# Hydraulic Lime Plaster, how much per M2?



## Tinker Bell (28 Jan 2009)

We have an old barn next to the house. The walls are stone and 10' high aprox. There's a new natural slate roof. Initially we cleaned the stone and joints to repoint but now we decided to put St. Astier lime plaster on the walls. We've downloaded all the relevant details from their site but would like to know roughly how much per m2 for labour or labour and materials. Thanks.


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## joker538 (28 Jan 2009)

Depending on quantity of area to be covered, condition of existing walls, etc. €115-€165/m2


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## Tinker Bell (28 Jan 2009)

My God, this seems very expensive. As the area involved is about 250 M2 this would total 28k to 41k. At this rate we will point the insides and render the outside in the conventional way. We got the materials costed at 2.5k from the suppliers. We thought that it would take two weeks (10 working days) maximum for the plasterers. We realise that there will be a four or five days between layer of the plaster. So for two plasterers and a helper, at your lowest estimate, and giving them three weeks (15 working days) to finish, it would work out at 8.5k a week and at the higher end 12.5k per week. Is there something I am missing here?


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## Simeon (28 Jan 2009)

The going rate is about E80 - E100 a metre. You've got to get decent plasterers experienced in this type of work. It's time consuming and instructions have got to be adhered to. Even the mixing is skilfull. The drying has got to be controlled as has the suction. There are a few specialist companies around but they would be top dollar. Get a couple of old style tradesmen and they should do it for the right price. Don't be planning on it being fully dried out for a couple of months after finishing. But the end product is excellent. Good luck.


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## Airtight (21 Mar 2009)

You can do better than the rates mentioned on the about posts. When I get to work on Monday I will dig out at least 3 companies that do lime plastering.

Normal render is now costing 18 - 23 €/pm2:if lime plaster is twice as time consuming and materials twice as expensive, then the rate should be a max of 50 €/pm2

Anybody that pays an where cost to 100 €/pm2 is nuts.


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## Airtight (21 Mar 2009)

Just thinking the likelihood is, you will want a rough cast finish not a smooth rendered finish? 

This and the fact that [broken link removed] are available should greatly reduce the time, effort and skill required to produce a good finish. 

Remember allot of lime plastering historically was done by close family members, which where not professional plasters, this was using the old method of lime plastering, which was more difficult than the modern method.


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## Simeon (21 Mar 2009)

Airtight, you missed the point. Pre mixed lime plasters are non hydraulic. If they were they would go off in the bag in a week or so. The OP said that they were using St. Astier which is hydraulic. Hence the different method .......... and the time consumption. This is a totally different kettle of fish. I know, I've been doing all types of plaster for 40 years.


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## Airtight (22 Mar 2009)

I may have missed the product name, but the only additional work involved is the mixing, assuming a coat not exceeding 15mm is required, a two coat system is fine.

You say you have been a plaster for over 40 years, explain to us why there should be a five fold difference in lime Vs sand & cement render.

I am genuinely interested in how such a vast gap would occur and how much the cost of labour vs materials?


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## Simeon (22 Mar 2009)

Preparation is far more laborious than with conventional plasters. Firstly, you are dealing with stone buildings ....... all voids have got to be filled out ........ raking of calcified/dead joints ........... you need more than the rub of a stiff brush to dust down ........  with porous stone, plenty of water spraying ..... with non porous, adequate to stop the mix drying out at the joints ........ a harling coat cast at 90* and not like conventional scudding. And this is just the preparation. Where you get 15mm from is strange. Most hydraulic lime plasters would average 20 to 25mm (we're talking practice here, not theory). Are you aware of the curing times for each coat? Get out your explanatory leaflet again.


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## john martin (23 Mar 2009)

Hello Airtight, I would be grateful for the names of some companies that do lime rendering as I need some work of that type done soon.


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## Airtight (23 Mar 2009)

john martin:
I didn't get the chance to get them today and I will be on a training day tomorrow, so Wednesday I post them.

simeon:
In your rate of 80 - 100€/pm2: Does this include for materials? What is the hourly rate that the rate is based upon? "The going rate" just doesn't cut it any more.


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## Simeon (20 Apr 2009)

Airtight said:


> john martin:
> I didn't get the chance to get them today and I will be on a training day tomorrow, so Wednesday I post them.
> 
> Almost a month now and we are still waiting Airtight!


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## pftg5 (9 May 2009)

listen to simeon lime plastering is a skilled job even the mixing has to be perfect ,im plastering for 15 years and spent alot of time with lime plasterers you will defo pay up to 100 euro  per m2. it is not as easy as everybody thinks you have to know what you are doing or you can have serious probs, not a job for any plaster. Even though you might think this is colossal money the plasterers still only make a normal wage if you want it done right it takes alot of time!


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## mike (25 Jun 2009)

i heard of a job where cement plasters who have no experience in lime plastering are not floating the base coat which will cause costly problems in the future


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## feileacan (29 Aug 2010)

what about lime plastering on a new build?prices? am on west coast, having a wood house built but council insists on a render finish and i was thinking of lime plaster


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## EdwardHunter (19 Sep 2010)

I've heard of a lady that got a straw bale house plastered with lime plaster in Connemara. She definitely did not pay this kind of money to get the plastering done. I'm told that she is very pleased with the finish and the price it cost her.

I can get more info if you like?


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## johnstown (12 Apr 2012)

Tinkerbell, what did you do in the end? 

I am thinking of using the St. Astier lime.  I too got a quote of €105 per Sq Metre from a plasterer with good experience in using this product.  This seems completely outrageous to me.  

Anyhow, I ended up doing the lime course myself with the traditional lime co in Tullow.  It does not seem that difficult to me, once you are well prepared.  Sure you can use the rendergun with it also to spray the plaster on. 

I can appreciate that it would be more hassle for a plasterer, given the preparation and time between coats.  I have my own scaffolding so no worries there. 


Anyhow, as an insurance policy I have located a guy who is semi retired, will work on a daily basis alongside my "regular" cement plasterer.  I reckon I should bring the price down per Sq metre to considerably less than €105.


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## Marie (12 Sep 2013)

EdwardHunter said:


> I've heard of a lady that got a straw bale house plastered with lime plaster in Connemara. She definitely did not pay this kind of money to get the plastering done. I'm told that she is very pleased with the finish and the price it cost her.
> 
> I can get more info if you like?



Hunting for lime-plasterer for an old stone cottage I came across this (languished?) thread.  I need a lime-plasterer and will pay for it to be done properly.  How do I reach either the client or the plasterer who did the job?  Any information would be much appreciated.


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## Leo (13 Sep 2013)

Reminder: Please keep all posts seeking recommendations in the Recommend tradesmen and suppliers forum.


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