Cracks, holes, damp: putting the walls right
Filling, full skim-coating and repairing damp damage. It's the invisible stage that decides whether a paint job lasts for years or peels by the first winter.
What gets repaired
Cracks
Opened, filled, smoothed: they vanish under the paint.
Holes & knocks
Plug holes, damaged corners, furniture dents.
Damp marks
Blistered or stained plaster, redone once the cause is fixed.
Full skim
A whole wall brought back flat before painting.
Spot repair or a full skim?
A few hairline cracks and plug holes are repaired locally: opened, filled, sanded, and the repair disappears under the paint.
When a wall is marked all over — old visible repairs, an uneven surface, texture that catches the light — a full skim coat gives a much cleaner result than a patchwork of touch-ups. The choice is made at the visit, wall by wall.
Damp: repairing the damage, not the cause
Blistering plaster, crumbling paint or a stain that keeps coming back is almost always a sign of moisture from elsewhere: a leak, water getting in through a façade or roof, condensation.
Painting over it without treating the cause doesn't last. So the rule is simple: the source is fixed first — by a plumber or waterproofing specialist if needed — then the damaged plaster is removed, the wall dried and redone, and only then painted.
Jerusalem walls
In older buildings, thick stone walls and original plaster behave differently from modern partitions: they move little but hold on to winter moisture more readily. In newer buildings, it's often the joints between boards and the corners that crack.
That's the advantage of a tradesman who works in the city: he knows what to expect depending on the neighbourhood and the age of the building.
Describe your walls in two minutes
Plaster is already ticked. Tell us what you've noticed: cracks, holes, damp or a full skim.
- Shneor reads and replies himself — no call centre
- Nothing is stored on this site: the message is sent from your phone
- The quote stays free and with no obligation
Frequently asked questions
Is a crack that keeps coming back serious?
Not necessarily, but it means something is moving. A hairline crack that reappears in the same place needs more than a simple fill — that's what gets checked at the visit. A wide or widening crack first needs a structural opinion.
Can you paint right after a repair?
The plaster has to dry before painting. How long depends on the thickness and the season; it's built into the order of work.
Do you fix the cause of the damp?
No: the cause (a leak, water ingress) is a job for a plumber or waterproofing specialist. The walls are repaired afterwards, once they're dry.
Are repairs included in a paint job?
Small defects, yes. Bigger repairs are priced separately in the quote, so you know what you're paying for.
