Steel BeamInstallers
Plasterer seen from behind skimming a newly boxed beam

Plastering & making good · Newcastle upon Tyne

Plastering & making good in Newcastle upon Tyne

Steelwork, approvals and making good for plastering & making good in Newcastle upon Tyne and nearby.

  • Price fixed in writing once scope is agreed
  • Building control arranged
  • Temporary works and making good included

Free survey in Newcastle upon Tyne

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  • Free survey visit
  • Engineer's calculations arranged
  • Building control handled
  • Fixed written price once scope is agreed
  • England, Wales, mainland Scotland & NI

What plastering & making good involves in Newcastle upon Tyne

Planning plastering & making good in Newcastle upon Tyne? Our team covers NE1, NE2, NE3, NE4 and NE6 and the streets around them. The wider Tyne and Wear area is covered as well. You get one written quote for the calculations, approvals, propping, steel and making good.

We make good as the final stage of our structural jobs, and can quote it separately where another firm has fitted the steel. It covers boxing and fire boarding, plastering and skimming, floor infills and skirting, leaving smooth, dry surfaces for your decorator.

What to expect

  • Plastering itself is wet rather than dusty, but cutting back old plaster and sanding filler is not. Work areas are sheeted off, floors protected and dust extraction used when cutting, so the mess stays in the room being worked on.
  • Textured ceiling coatings applied before 2000 can contain asbestos. Before a textured ceiling is cut, scraped or sanded, a sample is tested or an asbestos survey of the area is arranged, and the finish is only disturbed once the result is known.
  • Metal angle beads on every outside corner of the boxing give crisp, straight lines and protect the edges from knocks. They are set true to the ceiling and walls, so a slightly out-of-level beam does not show once skimmed.
  • Hairline cracks sometimes appear along board joints or where new plaster meets old, as the building settles onto the steel and the plaster dries out. They are normal in the first months and are usually filled at the next redecoration.
  • Fresh plaster has to dry before it is painted. A thin skim over board in a warm, ventilated room often dries within a few days to a week, while backing coats and deeper repairs take longer. Painting too soon can cause peeling and patchy colour.

What happens, step by step

  1. Free visit

    A short visit to Newcastle upon Tyne to see the job, agree what you want and check the bearings, floors and services that affect the design.

  2. Calculations

    The engineer's calculations and a simple drawing are prepared for your opening and shared with you before anything is ordered.

  3. Building control

    We submit a building notice or full plans application to Newcastle City Council, so approval is in place before the wall is touched.

  4. Steel in, made good

    On site we prop, open up, fit and pack the steel, then fire protect, box in and plaster once the inspection is done.

What does plastering & making good cost in Newcastle upon Tyne?

As a guide, budget £280–£1,120 including VAT for plastering and making good in Newcastle upon Tyne, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for prices in the North East (-7%).

JobTypical guide rangeWhat it usually covers
Plastering and making good£280–£1,120Boxing the beam, bead and skim, reveals, floor infill where the wall stood and tidy-up
Chimney breast removal (ground floor)£1,400–£2,800Ground-floor breast removed, steel to support the breast above, building control and making good
Load-bearing wall removal with steel beam£1,850–£4,650Typical internal wall up to about 4 m: calculations, building control, propping, steel, padstones, fitting, fire protection and making good
Kitchen-diner knock-through£2,300–£5,600Internal structural wall between kitchen and dining room, steel beam, approvals and making good (kitchen fitting extra)

Figures include our approximate regional adjustment for prices in the North East (-7%) and are rounded. How these figures are worked out.

Approvals in Newcastle upon Tyne

Structural openings in English homes need building regulations approval before work starts. Newcastle City Council can deal with it, or you can use a registered building control approver. Either way the steel is inspected before it is covered, and a completion certificate is issued at the end. Keep it safe for when you sell.

If the beam bears into a wall you share with a neighbour, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies, and a party structure notice must be served at least two months before that work starts. We arrange this through a party wall surveyor.

Building rules in England

Plastering & making good near Newcastle upon Tyne

Local questions answered

Can I stay at home while the work is done in Newcastle upon Tyne?

Usually, yes. The work area is screened and floors are protected. The rooms either side of the opening are out of action for a few days, and there is some noise and dust while the masonry comes out.

Do you also work near Newcastle upon Tyne?

Yes. We also cover nearby towns including Gateshead, Gosforth, Felling and Wallsend.

Do you replace skirting boards and door frames after a knock-through?

Yes, where the work affects them. Skirting is extended or replaced so it runs through the new opening, and door linings and architraves are refitted or replaced where an opening has changed. Where period mouldings are involved, matching profiles can usually be sourced or made up to suit.

Will cracks appear after plastering?

Small hairline cracks can appear in the first months as the plaster dries and the building settles onto the new steel. They are cosmetic and normal, and are usually filled when you next repaint. Wide or growing cracks are different and should be reported, as they can point to movement that needs checking.

Do you decorate after making good?

Not usually. Making good leaves surfaces skimmed, dry and ready for paint, with trims refitted, and decoration is normally left to you or your decorator so you can choose colours and finishes yourself. Whoever paints should start with a thinned mist coat on the new plaster before the main coats.

Do I need a party wall agreement for plastering & making good in Newcastle upon Tyne?

Yes, if the beam bears into a shared wall: the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies in England and Wales, and a party structure notice must be served at least two months before that work starts. We arrange it through a party wall surveyor.

Planning to take a wall out?

Book a free survey visit. You get an itemised written quote covering calculations, building control, steel and making good.