How to hire a plasterer: machine and hand plastering of walls
Hand or machine plastering
Plastering comes in different kinds. Hand plastering gives the craftsman more control in small rooms and awkward places. Machine plastering, where the mortar is applied by a plastering machine, is much faster on large areas but needs equipment and experienced hands. The rate and the requirements for the crew change accordingly. It also matters whether the work is done on guide screeds (gauges) or without: gauges give a flat plane, and for good work under tiles or a thin finish this is critical.
What to include in the vacancy
- Type of work — machine or hand plastering, walls, ceilings, window reveals, work on gauges.
- Pay — per square foot, for example R 4.28 per sq ft, or per day or per site.
- Work location — city and area, for example Johannesburg.
- Schedule — for example, six days a week, 8 am to 6 pm.
- Experience — in years and the bases they have worked on (AAC blocks, brick, concrete).
- Type of employment — for one site or permanent.
- Equipment — whether their own plastering machine is needed, or the client provides it.
Example request
“A plasterer is needed in Johannesburg for machine plastering of walls in a new AAC block house. About 4,000 sq ft, on gauges, three weeks. Pay R 4.28 per sq ft, six days a week, 8 am to 6 pm. At least 2 years' experience, own plastering machine preferred.”
How it works on BlaBlaPrice
You write your request once. It is checked for ads and contact details, and you are prompted on which details to add. Plasterers in your area reply in the chat: who they are, what equipment they have, at what price and when they can start. BlaBlaPrice shows the strongest replies first, and the craftsman's reviews are visible next to each. Your phone number stays hidden, and you pay nothing for the search. More on the page “How it works”.
How to compare replies
Find out what the price per square foot includes: material, preparation of the base, primer, gauges, cleaning up. One craftsman counts only the application, another includes the mortar. This is a real difference that the figure alone does not show. Ask what unevenness the craftsman guarantees on the wall, usually a few millimetres under a two-metre straightedge.
Ask for photos of finished walls in side light and talk to past clients. A common mistake is to accept a wall without checking it with a straightedge: it is better to do this in stages. Afterwards you will need a painter or a tiler, and for building the walls before plastering a bricklayer.
If you are looking for work
Register as a service provider on BlaBlaPrice, choose the category and your area, and you will receive vacancies for plasterers. For other trades see the section “Construction / finishing works”.
