Quoting software for plasterers

What a good plastering quote includes

• The rooms or areas, with the area in square metres where it helps.
• The method: skim coat, overboarding and skim, or hacking off and replastering with backing coat and finish.
• Prep: removing old coverings, PVA or bonding, beading on corners and making good around sockets and frames.
• Protecting floors and furniture, and whether the room needs to be empty.
• Drying time before decorating, and advice on a mist coat for new plaster.
• Waste removal, and what isn't included, such as removing coving or electrics that need moving.

How plasterers usually price work

Many plasterers price per room or per job, based on the area, the method and the prep. Day rates are common on building sites and for bigger jobs. Ceilings, stairwells and high walls take longer, so they're often priced higher per square metre than a standard wall.

Health and safety worth mentioning

• Textured coatings such as Artex applied before 2000 can contain asbestos. They should be tested before being scraped or sanded, and skimming over is sometimes the safer option.
• Hacking off old lime plaster in older properties creates a lot of dust, so say how you'll control it.
• If walls have damp problems, plastering over them without fixing the cause can fail. Say so on the quote if you've seen signs of damp.

How TradeKwote helps plasterers

• Dictate each room and the method as you go round, and TradeKwote writes a clear scope of work.
• You enter each line, such as rooms, boarding or materials, with your prices. The AI never adds items or changes prices.
• Add up to 5 photos of the walls and ceilings so the scope reflects their condition. Photos stay private.
• Add notes to the customer about drying times and preparing the room.
• VAT is handled, including the domestic reverse charge for work you do for contractors.
• On Pro, customers can accept online, and accepted quotes become invoices in one click.

Tips for winning more plastering work

• Explain the method in plain English. "Overboard and skim" means little to most customers until you say why it's needed.
• Give the drying time and when the room can be decorated, so the customer can book their decorator.
• Mention dust control and floor protection, as they're common worries.
• Send the quote the same day while the customer is still comparing prices.