Plasterer and dryliner jobs in the UK and London: the card, the pay and how to get hired
UK sites usually want plasterers and dryliners to hold a blue CSCS Skilled Worker card (NVQ Level 2). Plasterers earn roughly £170–£260 a day (London usually more), and much of the work is priced per m². Plastering (wet trades) and drylining (boards, metal frame, taping) are hired separately — here's what firms check and the jobs open now.
Rates: indicative 2026 ranges from published UK price guides — see day rates 2026. CIS: gov.uk.
Open jobs for plasterers and dryliners right now
…
How to get hired as a plasterer or dryliner
Get the right CSCS card
NVQ Level 2 in plastering or in drylining gives the blue Skilled Worker card. No NVQ yet? There are red-card routes for trainees and experienced workers — see every CSCS card explained.
Be clear about your trade
Plastering: skimming, rendering, browning, float and set. Drylining: metal stud partitions, MF ceilings, boarding, taping and jointing. Firms search for one or the other.
Day rate or per m² — in writing
Price work per m² is common. Agree how areas are measured, what counts as extra (beads, reveals) and when you're paid before you start.
Apply — and get on the crew list
Apply below in 30 seconds, no CV upload. Gangs can apply too — say how many of you there are.
What firms check before they hire
Your CSCS card
Blue or gold, in date, with the right trade on it.
The finish
Firms judge plasterers on flat, clean walls — photos of your work on your phone help.
Your own tools
Trowels, hawk, buckets, mixing paddle, stilts or hop-ups; dryliners: screw guns, laser, tin snips — 110V or battery on site.
Speed on bigger sites
On new-build and commercial work, say roughly how many m² you do in a day.
What you actually take home
Example: at £210 a day, a 5-day week is £1,050. As a self-employed subcontractor registered for CIS, the firm takes 20% (£210) and pays you £840. If you're not registered for CIS, they take 30%.
That 20% is an advance on your tax and National Insurance, not a fee. After the tax year ends (5 April) many workers get part of it back — more if they keep receipts for tools, PPE and travel. See the CIS refund guide and what you can claim.
Before your first CIS payment you need a UTR number and to register with HMRC as self-employed — how to get a UTR.
Put yourself on the crew list: 1 minute, free, no account. Firms looking for your trade text you directly.
Join the crew list →Common questions
Which CSCS card does a plasterer need?
Usually the blue Skilled Worker card with an NVQ Level 2 in plastering (or drylining for dryliners). Trainees and experienced workers without the NVQ use red cards.
Is plastering the same as drylining?
No. Plastering is the wet finish — skim, render, set. Drylining is building partitions and ceilings from boards and metal frames, then taping and jointing. Many people do both, but firms hire them separately.
How is plastering price work measured?
Usually per m² of wall or ceiling. Agree in writing what's included, how openings are counted and when you're paid.
How much does a plasterer earn per day in London?
Published 2026 guides put plasterers at roughly £170–£260 a day across the UK, with London usually 15–25% higher.
How do I apply for plastering jobs on Graftum?
Open a job and press Apply — about 30 seconds, no account, no CV upload. The firm gets your name and number and calls you.
