Wall patching and making good

The short answer

Small holes, old fixing points and hairline cracks fill and sand in a few hours and transform how a room paints up. Cracks that are diagonal, widening, or repeat in the same place after filling are movement, and filling them repeatedly hides a question that a surveyor will ask later.

What the work involves

Raking out and filling cracks, cutting back loose plaster, patching in, taping problem joints, sanding flat and sealing before decoration.

Rules and responsibilities in Scotland

No certification applies. Pre-1999 properties may contain asbestos in textured coatings and some boards — do not sand them without checking.

What commonly goes wrong

Filling a structural crack and painting over it, and sanding an artex ceiling of unknown age.

What it usually costs

Indicative ranges only, to help you judge a quote. They are not an estimate for your property — only the business doing the work can give you that.

• Filling and sanding a room is usually a half-day.
• Full re-skim of a wall or ceiling is a plasterer's day rate plus drying time.
• Lath-and-plaster patching takes longer than plasterboard.

What to do, in order

1. 1Photograph every crack with a date.
2. 2Mark any that are diagonal or wider than a hairline.
3. 3Have the rest filled, sanded and sealed.
4. 4Allow drying time before painting.
5. 5Re-check the marked cracks after a few months.

Local detail for the Lothians

• Settlement cracking above door openings is common in Edinburgh tenements and usually historic, but should still be recorded.
• Lath-and-plaster ceilings that bounce or bulge need a plasterer, not filler.
• Damp-related staining on a stone external wall needs the damp addressed first.

When you need a professional

Recurring or widening cracks warrant a chartered surveyor's opinion before decoration.

Common questions

Are cracks in an old flat normal?

Fine hairline cracking in older plaster is very common. Diagonal cracks, or cracks that keep reopening, need looking at properly.

Is textured ceiling coating safe to sand?

Not without checking. Coatings in older properties can contain asbestos and must be tested before disturbance.

Related pages

• Repainting a single room

  One room repainted properly, in a day or two, without repainting the whole property.

• Skirting and facings repairs

  Repairing or replacing damaged skirting and door facings to match the original profile.

• Tile and grout repairs

  Replacing cracked tiles and regrouting so a tired bathroom looks maintained again.