Plaster service
Cornice Installation & Repair Melbourne
New cornice installation and repair of cracked, damaged or dated cornices — matched to existing profiles or updated as part of a full room renovation.
Cornice is where every eye lands
The cornice line is the longest continuous horizontal detail in a room, and it sits exactly where the wall and ceiling colours meet. Any gap, crack, drop or mismatch runs the length of the room and is impossible to unsee once you have noticed it.
It is also the first thing to fail. Seasonal movement between wall and ceiling concentrates at that junction, so hairline cracking along the top or bottom edge of the cornice is the most common plaster defect we repair in Melbourne homes.
Repair, replacement and new installation
Small cracks along the cornice edge are raked out and re-set flexibly so they do not immediately reopen. Where a section has dropped, been water damaged, or been butchered by a previous repair, we cut it out and replace the run rather than patching over it.
For new installations — renovations, extensions, or rooms that never had cornice — we install a profile that suits the age and proportions of the room, mitre the corners properly, and set and sand the joins so the run reads as one continuous line.
- Cracked cornice edges raked out and flexibly re-set
- Dropped, sagging or water-damaged sections replaced
- New cornice installed in renovations, extensions and new rooms
- Profile matching to existing cornice in period and modern homes
- Mitred internal and external corners, set and sanded flush
- Square-set and shadow-line detailing where a cornice-free look is wanted
- Sealed and primed ready for painting
Matching profiles in older homes
Period Melbourne homes in Northcote, Hawthorn, Kew and Brighton frequently carry decorative cornice profiles that are no longer stocked. Where a run has to be extended or a damaged length replaced, we source the closest available match, and for ornate heritage profiles we can arrange a cast reproduction.
In a modern home the more common request is the opposite — replacing a dated 90mm cove with a flatter contemporary profile, or moving to a square-set finish. Both change the character of a room more than most people expect for the cost.
Our process, start to finish
- 01
On-site inspection
We walk the job with you, measure up, check surface condition and note anything that needs repair before a brush is lifted.
- 02
Written scope and quote
You receive an itemised quote listing surfaces, coats, products and inclusions — so you know exactly what you are paying for.
- 03
Protection and preparation
Floors, fixtures and landscaping are covered. Preparation is the stage that decides how long the finish lasts, so it is never rushed.
- 04
Application
Primers and topcoats applied to manufacturer specification, in the right conditions, with the correct number of coats.
- 05
Quality inspection
We inspect cut-ins, edges and coverage in natural light and correct anything that falls short before we call it finished.
- 06
Final walkthrough
We walk the completed job with you, hand over touch-up paint and colour records, and only invoice once you are happy.
Cornice Installation & Repair — indicative pricing
These are indicative price ranges only. Every project is individually quoted after an on-site inspection — scope, condition and access change the number significantly.
| Project | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Minor cornice crack repair | $300 – $700+ |
| Cornice section replacement | $400 – $1,200+ |
| Single room, new cornice installed | $600 – $1,800+ |
| Whole home cornice replacement | $3,000 – $9,000+ |
| Heritage or ornate profile work | POA |
Frequently asked questions
Can you match existing cornice profiles?
In most cases, yes. Standard cove and modern profiles are readily matched. For older decorative or heritage profiles that are no longer manufactured, we source the closest available match or arrange a cast reproduction so the run stays consistent.
Do you install cornice as part of a full repaint, or as a standalone job?
Both. Cornice work is commonly folded into an interior repaint so everything is finished in one visit, but we also take standalone cornice repair and installation jobs and leave the surface sealed and primed ready for paint.
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