Bigger walls change the method
Bearsden has a lot of substantial inter war and post war property: villas, bungalows and large semis, most roughcast from new. The houses are simply bigger, and scale changes this trade.
A long elevation has to be finished to a wet edge in one run, because if the edge goes off before the next bay reaches it the join shows across the wall in the right light for ever. That is a question of planning the day and having the hands on site, not of anything clever with a trowel.
Dash off, render on
More of our smooth render enquiries come from this kind of housing than from anywhere else we work. A dashed villa taken to a flat render with dark frames does not read as the same house.
It is worth knowing that is a bigger job than a re-dash, not a cheaper alternative to one. The dash has to come off and the wall has to be brought genuinely flat first, because flat shows every fault a texture hides.
Keeping the detail
The older houses here often have a band course, a reveal detail or a porch that was part of the original design. A coat run straight over all of it is quicker and leaves the house looking like a box.
Working round that detail takes longer and we would rather say so than quietly lose it.
What else the walls in Bearsden are like
The houses here are simply larger, and scale changes this trade. A long elevation has to be finished to a wet edge in one run or a join shows across it.
That is a question of planning the day and having enough hands on it rather than anything clever on the trowel.
If you are outside the city, we work across Renfrewshire and up to twenty miles from Renfrew. See the areas we cover.
Before and after
The same wall, both ways
White and black dry dash on a corner semi. Drag the handle to see the before.
Past work
Jobs of this kind
Brick to white dash with charcoal corner pillars
Roughcasting and dry dash, New build and extension render
See this job
Painted brick and old roughcast taken to white and black dash
Roughcasting and dry dash
See this job
What customers say
What customers said about work in Bearsden
Real Checkatrade reviews, word for word.
9.8out of 10
Checkatrade
from 60 reviews, 45 of them 10 out of 10
10/10
Had some patches were rendering had come off the wall .
Previous patches of rendering had come off the wall , cowboy came and patched .. we discovered more as we cleared garden .. Mclellan master plasterers came to house and did a professional job .. well worth the money .. would def recommend just wish we used him the first time
10/10
Roughcasting Masterclass
I can’t recommend McLellans Master Plasters highly enough. They rough casted our house to an excellent standard and also fixed our neighbour’s guttering and roofing, all for a very reasonable price. From start to finish they were prompt, professional, and reliable. Communication was clear, the work was carried out efficiently, and the finish looks fantastic. It’s refreshing to deal with tradespeople who take real pride in their work and deliver exactly what they promise. If you’re looking for high-quality workmanship at a fair price, McLellans Master Plasters are a brilliant choice.
10/10
Fantastic Job All Round
I recently hired Fraser from McLellans Master Plasterers. The quality of the plastering was brilliant the finish is perfectly smooth, clean, and ready for decorating. He paid great attention to detail and made sure everything was completed to an exceptionally high standard. He kept everything neat and left the place spotless once the job was done, which I really appreciated. If you’re looking for a plasterer who delivers top quality workmanship with great customer service, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Fraser at McLellans Master Plasterers. A fantastic job all round!
10/10
Emergency removal, reboard and replaster a collapsed ceiling.
Can't thank Fraser and him team enough for the urgent response and restoring of our hallway ceiling. Thankfully Fraser was able to attend within hours of me reporting the issue and due to the danger of the collapse he was able to move around jobs to deal with what was a very scary situation. Job was fully completed within 3 days of my initial request. New ceiling looks great. would highly recommend. Thank you, Val & Fabio.
Straight answers
Questions about roughcasting and dry dash in Bearsden
Can you just patch the bit that has failed?
Sometimes, and when we can we will say so. A single failed area on an otherwise sound wall is a repair. The problem is colour: a patch of new dash on a wall that has weathered for twenty years will not match, and on a front elevation that is usually worse to look at than what you started with. On a gable or a back wall it often does not matter at all.
What is the difference between wet dash and dry dash?
Wet dash has the chips mixed into the mortar and the whole lot is thrown at the wall, which gives a rougher, more random finish. Dry dash has the mortar on first and the chips thrown onto it, which gives a more even, sharper look. Dry dash is what most people picture when they say pebble dash.
Is harling the same thing as roughcasting?
Yes. Harling is the Scottish word for it and it is what most older folk round here still call it. If somebody quotes you for harling and somebody else quotes you for roughcasting, they are quoting for the same wall.
Is smooth render dearer than re-dashing?
Usually, because the wall underneath has to be brought genuinely flat and there is no texture to hide anything. We will price both if you want to compare.
What is roughcasting?
A render finish with stone aggregate in or on the top coat, over a backing coat that levels the wall. It is what most houses round here were built with and it is what keeps the weather out of them.
How much does it cost to roughcast a house in Scotland?
It turns on how much of the existing coat has to come off, the access, what the background is and the finish you choose, not on the wall area alone. We have written up what moves the number rather than printing a figure we would have to take back.
Get in touch
Get a price for roughcasting your house
Tell us what the wall or the room looks like now and we will come back to you with a price and a straight answer about what it needs.
Call us for your instant, no obligation quote
07501 844432