Quoting Decorative Plaster Work After Training, What Your Quote Should Cover

Short answer. A good decorative plaster quote sets out exactly what you will do, not just a total. It should name the finish and colour, the areas and how they were measured, the preparation and primer, the number of coats, the protection, what the agreed sample board is, and what is not included. Writing it all down protects you and the client, and Zavoré Academy students get help pricing their first paid job.

Survey before you write anything

Never quote a decorative finish from a photograph alone. Visit the wall, measure it, and check what it is made of. New plaster, old plaster, plasterboard, painted surfaces or tiles. Look for cracks, damp and loose areas, and note sockets, switches and corners.

The survey tells you how much preparation the job needs, and preparation is often where new applicators under quote. Our guide to preparing walls for Venetian plaster lists what to look for.

What to put in writing

• The finish by name, the grain if it has one, and the colour reference.
• Each area with its measurements, so there is no argument later about which walls were included.
• Preparation. Filling, sanding, making good and the primer you will use.
• The number of coats and the protection, such as wax or sealer.
• Who supplies the materials and how they will be ordered.
• Access, working hours and any furniture or floors that need protecting.
• What is excluded, such as moving radiators, electrical work or repairs found once work starts.
• Payment stages and how changes to the scope will be agreed.

Make the sample board the standard

Clients judge a finished wall against what they expected. The way to manage that is to agree a sample board in the chosen finish and colour before work begins, and to say in the quote that the wall will be finished to match it. Remind the client that a hand laid finish moves across a wall in a way a small board only hints at.

A written quote also gives you something to point to if the job changes. If a client adds a wall, or the survey missed a damp patch behind a cupboard, a clear scope makes it easy to agree a variation instead of absorbing the cost yourself. Keep a copy of every quote you send, along with the photographs from the survey, so you can learn from the jobs you win and the ones you do not.

Working out materials and time

Use the product coverage and your own notes from practice to work out how much plaster, primer and protection you need, and add a sensible margin. Our coverage guide shows how. Be realistic about your own speed. A newly trained applicator is slower than an experienced one, and your quote should allow for that honestly rather than hide it.

For thinking about what to charge, read how to price a Venetian plaster job.

Students can ask for help with their first paid quote by calling 07592 929191 or emailing sales@zavore.co.uk. Course details are on the training page.

Questions we get asked

Should I give a price over the phone?

It is safer not to. A decorative finish depends so much on the wall underneath that a survey should come before any figure.

Who should supply the materials?

Either can work, but the quote should say which. If you supply them, order everything for the job at once so it comes from the same mix.

Does the Academy help with first quotes?

Yes. Every course includes help to find, price and win your first paid decorative job.