Our Story

Our Story

One Up Plastering began in 2022 with a very unlikely start.

Our founder, Jacob, had battled years of addiction and homelessness before his life changed direction. After finding faith and a fresh start, he returned to the trade he had first learned as a teenager—plastering. With over 15 years of experience behind him, Jacob launched the business with nothing more than a bike and a trailer, determined to rebuild his life through honest, hard work.

At the time, Jacob didn’t have a driving licence, so he teamed up with a labourer who could help him get to jobs. Together, they took on project after project, growing slowly but steadily. What began with one man and a bicycle trailer has now become a team of three plasterers and two labourers with three vans on the road, serving clients across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife. In early 2025, Jacob finally regained his licence, marking another milestone in his journey.

Beyond the plastering itself, One Up Plastering is built on values of resilience, integrity, and redemption. Jacob has now been clean for over three years, and in 2023 he married a wonderful French woman who now supports the business as his personal assistant.

When he’s not pouring his heart into plastering, Jacob invests his time and energy into helping other men overcome addiction and trauma—the same way he was once helped.

From humble beginnings to a thriving team, our story is a reminder that no matter how tough things get, with hope, grit, and the right people alongside you, you can always build something strong.

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