Plasterers and Renderers in Formby
1930s semis and newer estates: different walls, different problems.
Southport, the Sefton coast, Liverpool and West Lancashire
Cavity walls and 1930s semis
Formby's stock leans much more to inter-war semis and post-war and modern estate housing than the solid-wall Victorian property nearer Southport centre. Most of it has a cavity, which changes the picture completely: the outer leaf can get wet without the inside going damp, and the wall does not depend on breathability the way a solid wall does.
That widens the options. Silicone thin-coat, monocouche and traditional systems are all realistic on a cavity-walled semi, and the decision comes down to the look you want, the state of the existing surface, and budget rather than being forced by the construction.
Pebbledash, and getting rid of it
A great deal of the 1930s and 1950s stock here is pebbledashed, and it is the single most common thing we are asked to get rid of. Sound pebbledash can sometimes be overclad, which saves the mess and cost of removal; hollow, cracked or lifting pebbledash has to come off first, and it makes a serious amount of debris.
The transformation is the most dramatic in what we do. A dashed semi that has looked dated for forty years reads as a completely different house once it is in a clean modern render.

Newer houses, and what people actually want inside
On the newer estates the exterior is usually fine and the work is internal: media walls in through-lounges, boarding and skimming after a knock-through, loft rooms finished off, garages converted. Modern rooms are lit with a lot of downlights, which is unforgiving. A wall that is only nearly flat is obvious at night.
Newer houses also settle and shrink in their first years, so joints and beads matter more than they seem to. Taped joints and beaded angles absorb that movement; skipping them is why so many newer houses crack in the same predictable lines.

What we are asked for most in Formby
External Rendering
Re-rendering tired, cracked and blown elevations, including stripping off failed pebbledash first.
Read moreDry Lining & Plasterboarding
Stud walls, ceilings and insulated linings, set out square, taped and beaded before skimming.
Read moreBespoke Media Walls
TV and fire recesses, alcoves and lighting, framed, wired and skimmed with nothing on show.
Read moreLoft Conversions
Coombed ceilings, dormer cheeks and roof-light reveals boarded and skimmed to a straight line.
Read moreWork we have written up: a detached house in Formby rendered in white silicone. Everything else is on our work.
Questions from Formby customers
Can you get rid of pebbledash?
Yes, and it is one of the most common jobs we do in Formby. Sound pebbledash can sometimes be overclad; hollow or cracked pebbledash comes off first. It is messy work and it makes a lot of debris, all of which we contain and take away.
Do you do media walls and internal work on newer estates?
Yes. On the newer Formby housing most of what we do is internal: media walls in through-lounges, boarding and skimming after a knock-through, loft rooms and converted garages finished off.
Do you cover the whole of Formby?
Yes. We are based on Liverpool Road in Southport, so Formby is about five miles down the coast road and there is no travel charge. We are usually able to come and look at a job within a few days of you calling.
Can I see work you have done near Formby?
The gallery on this site is all our own work across Southport and the coast, grouped by service. Ask when you call if you want to see something specific: a silicone render, a media wall, a restored ceiling. We will point you at the relevant photos.
What customers said
4.7 out of 5 on Google and 5.0 from 35 reviews on MyBuilder, plus 100% recommended from 6 recommendations on Facebook. Every review below is verbatim from those profiles, and each one says which.
Anthony has done an excellent plastering job today for us in Formby. Repaired a hole on our kitchen ceiling after a leak whilst on holiday. Very good finish and so tidy too! Would Definitely recommend him!

I received a first class service from Birkdale Plastering. Anthony always attended as arranged. He was invariably polite and hard-working and cleared any mess before leaving. I am very pleased with the finished job.

Antony did a great job would highly recommend him

Render of an outside wall. Excellent job and finish Turned up when he said, cleaned up and took the time to protect the areas around the job. Would highly recommend to family and friends.

Anthony did an outstanding job pebble-dashing our entire house. It was a challenging project but he handled every aspect with professionalism and care—nothing was ever too much trouble. He worked incredibly hard and maintained a clean and tidy worksite throughout. We couldn’t be happier with the result.

Outstanding work would highly recommend went above and behond with everything, if anyone needs rendering this is your man.
Other areas we cover
Based on Liverpool Road in Southport. We work right along the Sefton coast, down into Liverpool, and inland across West Lancashire as far as Preston. Every town below has a page of its own.
Get a free written estimate
Tell us what the walls are doing and we will come and look. You will get an honest assessment and a written price, with no obligation and no pressure.
Get in touch
Tell us what the walls are doing and we will come and look. Free written estimate, no obligation.
- Phone 07923 545449
- Email anthony9thompson@yahoo.co.uk
- Address
Birkdale Plastering and Rendering
546 Liverpool Road, Southport PR8 3BG - Opening hours Every day, 7am to 9pm