Balsall Common has grown from a small village into one of Solihull’s larger rural communities. Most of its housing dates from the 1960s onwards: bungalows and detached houses off Kenilworth Road and Station Road, 1970s and 80s estates around Meeting House Lane and Balsall Street, and newer developments on the edges of the village. Nearby there are older farmhouses and cottages in Berkswell, Temple Balsall, Carol Green and Fen End. RCR Connections Ltd is a plastering and rendering company based in Solihull, and Balsall Common is well within our area.
Plastering services in Balsall Common
- Skimming: a smooth new finish over sound walls and ceilings.
- Re-plastering: taking off blown or damaged plaster and starting again.
- Ceilings: over-boarding and skimming cracked or Artexed ceilings.
- Plasterboard: boarding out extensions, loft rooms, garage conversions and garden rooms.
- Patch repairs: filling chases and holes after electrical or plumbing work.
Bungalows and loft conversions
Balsall Common has a lot of bungalows, and many are being extended upwards or into the roof. These projects usually mean boarding and skimming new rooms with sloping ceilings, dormers and knee walls, as well as making good the ground floor where the new staircase has gone in. We can work around your builder’s programme and plaster once insulation and first-fix electrics have been signed off.
Textured ceilings
Many 1960s and 70s homes in the village still have Artex or other textured ceilings. Textured coatings applied before 2000 can contain asbestos, so don’t sand or scrape them. Have them tested first. In most cases we can over-board with new plasterboard and skim, which leaves the old coating sealed in place and avoids a lot of mess.
Older properties in Berkswell and Temple Balsall
Berkswell village has a conservation area and several listed buildings, and Temple Balsall has historic buildings too. Older solid-walled houses usually need breathable finishes, and modern gypsum isn’t always right. Solihull Council handles planning and listed building consent here. If your home falls into this category we’ll give you an honest view, including when a lime specialist would be better suited.
How a job works
- Photos first. WhatsApp pictures and rough room sizes to 07453 614095.
- Guide price. We reply with a guide price and arrange a visit if needed.
- Protection. Floors, stairs and furniture are covered before we start.
- Plastering. Surfaces are prepared so the new plaster bonds properly.
- Tidy finish. Waste is bagged and removed, and you get advice on drying and mist coats.
Drying and decorating
New plaster needs to dry before painting: usually a few days for a skim, and longer for thicker backing coats. Keep the room ventilated and avoid turning the heating right up, as drying too fast can cause cracking. The first coat of paint should be a mist coat of watered-down contract matt emulsion.
Rendering too
If the outside needs attention, we also apply sand and cement, silicone, K-Rend/monocouche and insulated render (EWI). See rendering in Solihull and our K-Rend and monocouche page.
Get a free quote
We work Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Call or WhatsApp 07453 614095 or email rcrconnectionsltd@gmail.com. We also cover Coventry and Birmingham.