A Plastering Contract is a legally binding agreement between a client and a plasterer or plastering company setting out the terms on which plastering, drylining, or rendering works will be carried out. In England and Wales, plastering contracts are governed primarily by the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 and, where the client is a consumer, the Consumer Rights Act 2015. A well-drafted plastering contract identifies the parties, describes the scope of work in detail, specifies the required standard of finish, establishes the contract price and payment terms, and sets out the parties' respective rights and obligations in the event of defects or disputes.

Plastering and drylining are skilled trades that encompass a wide range of work, from simple skim coating of existing walls and ceilings to the full installation of plasterboard partition walls, drylining systems, external rendering, and specialist heritage lime plasterwork. Each type of work is governed by specific British and European Standards, including BS EN 13914-2:2016 for internal plastering, BS 8212:1995 for drylining, and BS EN 13914-1:2016 for external rendering. A plastering contract should identify the applicable standards and make compliance with them an express contractual obligation.

Under section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, where a trader provides a service to a consumer, there is an implied term that the service will be performed with reasonable care and skill. Section 52 further provides that where a price is not determined at the time the contract is made, the consumer must pay a reasonable price. These statutory rights cannot be excluded or restricted by contract. For plastering work, compliance with the relevant British Standards is strong evidence of compliance with the duty to exercise reasonable care and skill.

The Building Regulations 2010 are relevant to a significant range of plastering and drylining works. Drylining work that involves the installation of partition walls, the upgrading of fire compartmentation, or the improvement of acoustic performance must comply with the relevant Approved Documents. For energy efficiency improvements involving internal wall insulation, PAS 2030:2019 sets out the mandatory installation standard required under government-funded schemes such as the Energy Company Obligation (ECO).

The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced important new obligations for those working on higher-risk buildings in England — broadly, residential buildings of at least 18 metres in height or at least 7 storeys. Plasterers working on such buildings must ensure that their work does not compromise fire compartmentation and must use only products that comply with the applicable Construction Products Regulations. The Act's requirements form part of a wider effort to ensure that building work is safe and that robust records are maintained throughout the life of the building.

A written Plastering Contract should be put in place before any plastering, drylining, or rendering work commences, regardless of the scale of the project. There are several situations in which having a formal plastering contract is particularly important.

For major replastering projects — such as replastering all the walls and ceilings of a house following a renovation or after remediation of damp — a written contract is essential to set out the scope of work, the standard of finish, the contract price, and the programme. Without a written contract, disputes frequently arise about whether particular rooms or areas were included, what standard of finish was agreed, and whether the contract price includes the cost of materials.

For drylining and internal wall insulation work carried out as part of a government-funded energy efficiency scheme, a written contract is a practical necessity. Installers must be certified to PAS 2030:2019 and must comply with the documentation requirements of the scheme. The contract should reference the applicable certification and scheme requirements.

For external rendering, particularly on older or listed properties, a written contract is important to establish the agreed specification for the render mix (for example, traditional lime render rather than modern sand and cement render, which can trap moisture in older buildings). The contract should also address the need for Listed Building Consent where applicable.

A written plastering contract is also important when subcontractors are engaged on a larger construction project. The main contractor will typically require that the plastering subcontract includes provisions relating to the programme, coordination with other trades, and compliance with the main contract requirements including CDM 2015.

Finally, for any plastering work involving work at height — such as ceiling plastering or the application of render to the upper floors of a building — a written contract should address the plasterer's obligations under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and ensure that appropriate access equipment is used.

A well-drafted Plastering Contract for use in England and Wales should include several key provisions to protect both the client and the plasterer.

The scope of works clause is the most important element of any plastering contract. It should clearly describe every element of work to be carried out, including the specific rooms or areas to be plastered, the type of work (skim coating, drylining, rendering), the materials to be used, and any preparatory work such as the removal of existing plaster or the application of a bonding coat. Vague descriptions such as ‘replaster throughout’ frequently give rise to disputes about what was included.

The standard of finish clause should specify the required finish with reference to the applicable British Standard. For internal plastering, this is BS EN 13914-2:2016. For drylining, BS 8212:1995 sets out five levels of finish, from Level 1 (suitable for tiling) to Level 5 (suitable for gloss or specialist finishes). Specifying the required level of finish avoids disputes about whether the completed work meets the contractual standard.

The contract price and payment terms clause should state the agreed price, whether it is inclusive or exclusive of VAT, and the agreed payment structure. For plastering work of any significant value, a stage payment structure is common, with a deposit payable on signing and the balance due on practical completion. The contract should also address variations to the scope of work and the mechanism for agreeing the price of variations.

The materials clause should specify who is responsible for supplying plastering materials and should confirm that all materials will comply with the relevant British Standards. Where the plasterer is supplying materials, the clause should confirm that the cost of materials is included in the contract price.

The defects liability clause should specify the period after practical completion during which the plasterer will return to remedy any defects in the work at no cost to the client. The clause should also make clear that minor shrinkage cracking arising from the natural drying process is not covered unless it results from defective workmanship.

The health and safety clause should address the plasterer's obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Work at Height Regulations 2005, and CDM 2015, and should require the client to disclose any known hazards at the property (including asbestos) before works commence.