Start with what you need
Before ringing round, it helps to know roughly what you are asking for. Is it a ceiling skimmed, a few cracks repaired, a room made good after building work, or plastering followed by decorating? The clearer the brief, the easier it is to compare quotes fairly. Take wide daylight photos of each room and close-ups of any damage, and note your postcode and rough timing.
Purley, Coulsdon, Kenley and the roads out towards Banstead and other nearby Surrey areas have a broad mix of homes, from inter-war semis and detached houses to bungalows, newer estates and flats near the stations. Hilly plots, long drives and front steps are common in places, so mention access when you get in touch.
Questions worth asking
Ask who will actually do the work. Some businesses send different people from the one who quoted, which is not wrong but is worth knowing. Nova Coat & Plaster is a sole trader, so the person you speak to is the person on the job.
Ask how they will assess the walls. A good answer involves checking whether the plaster is sound, looking for blown areas and cracks, and explaining whether a skim, a repair or a replaster makes sense. Be cautious of anyone who decides on a full replaster, or a quick skim, purely from the age of the house.
Ask about protection and tidying. Plastering is messy by nature. Find out how floors, stairs and furniture will be covered, and what state the room will be left in at the end of each day.
Ask about drying and decorating. Who paints afterwards, and when? If the plasterer and decorator are different people, make sure someone is responsible for checking the plaster is ready. If one person does both, ask how they decide it is time.
Insurance and paperwork
It is reasonable to ask any tradesperson what insurance they hold and to see the details. Ask for the quote in writing, with the scope set out clearly: which rooms, which surfaces, what preparation is included, whether materials are included, and what is not. A written scope protects both sides if questions come up later.
Reading a quote
The cheapest quote is not always the worst, and the dearest is not always the best. Compare like with like. One quote might include a bonding coat, angle beads on corners and a mist coat; another might not. If something is unclear, ask. A tradesperson who is happy to explain is usually a good sign.
Be wary of anyone who pushes for a large cash payment upfront, promises a finish date before seeing the job, or will not put anything in writing.
Older coatings and damp
If your ceilings have a textured coating of unknown age, it should be tested for asbestos before it is sanded, scraped or drilled. A careful plasterer will raise this rather than wait for you to ask. Likewise, if walls show signs of damp, the cause needs finding and fixing by the right trade before new plaster goes on, or the problem will simply show through again.
Being honest about distance
Nova Coat & Plaster is based in Upper Norwood, SE19, not in Purley or Coulsdon. Luc covers these areas and the nearby Surrey fringe, but he will be straight about whether a job fits his diary and his travel. For larger jobs that need several visits, it is worth talking through how the days will be arranged before anything is booked.
Getting in touch
If you are in Purley, Coulsdon, Kenley, Sanderstead or nearby and want a plain view of what your walls need, ring 07424 459772 or email photos and your postcode to novacoat.plaster@gmail.com. You will get an honest answer about whether the job suits him, what he thinks the walls need, and how the work and drying time would fit around your household. If it is not the right fit, he will say so rather than stretch.