Short answer
Send your plastering quote through Sign PDF and have the client sign it on their phone before you book the day. Say what the price covers (skim, re-plaster, bonding, beads), what happens if old plaster blows when you hack off, how long it needs to dry before painting, and whether old textured coatings have been tested for asbestos.
Updated 25 October 2026
What a plastering quote should spell out
Plastering is priced by the square metre but argued about by the day. Clients do not realise that a wall can sound solid until you start hacking off, or that fresh plaster needs days before it can be painted. Put both into the quote and the client signs for them before you arrive.
- Area and surfaces: walls, ceilings, reveals, with square metres
- Method: skim, bond and skim, overboard, dot and dab
- Rate for blown or hollow plaster found once work starts
- Beads, angles and making good around sockets and frames
- Drying time before mist coat, and that cracking from fast drying is not a defect
- Protection, dust sheets, and who clears the room
Textured ceilings and asbestos
Textured coatings applied before the mid-1980s can contain asbestos. In the UK, the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 apply to work that may disturb it; in the US, rules vary by state and the EPA sets federal standards. Many plasterers ask for a test result before working on an old textured ceiling, or overboard it rather than scraping.
Put the test result and the agreed method in the quote, and have the client sign. Sign PDF seals the signed copy with a timestamp, which shows the client was told before work started. This is not legal or safety advice; follow the rules where you work.
Working after other trades
Plasterers often follow electricians and plumbers. The quote should say what state you expect the walls in: chases filled flush or left open, back boxes set to depth, pipes clipped. If they are not ready, the return visit is chargeable. Sending this to the builder or homeowner as a signed note before you book saves a wasted morning.
Plans and what we skip
A plasterer quoting a few rooms a month can use Light, at $5 a month for 2 documents. One working for several builders with quotes and change orders every week will want Full, at $10 a month for unlimited documents. We do not invoice, schedule or take payment; we get your quote signed and keep the evidence.
Questions people ask
How do I price blown plaster I find after starting?
Put a square-metre rate for hacking off and bonding in the quote, then send a change order with photos and the area once you find it.
Should the quote mention drying time?
Yes. Say how long the plaster needs before painting and that hairline cracks from fast drying are not a defect.
Can the builder sign instead of the homeowner?
If the builder is your client, yes. Send the quote to whoever is paying you.
Can I attach an asbestos test result?
Yes. Combine it with the quote into one PDF before uploading, and the client signs the whole document.
Can I send quotes from a phone?
Yes. Sign PDF works in the phone browser, so you can upload, place boxes and send from site. There is no native app, and you do not need one.
Send your next plastering quotation for signature
Upload it from your phone or laptop. The boxes go in the right places, your client signs on their phone, and you get a sealed copy back.
Upload a document