At a Glance
Wall and ceiling plaster repair in Australia typically costs $200–$1,500 per job, using Sydney metro as the baseline. Perth and Adelaide can run 10–15% higher due to smaller trade pools. The final price depends on the number and size of damaged areas, whether the damage is on walls or ceilings, and the type of plaster involved.
What's Included
A standard plaster repair covers:
- Assessment of damage type and extent (cracks, holes, water damage, sagging sections)
- Cutting back damaged material and preparing the substrate
- Patching or re-sheeting with plasterboard, or re-skimming with wet plaster, in accordance with AS/NZS 2589 Gypsum Linings
- Jointing, sanding, and finishing to a paint-ready surface
- Cleanup and dust management
Ceiling repairs attract a premium over wall work because of the overhead access involved. Materials (plasterboard, compound, tape) are a relatively small portion of the total. Labour and finishing dominate the cost, particularly where texture matching is required.
What Affects the Cost
- Number and size of repairs. A single fist-sized hole is a minimum-charge job. Multiple patches across several rooms scales the cost linearly.
- Ceiling vs wall. Ceiling work takes longer because the plasterer is working overhead. Sagging ceilings may need structural support assessment before patching.
- Plasterboard vs lath-and-plaster. Modern plasterboard repairs are straightforward. Lath-and-plaster walls (common in pre-1960s homes) are specialist work requiring different techniques and materials.
- Water damage. If the leak source has not been fixed, patching is pointless. Where water has compromised the substrate, larger sections may need replacement rather than surface patching.
- Texture matching. Smooth walls are easier to blend. Textured finishes (stipple, knockdown, orange peel) are harder to match on a patch, and a poor texture match can look worse than the original damage.
- Asbestos risk. Homes built before 1990 may have asbestos-containing plaster, fibro sheets, or textured coatings. Disturbing these without testing is a health and legal risk. Licensed asbestos removal adds cost and time.
- Access and furniture. Rooms that need to be cleared or protected add setup time.
A single patch on a plasterboard wall in a modern home with good access sits toward $200. Multiple rooms with ceiling damage, lath-and-plaster walls, water damage requiring substrate replacement, and texture matching pushes toward $1,500.
City and Regional Price Comparison
Prices vary across Australia based on labour rates, housing stock, and the prevalence of older construction methods.
At the city level, Sydney is the baseline at $200–$1,500 per job. Melbourne tracks close to Sydney pricing. Brisbane tends to sit slightly lower, with simpler construction in many suburbs. Perth and Adelaide typically run 10–15% above eastern capitals, reflecting higher trade rates and smaller trade pools.
Within any city, the key variable is property age. Inner-city suburbs with pre-war housing stock (terraces in Balmain, period homes in Fitzroy, character homes in Norwood) tend toward the higher end because lath-and-plaster walls, heritage finishes, and older substrates are more labour-intensive to repair. Newer suburbs with standard plasterboard construction are more predictable and cost-effective. Properties built in the 1970s to 1990s fall in the middle: plasterboard construction, but potentially with textured finishes or asbestos-containing materials that add complexity.
How We Calculate
Estimates are based on surveyed trade rates for licensed plasterers, adjusted for each state and property age bracket. All prices include GST. Figures cover standard residential plaster repairs. Commercial properties, heritage restoration, and full ceiling replacements may fall outside these ranges.