Plastering disputes almost never start with the price. They start with the word "smooth", and they surface at handover in afternoon light when all the work is already done. The fix is a quote that names the finish it is priced to and the substrate it assumes. Yamate keeps both as standard lines so they are on the page before you start typing.
What a solo plasterer actually needs
- Quote by the square metre — walls and ceilings at their own rates, with beads and cornice added by lineal metre.
- A saved finish-level line — the standard your rate is built on, in writing, on every quote.
- The substrate assumption saved too — what you are pricing on, and what a different one costs.
- Clean-up as its own line — sanding dust is a real half-day and the item customers most assume is free.
- Variations while you are still on site — the frame is out, add the packing line, send it, keep working.
Typical jobs it handles
Sheeting and setting, cornice, solid plaster and rendering, texture coats, patching and repairs, ceiling replacement after a leak, bulkheads and archways, external render to blockwork, and skim coats over old surfaces. Save your usual rates and standard lines so a render quote takes a minute.
Get paid when the job's done
A full render or a whole-house set is a big ticket, and the bags were your money first. Yamate invoices the moment you finish, puts your PayID or bank details on the invoice, and chases anything overdue automatically.
Try Yamate free — built for solo plasterers →FAQ
What is the best quoting app for plasterers in Australia?
One that prices by the metre and keeps the finish level and the clean-up on the quote. Yamate is built for solo plasterers and renderers — per-metre quoting, saved standard lines, deposits, GST invoicing and auto-chasing — from $19/mo (founder price, until 30 Sept) on iPhone and Android.
Can I quote plastering per square metre?
Yes. Set your rate per m² for walls and ceilings separately, add beads and cornice by lineal metre, and the line totals it for you with GST added if you are registered. The render calculator works out the bags first.
Should I take a deposit for a plastering job?
If you are supplying materials, usually yes — bags, beads and bonding are money out before you start. Put it on the quote as a percentage and check your state's rules on deposit limits.
Tickets, safety and a crew
Yamate keeps your licence and insurance on file and tells you before they lapse — yours and your crew's. It'll draft a Safe Work Method Statement for a job from what the job actually is; you read it and sign it, and Yamate doesn't issue certificates or lodge anything with a regulator.
Taken someone on? The Founder plan includes up to 3 people. For larger crews, the Company plan includes 10 people, then $15/month for each additional person, and gives everyone their own login so you choose what each of them sees. And if you get stuck anywhere, Ask ya mate — type a question and it walks you through the screens, suggesting the tap rather than doing it for you.
Free tools for plasterers
General information only for Australian businesses. Damp, mould and structural movement are not plastering problems and are not something this site advises on. Licensing varies by state — check your regulator.