How much does plastering cost in Geelong?
Plastering in Geelong is charged by the hour at $46–$110, or by the square metre when new plasterboard goes up, at $23–$60 for the labour alone. Patching a small hole is $140–$260, re-skimming the walls of one room $560–$2,325, and replacing a single-room ceiling $745–$2,800. Homes here are family-sized: 86.7% of dwellings are separate houses and 46.4% have three bedrooms, against 72.3% and 39% nationally (ABS 2021 Census). A whole-house job is usually a run of similar bedrooms, halls and ceilings, so the total follows how many of them you include.
Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Plastering cost in Australia.
Detailed Pricing — Plastering Cost in Geelong 2026
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plastering (hourly rate) | $46/hr | $72 | $110 |
| Plasterboard / Gyprock, labour (per sqm) | $23/sqm | $38 | $60 |
| Patch repair (small hole) | $140per job | $215 | $260 |
| Crack repair (per crack, filled and set ready for paint) | $74per job | $160 | $280 |
| Single room re-skim (walls) | $560total | $1,125 | $2,325 |
| Ceiling replacement (single room, 12–16 m²: strip-out, new plasterboard, set ready for paint) | $745total | $1,775 | $2,800 |
| Cornice installation (per linear metre) | $9/lm | $14 | $46 |
| Water damage repair | $280per job | $650 | $1,400 |
| Skim coat (per sqm) | $14/sqm | $26 | $46 |
| New stud wall (non-load-bearing, framed, plasterboard both sides, set ready for paint; per m² of wall face) | $56/sqm | $88 | $140 |
| Acoustic / soundproof plasterboard (per sqm) | $33/sqm | $51 | $79 |
| Full day plastering | $325per day | $510 | $790 |
You're in.
A local installer will be in touch about your job. No spam, no middleman.
Getting quotes for plastering work in Geelong? Get a quote from a verified local tradie — free, no obligation.
Get Geelong quotes →Prices include GST. Based on Geelong metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
What Affects Plastering Costs in Geelong
Walls, ceilings or both
Overhead sheets are heavier to hold in place, need props while they are fixed and show every flaw under a downlight. A single-room ceiling replacement is typically $1,775, against $1,125 to re-skim that room's walls. Four in five Geelong homes have three or more bedrooms (ABS 2021 Census), so ask for ceilings and walls as separate lines on a whole-house quote.
Cold, slow-drying winters
July days in Geelong average 14.4 °C and nights fall to 6.4 °C (BOM averages). Jointing compound dries slowly in that cold, and each of the usual three coats has to be dry before it is sanded, so a winter job can stretch over extra visits. Ask whether heating or spare days are allowed for in the price; a plasterer who rushes the coats leaves joints that show through the paint.
Leaks before new board
Board that has soaked up water has to be cut out rather than patched, and any mould needs treating before new sheets go up. A water damage repair runs $280–$1,400 in our table. Spring is Geelong's wettest season, with October and November the wettest months at about 56 mm each (BOM averages), so have the roof and gutters checked before a damaged ceiling is replaced.
Cornice, cracks and finish level
Cornice is priced by the lineal metre, $9–$46, so a quote that leaves it out only looks cheaper. Hairline cracks are filled and set one at a time for $74–$280 each. For an ordinary paint finish, Level 4 is the usual standard; Level 5 adds a full skim for gloss paint or for walls lit side-on by large windows.
Plastering alone or with other trades
In Victoria, plastering on its own is one of the single trades that does not need Building and Plumbing Commission registration, even on a large job. Bundle plastering with another trade, painting for example, on a job above $10,000, and registration becomes compulsory. If one contractor is patching and painting your house together, ask for the registration number before you sign.
Board supply and special sheets
The per-square-metre rate here covers labour, so plasterboard, compound and cornice stock come on top unless the quote says otherwise. Acoustic board between a living area and bedrooms is $33–$79, and a new framed stud wall is $56–$140 per square metre of face. Geelong is in NCC climate zone 6, so check the ceiling insulation goes back in full when old board comes down.
An hour, a day or a whole job
Small repairs are normally priced per job, but a list of odd jobs can work out cheaper as a day booking: a full day is $325–$790, against $46–$110 an hour. With 27.5% of Geelong households renting (ABS 2021 Census), a landlord fixing dents and cracks between tenants can often fit the whole list into one day.
How to Save Money on Plastering Cost in Geelong
Plastering Cost in Geelong by Room Size
Say a Geelong bedroom ceiling is 14 square metres with a cornice run of 15 lineal metres. Sheet labour at $23–$60 a square metre is $322–$840 and the cornice at $9–$46 a metre is $135–$690, together $457–$1,530. That can be read against the single-room ceiling row of $745–$2,800, which also covers the strip-out and a paint-ready set.
What moves a room that size in Geelong: cold winter days that slow the coats, a damp roof space or wall behind the old board that is fixed first, insulation refitted once the board is down, and acoustic board at $33–$79 a square metre where a bedroom wall adjoins the living area.
Plastering Cost in Geelong: What the Quote Should Include
Geelong winters are cold and spring is its wettest season, so a plastering quote should say how the job allows for slow coats and for a leak check before new board. Have ceilings and walls priced as separate lines, each read against the rows on this page.
- Ceilings and walls on separate lines, each room listed, since overhead sheets need props and sit on their own row of $745–$2,800.
- A roof and gutter inspection ahead of any replacement of a damaged ceiling, with water damage repair at $280–$1,400 priced apart from the new board.
- Whether heating or spare time for slow coats is allowed for in a winter price, and whether return visits are billed at the hourly rate of $46–$110 an hour.
- The ceiling insulation refitted after the old board comes out, named as a task on the quote.
- Cornice priced by the lineal metre at $9–$46, and the supply of board and compound shown as in or out of the sheeting rate of $23–$60 a square metre.
- Hairline cracks counted and filled one at a time at $74–$280 each, with any holes at $140–$260.
- Acoustic board between the living area and the bedrooms at $33–$79 a square metre, and any new framed wall at $56–$140 per square metre of face.
- The finish level written out, level 4 for ordinary paint or level 5 for gloss, with a skim coat at $14–$46 a square metre where one is added.
- For a list of odd jobs, a booked day at $325–$790 a day set against separate visits, with the list written out.
Frequently Asked Questions — Plastering Cost in Geelong
Our Methodology
These are independent estimates from public cost guides, marketplaces and industry rate data, and no tradesperson can influence them, so always get a few quotes. Last reviewed October 2026. Read our full methodology →