07400 418340info@drsmithbuilding.co.uk Mon–Fri 8am–5pm · Sat by arrangement 07400 418340 HomeAboutServices Areas Our WorkContact07400 418340Request Free Estimate Home/Services/Plastering & RenderPlastering & Render · Highworth · Swindon · Cotswolds # Plasterer & External Renderin Swindon, Highworth& the Cotswolds Smooth internal plastering and clean external render, done by the same three-person family team that laid the walls. Walls that finish flat, arrises that stay sharp, render that doesn't crack. Request a Free Estimate Call 07400 418340 40 years' experience · In-house · Free site visits · Estimates in 3–5 days 40 yrs on the tools since 1988 3 family team on every job 3–5 days for a written estimate £5m public liability insured Overview ## Plaster and render, done by the same family that built the wall. Plaster is where all the earlier trades show up. Uneven brickwork, out-of-plumb blocks, dropped lintels, missing beads: the plasterer sees it all. Doing our own plaster and render means the trade before doesn't leave problems for the trade after, because both trades are us. ### What the service covers Skim finish over sound existing plaster, plaster onto plasterboard (dot-and-dab or timber-batten), plaster onto brick and block with sand-and-cement float coat and skim finish, re-plaster after removal of failed plaster or damp treatment, external sand-and-cement render on new blockwork, patch render repairs on existing elevations, and finish coats including scratched and floated render. Decorative finishes are handled separately by your decorator. ### Who it's for Homeowners re-plastering ceilings and walls that have cracked or blown. Landlords making a rental smart between tenancies. Anyone with a new extension needing full first- and second-fix plaster. Owners of older properties whose external render is cracking, hollow or falling off in sections. ### When it's needed Cracked or bulging plaster, blown plaster from damp, tired walls that a quick cosmetic refresh won't rescue. New extension or alteration walls to be plastered from bare block. External render cracking, staining, sounding hollow when tapped, or coming off in sheets after a wet winter. ### Why it matters Plaster and render are the finishes homeowners look at every day. A bad plaster job shows up under every light source. Bad render shows up at fifty paces. Getting them right is a preparation and technique problem, not a product problem. The cost of getting it wrong ## The plaster and render failures we get called to fix. Wall finishes fail visibly. That's the good news and the bad news. ### Cracks tell you something's moved Hairline cracks are usually cosmetic; wider or stepped cracks mean the substrate has moved, and just filling over the top hides the cause rather than fixing it. ### Blown plaster is done Once plaster has separated from the wall it will not stick back. Sounding hollow when tapped is the sign: the fix is stripping back and re-plastering that section. ### Bad render lets water in Cracked or hollow render lets water sit against the wall. That water gets into the brick, freezes in winter, blows the render off in slabs and damages the wall behind. ### Wrong product on wrong substrate Cement render on soft lime-built walls, gypsum plaster in damp cellars, thick coats without proper preparation: all recipes for failure inside a couple of winters. Common mistake, The most common homeowner mistake with render: coating cracked render with a masonry sealer hoping it will keep the water out. It won't: water still gets in from above, and a sealed surface stops the wall drying out. Our process ## Our plastering and render process. Same honest four-step system. - 01 ### Site visit & assessment We tap the existing walls, look for damp, and diagnose whether it's a re-skim, a full strip-and-re-plaster, or a render repair. - 02 ### Written estimate in 3–5 days Itemised: labour, materials and prep separated out so you can see where the cost is. - 03 ### Prep, prep, prep The bulk of the quality is in the preparation: scraping off failed plaster, sealing dusty substrates with PVA, fitting beads and stops properly. We don't rush this bit. - 04 ### Finish coats & sign-off Two-coat skim to smooth finish on internal walls; scratch and float on render. We polish edges, arrises and internal corners crisp and walk the job with you before leaving. The benefits ## Why our approach to plastering & render pays off. ### Flat under raked light The test of a plaster job is a lamp at floor level. Ours holds up to it. ### Sharp arrises and corners Beads fitted properly, corners polished: the details that separate a proper plasterer from a general trade. ### Render that doesn't come off Right mix, right suction on the substrate, proper key coat, correct thickness: render as an actual weather barrier, not a decorative coating. ### Cleaner site than you'd expect Plaster is messy. We contain it: protection down, waste bagged, floors and surfaces cleaned as we go. ### One family team, wall to finish The same family plastering that laid the bricks means the finish is planned into the earlier stages, not fought against later. ### Realistic drying times We tell you honestly when the plaster is fully cured and ready for the decorator (usually two to four weeks depending on conditions), and we don't rush the finish coats. In detail ## Plaster & render, in detail. Materials, methods and situations. ### Internal plaster systems Multi-finish skim onto sound existing plaster or fresh backing coat. Bonding coat onto engineering brick, concrete and dense substrates. Browning or hardwall onto ordinary brick and block. Board finish onto plasterboard. Dot-and-dab or batten-and-board plasterboarding on external walls where insulation and warmth are the priority. ### External render systems Traditional sand-and-cement render: scratch coat, float coat, finish coat, with beads and stop-beads properly fitted. Where the property is older and lime-based, lime render with appropriate NHL binder. Coloured monocouche or through-coloured render systems are offered where the client already has a preferred system. ### Repair work Patch re-plastering of blown sections after damp treatment, cutting out and re-rendering hollow patches on external walls, re-plastering ceilings and cornices where movement or leaks have caused failure. Matching in the finish level so the patch reads flat with the surrounding wall. ### Damp-conscious plastering Where there's a history of damp we work with the damp specialist: waterproof render backing, sacrificial lime plaster, or renovation plaster systems depending on the diagnosis. We don't just plaster over rising damp and hope. ### Residential vs commercial Almost all our plastering is residential: full extension finishes, room re-plasters, and repair. Light commercial (offices, small units) taken on selectively. Recent works ## Recent plastering & render and other jobs from around the patch. See all our work Previous slideNext slide Where we work ## Plastering & Render across our patch. See all areas Plastering & Render in SwindonPlastering & Render in HighworthPlastering & Render in LechladePlastering & Render in FairfordPlastering & Render in CirencesterPlastering & Render in FaringdonPlastering & Render in WitneyPlastering & Render in BurfordPlastering & Render in Shrivenham FAQs ## Questions we're asked about plastering & render. Can't see yours? Ring Dale on 07400 418340. How long before fresh plaster is fully cured?Usually two to four weeks depending on conditions. Applying decorative finishes too early traps moisture and they peel. We'll give you a realistic date at handover. Can you just skim over old plaster?If the existing plaster is sound and firmly stuck to the wall, yes. If it sounds hollow or is blown, no, it needs stripping back first. We'll tap-test at the site visit. Why is my render cracking?Usually one of three things: movement below the render, the wrong mix for the substrate, or water getting in from above through failed detailing. We diagnose before we quote a repair. Do you do lime plaster?Yes: where the property calls for it (older cottages, listed buildings, walls with historic damp issues) we work in NHL-based lime plaster and render. How messy is the work?Plaster is messy in the moment; we contain it with floor protection, sheeting on furniture, and daily clean-down. You'll never come home to a bomb-site. Do you plaster ceilings?Yes: both re-skim and full plasterboard-and-skim on ceilings, including artex removal (which we treat carefully: where necessary we get it tested first). How do you stand behind your work?We don't issue formal certificates. Our commitment is to finish every job to a standard we'd want in our own homes: right mix for the substrate, right thickness, correct drying times, and the same experienced hands from float coat to final skim. Do you cover Cirencester and Burford as well as Swindon?Yes: plastering and render work across Swindon, Highworth, Faringdon, Cirencester, Lechlade, Fairford, Witney, Burford and Shrivenham. Related trades ## Other work handled by the same family team. ### Bricklaying Fair-faced brickwork, garden walls, arches and repairs: built by the family that's been doing it since 1988. Read more ### Extensions Full home extensions handled start to finish: groundworks, brickwork, roofing, plastering. Read more ### General Building Structural alterations, load-bearing work and repairs from a three-person, in-house team. Read more Ready when you are ## Get a free estimate for plastering & render. Free site visit at a time that suits. Written, itemised estimate in 3–5 working days. Staged payments, nothing due before we start. Request Free Estimate Call 07400 418340 Family-run since 1988 £5m public liability Free site visits Bank transfer or cash 07400 418340 info@drsmithbuilding.co.uk 329 Windrush, Highworth A three-person, family-run building firm serving Highworth, Swindon and the Cotswolds. 40 years on the tools: honest quotes, quality work, and we turn up when we say we will. 07400 418340 info@drsmithbuilding.co.uk 329 Windrush, HighworthMonday – Friday: 8:00am – 5:00pm · Saturday: available for smaller jobs by arrangement · Sunday: closed ### Building Services - Bricklaying in Highworth & Swindon - Stone Laying in Highworth & Swindon - Extensions in Highworth & Swindon - General Building in Highworth & Swindon - Plastering & Render in Highworth & Swindon - Patios & Hard Landscaping in Highworth & Swindon - Fencing in Highworth & Swindon - Pitched Roofing in Highworth & Swindon - Guttering & Fascias in Highworth & Swindon - Kitchens & Bathrooms in Highworth & Swindon - All building services → ### Areas Covered - Builders in Swindon - Builders in Highworth - Builders in Lechlade - Builders in Fairford - Builders in Cirencester - Builders in Faringdon - Builders in Witney - Builders in Burford - Builders in Shrivenham - All areas we cover → ### Assurance - £5,000,000 public liability - £10,000,000 employers' liability - Enquiries answered within one working day © 2026 DR Smith Building. 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