Ground movement over some years has caused some major cracks in the internal walls of our Victorian home. Joe, unlike other plasterers who had come to look at our problem, was not at all fazed by it. He explained that he would use an angle grinder to insert 1 metre steel rods to brace the walls and spread the load, followed by a fine mesh under the rendering and plastering. His thirty years’ experience in solid plastering first obtained in his native Ireland, as well as his meticulous work ethic, meant that he was a sight to behold, transforming our sorry mess back to its original splendour. His repairs are not merely superficial and we are confident that the house will retain its new lease of life for decades to come. Joe is a true artisan and takes such pride in his work that he did not hesitate to put in the extra mile if that is what is required to obtain a perfect result. He is extremely professional, courteous, skilled, reliable and trustworthy. He has a warm and friendly manner and it was a pleasure to have him around the house. I have no hesitation to recommend Joe for all plastering work, no matter how big or small. D and C Bradley Hawthorn East

I am pleased to write this recommendation for Joe O'Gorman. We gave Joe a variety of challenges to repair considerable damage to our 19th Century terrace. Joe accepted all with professionalism, confidence and, even, enthusiasm. He has done all he said he would, and was at all times thoughtful, punctual and courteous. Great job! Janette Muddle

We engaged Joe to do solid plastering work at our Victorian house. It looks amazing, like new. He is passionate about what he does and did a great job at minimising the mess and dust. We would highly recommend him, he kept to the agreed timeline and was a pleasure to have around. Malcolm B

Joe did such a wonderful job at our house. He made the cracked walls and ceilings of our old Victorian home look like new again! We can't believe how smooth they are now. We're thrilled with his work. He was very reliable and takes pride in his work. He was an absolute pleasure to work with. I would highly recommend him.

We had Joe render our lounge room fireplace to a light colour from a old-fashioned dark brick. Joe was meticulous in his work and the end result was a beautiful modern fireplace. We are thrilled with the results and recommend Joe's exceptional talent for any fiddly internal plaster work you may have. M & D Whiting.

During our reno, the unexpected happen and we needed a solid plaster. From the moment I called Joe, he guided us through our options and was very personable and clearly knowledgeable. After receiving his reasonably priced quote, he was a pleasure to deal with and went above and beyond to deliver. We couldn’t be more happy with how his work turned out. I would definitely recommend Joe.

The front render-over-brick wall of my mid-Victorian 2-story house was cracking-up..obvious cracks in many places!! When Joe first came to inspect, he imparted confidence in me that the cracked render repair was not a problem- he sounded so cool - using the terms like "brick-stitching"... so l discerned that Joe possessed expertise gained from years of experience in traditional plastering of period homes in his native Ireland. Whereas in Melbourne, the art of traditional solid plastering has been but lost! Joe also arranged scaffolding, and he actually liaised with two other trades.. in this case, painting and roof plumbing. On this front external wall, results of a previous repair-job left a 'bulge' appearance which has annoyed me every time I've looked at it for the last 35 years. Now Joe has expertly squared it off - so defined and clean struck-rendered the patch to match the depth of the existing lines as well as repairing the other cracks - and nor only superficially!! - as l know from watching his tedious-work-in-progress! Joe communicates on all levels.. a rare attribute in my experience of trades. Even down to unavoidable situations like traffic jams and delays beyond anyone's control, yes... you will be notified by mobile phone from Joe! I have no hesitation in recommending Joe's work. You are welcome to have a drive-by to see a closer yourself. L. Stratford Richmond

I was referred to Joe at Able Solid Plastering because of work he had done for a friend and I am more than happy to pass on this favour. To give an idea of my opinion on the service, work and skill level I have given a number of key requirements a score out of 5 for our Victorian cornice repair job and other services completed. Communication, Reliability, Trustworthiness, Value for money (5)   Joe always called to confirm appointments and/or to update if there were any change, reliably always came as he arranged was completely trustworthy and offered real value for money. Skill (5) Joe demonstrated a high level of skills in all his areas of expertise. He matched a cornice that was over 30 years old and installed it beautifully in what can only be described as the extremely challenging geometric puzzle of an old Victorian house. (see  photos for final results) He rendered an internal brick wall and repaired a newly bricked window. Add to that he also installed a number of new gyprock walls in newly renovated rooms. I can thoroughly recommend Joe’s work for all forms of plastering...As he got to employ them all in my recent renovations....  He is an extremely pleasant person to deal with who offers real value for money and has a very high skill level. Thanks Joe for you beautiful work and helping make the renovation more enjoyable. G. Adams  

I recently engaged Joe O'Gorman to render my 60’s brick veneer home and am amazed at the transformation he achieved. He came to me highly recommended by professional contacts and I wasn’t disappointed. The end result is a modern exterior with clean, sharp lines which has added enormous value to my home. The quality of his workmanship and attention to detail is outstanding. Joe kept me fully informed of any changes to the work schedule and in spite of the problems caused by wind and rain he finished the job on time and on budget. I found Joe to be extremely courteous and helpful with a warm and affable disposition, which made him a pleasure to have around the house. E.King North Blackburn