If you have been quoted wildly different prices for drylining, you are not imagining it. Rates genuinely vary depending on the system, the state of the walls and where you are in the country. Here is an honest breakdown of what you should expect to pay per square metre, and why two quotes for the same room can be hundreds of pounds apart.
For standard dot and dab drylining, where plasterboard is bonded directly to a masonry wall with adhesive, most UK homeowners pay somewhere in the region of £20 to £35 per square metre for supply and fix. If you want the boards skimmed with a plaster finish afterwards, which most people do, budget an extra £15 to £25 per square metre on top.
Metal stud partition walls, where a new wall is built from scratch with a metal frame boarded both sides, typically come in at £40 to £70 per square metre depending on insulation, sound requirements and board specification. Tacking boards to existing timber joists or studs is usually the cheapest option, often £15 to £25 per square metre before skimming. In Essex and the wider South East, expect to sit towards the upper end of these ranges, as labour rates here run higher than the national average.
The single biggest factor is the condition of what the boards are going onto. A flat, sound masonry wall is quick work. A wall that is badly out of plumb, crumbling or previously bodged needs more adhesive, more packing and more time, and the rate rises accordingly. Ceilings also cost more per square metre than walls because the work is slower and harder on the fixer.
Board specification matters too. Standard 12.5mm plasterboard is the baseline, but moisture resistant board for bathrooms, acoustic board for party walls, fire rated board and insulated backed board all cost more, sometimes double the material price. Access is the other quiet cost driver. A ground floor room with clear parking is straightforward. A loft conversion up two flights of stairs, where every 2.4 metre board has to be manhandled round tight corners, takes noticeably longer and quotes will reflect that.
This catches a lot of people out. A single small bedroom might work out at £40 per square metre all in, while a whole house refurbishment might average £25 for the same specification. That is not the contractor being greedy. Every job carries fixed costs, including travel, setting up, waste removal and at least one return visit if there is skimming involved, and on a small area those costs are spread over fewer square metres.
Many drylining contractors also apply a minimum charge, often £150 to £300, so a tiny patch repair will never be priced by area alone. If you have several small jobs around the house, it is almost always cheaper to have them done in one visit than to book them separately.
Ask each contractor to break the quote down: boarding, skimming or jointing, materials, and waste disposal. When quotes differ sharply, it is usually because one includes a skim finish or insulated board and the other does not, so make sure you are comparing the same specification. A written quote that states the board type and thickness protects you from a cheap price built on the thinnest possible spec.
Be wary of any price given without seeing the job or at least good photos and measurements. Drylining is priced on condition as much as area, and a serious contractor will want to know what they are boarding over before committing to a figure. Locally in Harlow and across west Essex, most reputable firms will visit and measure up without charge for anything beyond a minor repair.
Usually, yes. Drylining is faster to install and dries in days rather than weeks, so labour costs are lower and decorating can start sooner. Traditional two coat wet plaster on masonry typically costs more per square metre and adds significant drying time to a project.
Most supply and fix quotes include boards, adhesive or fixings, and jointing materials, but always check. Some trades quote labour only, which can make their price look much cheaper than it really is once you add materials on top.
Dot and dab boarding is within reach of a confident DIYer on a simple square room, and doing so can roughly halve the cost. However, the skim finish is genuinely skilled work, and badly fixed boards often crack at the joints later, so many people board themselves and pay a professional to finish.
Tell us about the job and we'll come back inside five working days with a fixed price and a programme fit.
Drawings welcome. Anything missing, we'll come back with a question, not a guess.
Your enquiry has been sent. We'll come back to you within one working day.