Plasterboard repair cost in London ranges from around £120 for a small hole patch to £900 or more for a full ceiling reinstatement, depending on the size of the area, access, and the finish quality required. This guide breaks down typical 2026 cost bands for the most common plasterboard repairs, and when a small job is worth doing yourself versus calling a professional.
Plasterboard repair cost in London by job type
Small, isolated damage such as a door handle hole or a picture hook hole is the cheapest repair, typically £120 to £220, since it usually needs only a small offcut of board, filler or a repair patch, and a light skim before painting. A medium repair covering a larger section of wall or ceiling, such as damage from a fitting removal or a small area of impact damage, typically runs £220 to £450.
Full room reinstatement, where an entire wall or ceiling needs new board fitted, taped, jointed and skimmed, typically runs £450 to £900 for a standard room, rising toward £1,200 where the finish needs to match surrounding cornice, coving or decorative plaster detail in a period property.
Typical London market range for guidance only, not a fixed Lian Construction quote. Access, finish quality and board specification all affect the final price.
Leak-damaged plasterboard replacement
Plasterboard damaged by a leak needs a slightly different approach to impact or wear damage, since the affected board has usually absorbed water and lost structural integrity even where it looks intact from below. Once the leak source is resolved, the damaged board needs to be cut back to sound material, not just the visibly stained area, since water tracks sideways through plasterboard further than the stain suggests.
Leak-damaged replacement typically costs £350 to £900, and should always follow proper drying time before the new board is skimmed, generally two to four weeks depending on how saturated the area was. Our leak repairs London team can confirm the leak source is resolved before the plasterboard repair itself begins, so the repair is not carried out over an area that is still drying out or still leaking.
Partition wall repair
Partition walls take more day-to-day impact damage than most ceilings, from furniture moves, door handles hitting the wall, or general wear in a rental property between tenancies. A partition repair typically runs £300 to £700, covering cutting back the damaged section, fitting new board fixed to the existing studwork, and jointing and skimming to blend with the surrounding wall.
Where a partition also needs to meet a fire or sound rating, for example in an HMO bedroom wall, the replacement section needs to match the original specification rather than being made good with standard board, since a mismatched repair can compromise the rating of the whole wall. Our partition walls team can confirm the correct board specification before repair work starts.
What affects plasterboard repair cost
Access and location
A ceiling repair generally costs more than an equivalent wall repair, since it needs support while the new board is fixed and is more awkward to skim to a flat finish overhead. Repairs above a stairwell, in a high-ceilinged period room, or in a room with limited furniture clearance also cost more, reflecting the additional access equipment and time required.
Finish and board specification
A basic skim finish costs less than a repair that needs to match decorative cornice, coving or a textured ceiling finish in a period property. Upgrading to moisture-resistant board in a bathroom or kitchen, or fire-rated board in a partition or ceiling with a fire separation requirement, typically adds a modest cost per square metre over standard plasterboard, but is worth specifying correctly rather than reusing standard board where the room or wall requires it.
DIY versus professional plasterboard repair
A very small hole, such as a single picture hook mark, can reasonably be filled with ready-mixed filler as a DIY job. Anything larger than a small patch, particularly on a ceiling, is harder to get right without professional tools and experience: plasterboard needs to be fixed securely to solid support, joints need to be taped and filled in multiple thin coats to avoid visible ridges, and a skim finish that blends invisibly into the surrounding surface takes practice to achieve.
Leak-damaged repairs and any repair to a partition with a fire or sound rating are best left to a professional regardless of size, since both carry a real risk of the repair failing, or in the case of a fire-rated wall, not performing as intended, if the specification is wrong.
When plasterboard repair is part of a bigger job
Plasterboard repair is often one part of a larger project rather than a standalone job, particularly after a leak, during a partition change, or as part of a wider refurbishment. Where that is the case, our property refurbishment London team can scope the plasterboard repair alongside the rest of the work, so decorating only happens once and the finish is consistent across the whole room rather than patched separately.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to repair a small hole in plasterboard?
A small, isolated hole such as a door handle mark or picture hook damage typically costs £120 to £220 to repair, including a patch of board where needed, filler, taping and a light skim before painting.
How much does a full ceiling plasterboard reinstatement cost?
Full ceiling reinstatement, with new board fitted, taped, jointed and skimmed across the whole ceiling, typically costs £450 to £900, rising toward £1,200 in a period property with cornice or coving to reinstate.
How much does leak-damaged plasterboard replacement cost?
Leak-damaged plasterboard replacement typically costs £350 to £900, and should only be carried out once the leak source is resolved and the area has had two to four weeks to dry properly.
Can I repair plasterboard myself?
A very small hole can reasonably be filled as a DIY job. Larger repairs, ceiling repairs, leak-damaged areas and any repair to a fire-rated or acoustic partition are best handled by a professional, since a poor repair can be visible, or in the case of a rated wall, not perform as intended.
Why does a ceiling repair cost more than a wall repair of the same size?
Ceiling repairs need temporary support while new board is fixed and are more difficult to skim to a flat, even finish overhead, which adds time and access cost compared with an equivalent wall repair.
Do I need special plasterboard for a bathroom or kitchen repair?
Moisture-resistant board is recommended for bathroom and kitchen repairs, at a modest cost premium over standard board, since it holds up better to the higher humidity in those rooms.
Can plasterboard repair be included with a leak repair or refurbishment?
Yes. Plasterboard repair is often scoped as part of a wider leak repair or refurbishment project, so decorating happens once the whole area is complete rather than being patched separately.
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