Knowle and Dorridge have a different feel from the rest of Solihull: an old village centre in Knowle with listed and timber-framed buildings around St John the Baptist church, Edwardian and inter-war detached houses in Dorridge, and larger modern homes around Bentley Heath and the edges towards Chadwick End. RCR Connections Ltd is a Solihull-based plastering and rendering company, and Knowle, Dorridge, Bentley Heath and nearby villages such as Lapworth and Hockley Heath are well within our area.
Plastering services
- Skimming for a smooth finish on walls and ceilings.
- Re-plastering after damp, rewiring or major renovation.
- Ceilings, including over-boarding old lath-and-plaster.
- Plasterboard for extensions, loft rooms and garden rooms.
- Patch repairs that blend into existing walls.
Period and listed properties
Knowle village centre is a conservation area, and some buildings are listed. Older solid-walled houses often need breathable finishes, and modern gypsum plaster isn’t always the right choice on them. If your property is listed or in the conservation area, check with Solihull Council before changing finishes, especially externally. We’ll be honest about whether a job suits us or needs a specialist in lime work.
Larger homes and renovations
Many Dorridge homes have been extended over the years. That often leaves mismatched walls and ceilings, which a skim can bring back together. For big projects we can plan the plastering in stages around other trades.
Rendering in Knowle and Dorridge
For outside walls we apply sand and cement, silicone, K-Rend/monocouche and insulated render (EWI). See rendering in Solihull and our K-Rend and monocouche page.
Nearby villages we cover
Alongside Knowle, Dorridge and Bentley Heath, we take on work in Hockley Heath, Lapworth, Chadwick End, Temple Balsall, Balsall Common, Hampton-in-Arden and Catherine-de-Barnes. Some of these sit just over the border in Warwick District, so if you’re in Lapworth or parts of Chadwick End, planning questions go to Warwick District Council rather than Solihull Council. It’s worth checking which council covers your address before planning any external work.
Extensions and open-plan renovations
Many homes in Dorridge and Knowle have had kitchens knocked through or rear extensions added. When walls are removed, the ceiling often ends up with a visible join where the old wall stood, and the new part of the house may have plasterboard while the original part has older plaster. A full skim over the whole ceiling and the affected walls brings everything back to one smooth, even surface. For new loft rooms, we board and skim the sloping ceilings and dormer cheeks too.
Lath-and-plaster ceilings
Edwardian and inter-war houses in Dorridge often still have lath-and-plaster ceilings. If the plaster is still firmly keyed to the laths, over-boarding with new plasterboard screwed through to the joists is usually the tidiest option. If it’s sagging or loose, it may need to come down first. Pulling a ceiling down is messy, so we seal off the room and protect everything properly. We’ll check before quoting and explain the reasoning.
How to get a price
- WhatsApp photos to 07453 614095 with rough room sizes.
- We send a guide price and arrange a visit if needed.
- We agree a start date and what’s included.
We work Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Email rcrconnectionsltd@gmail.com if you prefer. We also cover Birmingham and Coventry.