With more than 60 years of experience between them, the two have seen a lot of changes over the years, from sand and cement to Coloplast and EWI coming in, and they know first-hand that plasterers need to keep up with the times without forgetting traditional techniques.

Chris acknowledged newer techniques like EWI’s place, but also said that: “I believe you need to get the aspects of lime and float and set under your banner as it were, as a plasterer”

He explained that work opportunities open up if you’re not a one-trick-pony, but also that different houses have different needs depending on their age, location and original materials, and plasterers coming up need to know how to look after them.

Chris said: “You don't want to put sand or cement anywhere near Dartmoor, it needs to be lime because it's very damp. Right? So, it's a very traditional aspects of plastering. Now when you come into cities you got Victorian brick-built properties. They're not worried about damp, they're worried about heat loss. So, you're going to be incorporating in your EWI’s. So the buildings are dictating what aspects of plastering we put on.

“You might be an EWI, but it doesn't suit every project. You might be a lime specialist, but it doesn't suit every project.”

But both men are worried about what will happen to older houses in the future if traditional techniques aren’t learned, and what it means for the future of housebuilding too.

Bradders said: “Not enough people are coming through to be plasterers. Younger people who are 16, 17, 18 years old are not wanting to be plasterers, and if they do learn, they’re actually skimmers!”

The two also talked about how traditional techniques like lime plastering aren’t being learned anymore, and the future problems older buildings face if newer, less fitting techniques are used on them.

Chris said: “in 30 years' time, what are you going to do? You're going to have to redesign new buildings to accommodate for the new plaster, but who's going to be looking after these old properties?

“I want to try and say to the kids out there now, take yourself to one side and just learn a bit of traditional, because you know, it will be forgotten, and all these buildings need plastering.”

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