Unless you have literally tons of money to spare, I'd try diy on the plaster first. Cracks are easily filled, and nail holes are a cinch. If there are patches of missing top coat, they are easy enough to fill with compound and level with the rest of the surrounding plaster. Unless you are having to fill holes down to the lath (which you can do, it just takes several layers), these are relatively simple tasks which you can master fairly quickly.

Skill from pros only is necessary if you are trying for dead flat walls or wanting to run plaster moldings. Anything else is just going to take practice to get right--and it will save you more money than you can imagine.

Glad to see you saving the plaster--it is by far the best way to cut down on noise and energy loss. By the way, a lot of plaster walls have a slight waviness in them, which adds to the character of the home.

Thanks! I figure we'll give it a go. We're pretty handy and once we get the leaks stopped and the floor decent, we've got time. We're pretty determined to return the house to its original condition.

" We're pretty determined to return the house to its original condition."

Good for you!

Use Durabond for repairs.

It is a setting type compound (powder you mix yourself).

If you are just learning, use Easysand for the final layer.

Durabond is as hard as plaster and does not sand well.

Durabond is as hard as plaster and ("does not sand well").

now there in an undestatement for sure