
Best fit: A customer in or near Mayfield, Newington or elsewhere in Edinburgh who needs repair, redecoration or traditional plastering options discussed together.
K Vincent Plastering & Landscaping Edinburgh: patch repairs through to re-skimming
K Vincent Plastering & Landscaping Edinburgh gives 25 Linden Avenue, Edinburgh EH16 6FA, as its address. Its plastering page describes patch repairs, full re-skimming and plastering for extensions and loft conversions.
The wider listed scope includes internal and external plastering, skimming, drylining, Ames taping, rendering, roughcasting, harling, K-Rend, coving, painting and preparation. The business also carries landscaping in its name, so ask for the plastering work to be separated clearly in the quotation. The research supports its plastering identity and Edinburgh address, but not a separate commercial specialism.
Best fit: A domestic customer needing a repair, re-skim, extension or loft-conversion plastering brief.
William Bain & Sons Ltd: a long-established Leith plastering name
William Bain & Sons Ltd lists 36–38 West Bowling Green Street, Edinburgh EH6 5PB. The company describes itself as a third-generation family business with more than 70 years of stated local experience and publishes plastering services for homes across Edinburgh and surrounding areas.
The service description includes plaster skimming, ornamental and decorative plasterwork, cornice repairs, Artex covering, roughcasting and harling, ceiling work including collapsed-ceiling repairs, water-damage restoration, smooth render, cement pointing, lime mortars and dot-and-dab plastering. It is a broad range, but the quote should still specify whether the job is repair, replacement, restoration or a new finish.
Best fit: A Leith or wider Edinburgh property requiring general plastering, decorative details, ceiling work or traditional external finishes.
Gray’s Plastering Services: internal work, screeding and harling
Gray’s Plastering Services is listed at 7 Carrick Knowe Hill, Edinburgh EH12 7BT. Public listings describe domestic and commercial plastering and harling, with internal plasterwork, skimming, floor screeding and external render or roughcast also included.
The available profile evidence refers to room plastering, extension work, whole-house and garage harling, bathroom-wall plastering and ceiling work involving cracks and old Artex. These are useful examples of scope, but they should not be treated as a promise that every listed job is currently available.
Best fit: A Corstorphine-area or west Edinburgh customer comparing internal plastering with external harling, render or screeding.
Corstorphine Plastering: a service-area option with decorative skills listed
Corstorphine Plastering is shown in public profiles as operating in Edinburgh, with Corstorphine used as the local identity. Its listed skills include plastering, Artexing, flat ceilings, lath plastering, polished plastering and skimming. The profile also states that it serves Edinburgh and surrounding areas and undertakes domestic and commercial work.
No street address was established in the supplied research, and two public profiles show different phone numbers. Treat it as a service-area provider and confirm the current contact route, inspection availability and exact location arrangements before booking.
Best fit: A customer looking for skimming, flat-ceiling work, lath plastering or a decorative/polished finish in Edinburgh.
Capital & Coast Plastering: broad finish and rendering coverage
Capital & Coast Plastering is listed as operating in Edinburgh, while its profile locality is Danderhall, Midlothian. It should therefore be understood as a provider serving Edinburgh rather than automatically described as being based within the city.
The published skills cover plastering, Artexing, coving, dry lining, flat ceilings, insulated rendering, K-Rend, lath and lime plastering, plaster mouldings, polished plastering, rendering, screeding, skimming, spray rendering, tape-and-jointing and waterproof plastering. The service description also refers to bonding, dot-and-dab, acrylic render and roughcast work.
Best fit: A customer who needs to compare several internal or external finish systems and is comfortable confirming travel and project scope with an Edinburgh service-area contractor.
J Clark Plastering Ltd: Edinburgh service area with a formal company record
J Clark Plastering Ltd is an active Scottish private limited company whose registered office is listed at 5 Brunstane Gardens, Edinburgh EH15 2QW. Its company activity is plastering. Public trade profiles identify the trading base as Musselburgh in some places but show the business operating in Edinburgh, including Edinburgh-area job locations.
Its listed skills include plastering, skimming, coving, flat ceilings and lath plastering. Domestic work and insurance work are stated in the profile. Public phone numbers conflict, so confirm the current number before arranging an inspection. The distinction between the registered office, trading profile and service area should remain clear.
Best fit: A customer seeking a focused plastering contractor for skimming, coving, ceilings or lath-plaster work in Edinburgh.
RKD Plastering: small repairs as well as larger plastering work
RKD Plastering is listed as operating in Edinburgh, with the profile locality described as Edinburgh, Midlothian. No full street address was published in the supplied research, so it should be treated as a service-area option.
The listed skills include dry lining, flat ceilings, lath plastering, plastering, polished plastering and skimming. The profile describes work ranging from plastering a five-bedroom house to repairing a small hole, which suggests a potentially useful range of project sizes. Confirm the actual scope and availability rather than treating that description as a guaranteed capacity statement.
Best fit: A customer comparing a smaller repair with a more substantial skimming or drylining project.
HCMK Plastering and Decorating: plastering, rendering and finishing together
HCMK Plastering and Decorating is based in Tranent, East Lothian, but public listings explicitly identify Edinburgh as a service area and show Edinburgh job locations. It should not be presented as an Edinburgh-based company without that qualification.
The published scope is extensive: plastering, Artexing, lime plastering, dry lining and plasterboard, skimming, rendering, screeding, lath plastering, polished finishes, coving and mouldings, K-Rend, pebble dashing, spray, insulated and monocouche rendering, waterproof plastering, tape-and-jointing and painting or decorating.
Best fit: A customer seeking plastering and decorating from one Edinburgh service-area provider, particularly where internal and external finishes need to be coordinated.
Comparison at a glance
| Provider | Locality evidence | Published plastering focus | Most relevant fit | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh Plastering and Tiling | Edinburgh; Baronscourt Road yard | Walls, ceilings, repairs, skimming, rendering, harling, drylining, cornice, stone repair | Broad domestic or commercial scope | Address has no published postcode |
| Paintworks & Plastering Edinburgh | Mayfield, EH9 3AA | Skimming, repairs, plasterboard, coving, lime plaster, period work | Repairs, restoration and decoration | Experience and service claims are self-published |
| K Vincent Plastering & Landscaping Edinburgh | Edinburgh EH16 6FA | Patch repairs, re-skimming, extensions, lofts, drylining, render | Domestic repairs and projects | Landscaping is also part of the business |
| William Bain & Sons Ltd | Leith, EH6 5PB | Skimming, decorative work, cornice, ceilings, harling, lime mortar | Traditional and general plastering | Local experience claim is business-stated |
| Gray’s Plastering Services | Edinburgh EH12 7BT | Internal plastering, skimming, screeding, render, harling | Internal and external work | No standalone website verified |
| Corstorphine Plastering | Corstorphine/Edinburgh service area | Plastering, Artex, lath, polished plaster, flat ceilings, skimming | Decorative and ceiling work | No street address; phone details conflict |
| Capital & Coast Plastering | Edinburgh service area; profile base Danderhall | Drylining, lime, polished plaster, mouldings, render, roughcast | Wide internal and external finishes | Base is in Midlothian, not Edinburgh |
| J Clark Plastering Ltd | Edinburgh service area; EH15 office record | Plastering, skimming, coving, flat ceilings, lath | Focused plastering and ceilings | Public phone numbers conflict |
| RKD Plastering | Edinburgh service area; profile says Midlothian | Drylining, flat ceilings, lath, polished plaster, skimming | Small repairs through larger work | No street address published |
| HCMK Plastering and Decorating | Edinburgh service area; base Tranent | Plastering, lime, dry lining, rendering, screeding, decorating | Coordinated plastering and decoration | Base is in East Lothian, not Edinburgh |
How to compare a plastering quote properly
Make the surface and finish explicit
A quote for “plastering” is too vague on its own. It should state whether the work is patch repair, bonding, skimming, plasterboard installation, drylining, lath-plaster repair, lime plastering, rendering, harling, roughcasting or decorative work. It should also identify the intended finish, such as ready for paint or a particular textured or polished surface.
Ask how preparation will be handled
Preparation can include removing loose material, covering Artex, repairing cracks, protecting floors and furniture, applying bonding, fitting beads, dealing with old plaster or preparing a surface for lime or render. If preparation is missing from the quote, ask whether it is included or provisional.
Separate internal and external work
Internal skimming and external roughcasting are not interchangeable tasks. External work may involve access, weather conditions, substrate preparation and a different material system. Ask for separate descriptions if the project includes both the inside and outside of the property.
Be careful with period-property language
Older buildings around Edinburgh’s Old Town, New Town and other established neighbourhoods may contain lath and plaster, lime-based materials, decorative cornice or previous repairs that affect the specification. “Traditional” is not a complete method statement. Ask what material is proposed, why it is suitable and how it will meet the existing surface.
Clarify drying and decorating
New plaster needs suitable drying conditions before decoration. Ask who is responsible for mist coating, sanding, final decoration, ventilation and protection from other trades. A plastering quote may not include painting even when the business also advertises decorating.
What does plastering cost in Edinburgh?
The supplied provider data does not establish a reliable, comparable Edinburgh price list. Costs vary with the area, access, preparation, substrate, material, finish, number of rooms and whether the work is internal or external. It would be misleading to publish a single local figure without a like-for-like specification.
Request two or three written quotes based on the same information. Include room dimensions or photographs where appropriate, the property locality, the surface condition, the desired finish and whether furniture or other trades will affect access. Compare what is included rather than choosing the lowest headline figure.
Ask whether the quote covers materials, preparation, protection, waste, access equipment, making good, VAT where applicable and final cleanup. If a plasterer identifies damp, movement, structural cracking or a failed substrate, ask whether the remedial work is included or priced separately. Plaster can hide a problem; it should not be used to pretend one has disappeared.
Small repair, full re-skim or a wider project?
A small patch repair may be appropriate where the surrounding plaster is sound and the defect is localised. A full re-skim may be more suitable where the surface is generally uneven, heavily marked or covered with a finish that needs to be unified. A replacement ceiling, drylining or lath-plaster repair requires a different scope again.
For an extension or loft conversion, ask who is responsible for the junctions, beads, corners, insulation interface, plasterboard and final finish. K Vincent Plastering & Landscaping Edinburgh specifically publishes extension and loft-conversion plastering, while several other providers list drylining or plasterboard work.
For an older or decorative property, ask whether the plasterer has relevant experience with lime, lath, cornice, ornamental plaster or traditional repair. Paintworks & Plastering Edinburgh, William Bain & Sons, Capital & Coast Plastering, Corstorphine Plastering and J Clark Plastering Ltd publish relevant specialist terms, but the exact method still needs to be agreed for the building.
Questions to ask before booking
- What is causing the crack, hollow area, blown plaster or damaged ceiling?
- Will you repair the existing surface, re-skim it or remove and replace it?
- Which material and finish will you use, and why is it suitable?
- Does the quote include preparation, protection, waste and cleanup?
- Will the surface be ready for painting, or is decorating separate?
- How will the work be affected by drying time, weather or other trades?
- Is the business based in Edinburgh or serving Edinburgh from another locality?
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a good plasterer in Edinburgh?
Begin with the type of work rather than a general quality label. Compare providers whose published services match your job, then ask for a site assessment and written scope. The shortlist above includes Edinburgh-based businesses and clearly labelled service-area providers.
Which plasterer is suitable for an Edinburgh period property?
Paintworks & Plastering Edinburgh publishes traditional lime plastering and period-property restoration. William Bain & Sons lists decorative plastering, cornice repair, harling and lime mortars. Capital & Coast Plastering and other providers also list lime or lath work. Ask about the existing substrate and proposed material before booking.
Can a plasterer repair a cracked ceiling?
Several shortlisted businesses publish ceiling repair, flat-ceiling, skimming or collapsed-ceiling work, including Edinburgh Plastering and Tiling, William Bain & Sons, Corstorphine Plastering, J Clark Plastering Ltd and RKD Plastering. The cause of the crack or damage still needs inspection; plastering alone may not resolve movement, water damage or a failed substrate.
Do Edinburgh plasterers cover extensions and loft conversions?
K Vincent Plastering & Landscaping Edinburgh explicitly publishes plastering for extensions and loft conversions. Other providers list drylining, plasterboard, dot-and-dab or new-build-related work. Confirm who is responsible for preparation, junctions, insulation interfaces and final decoration.
What is the difference between plastering, rendering and harling?
Plastering generally refers to internal wall or ceiling finishes, while rendering is commonly used for external wall finishes. Harling is a roughcast-style external finish associated with Scottish building practice. The exact material and method vary, so ask the plasterer to specify the proposed system rather than relying on a broad service label.
Can one contractor plaster and decorate?
Paintworks & Plastering Edinburgh and HCMK Plastering and Decorating publish plastering alongside decorating. Edinburgh Plastering and Tiling and K Vincent Plastering & Landscaping Edinburgh also list related preparation or home-improvement services. Confirm whether painting is included in the same quote and how the new plaster will be prepared for decoration.
Should I choose an Edinburgh-based plasterer?
Locality can make inspection and access simpler, but it does not prove quality. Some providers in this guide are based in Edinburgh; others are based in Danderhall, Midlothian or Tranent, East Lothian and explicitly serve Edinburgh. Choose based on relevant experience, a clear scope, practical availability and written terms.
The sensible way to book plastering in Edinburgh
Decide first whether the job is a patch repair, re-skim, ceiling repair, drylining project, decorative restoration or external finish. Then give the plasterer enough information to price the actual work: property locality, surface, area, access, proposed finish and any known defects.
Edinburgh’s layers of time are practical here, not decorative. A modern room, a Leith tenement, a New Town interior and a newer home on the city edge may present different substrates and expectations. The contractor should explain those differences in the quote and leave you with a finish that belongs to the building rather than merely covers the problem.
Edinburgh is a city where centuries of history sit directly alongside a fast-moving modern life. The Old Town, New Town and famous landmarks are only part of the picture; neighbourhood businesses, restaurants, cultural venues, festivals, services and everyday local routines give the city much of its character. Our coverage explores those different layers with an emphasis on useful local knowledge. We cover places to eat, things to do, businesses to know, events and practical city information, while looking beyond the postcard version of Edinburgh. The result should feel useful whether you are discovering the city for the first time or have lived here for years.