Base coat/s on internal brick

[Raybuild]

I've stripped 2 rooms back to the bare brick in an Edwardian house and am having it replastered. A plasterer says he will apply one coat of sand and cement then a plastering coat of finishing plaster. Am I right in thinking that the sand and cement should be a 2 coat process on old bricks? the second coat applied the second day. Then finishing plaster the third day.
He is cheaper than the other quotes is he trying to save time? I want 100% straight, flat, smooth walls.
Please advise

 

[roughcaster]

Hi Ray,
On old brickwork it is a good idea to coat with a cement render and finish off with plaster.Maybe the plasterer said he would give the walls "a" coat of cement render,meaning a scratch and top coat,and you interpreted that as being just one coat.You would have to clarify that with him.You can also just scratch coat brickwork,and then plaster the walls out with undercoat plaster,browning,and then with a finishing plaster.Could he have meant that? You say he is cheaper than the other quotes,and is he trying to save time? Who knows,but cheapest is not always the best.

Roughcaster.

 

[Raybuild]

Thanks for your reply.
No, he said he would "go round once with sand and cement then finish off with finishing plaster." I thought it was always 2 coats of sand and cement so you could "work" the second coat to get it perfectly "spirit level straight. Also the electrical knock out boxes although partially submerged in the brickwork still stand quite proud of the brickwork. To try and build up this thickness in one coat of render seems to me quite dodgy. - I appreciate you make 2 - 3mm allowance for the plaster. The boxes iwere put in to the level of the existing old plaster.
Your comments really would be useful.

 

[roughcaster]

Hi Ray,
Thank you for the updated info.You are quite correct.To build up a good coat of cement render to apply finishing plaster to,you do need two coats.If the build up is too much in any one coat,it will just slump.The first coat (scratch) would be put on to cover the brickwork,probably about half the thickness or so of the of the required coat,and then the day after, the top coat would be put on.This coat is the one that would bring you out to the thickness you want,eg.more or less flush with your electrical boxes allowing for the finish.The overall thickness of the render is determined by these boxes or door frames etc.The plasterer would put levels up the wall at intervals, along the length of the wall and create a cement screed with which he will work from with his straight-edge.Along the bottom of the wall,a timber batten is also permenently fixed to to the wall,(very straight, using a straight edge),and this also would be used in conjunction with the cement screed to give you a true wall.This batten is also used to fix the skirting board to.I have tried to give you some idea of the process involved,but it's harder to explain, than to do.Not all walls have timber "grounds" fitted along the length so don't worry if you have none.The plasterer would take care of that with a screed as well. See how you get on.

Roughcaster

 

[roughcaster]

Ray,
One more thing that I forgot to mention.There is far more work involved in coating and finishing any wall this way, than using undercoat plasters and finish,so I think you are getting a good enough deal,providing he uses two coats.

Roughcaster.

 

[Raybuild]

Hi Roughcaster, What a gem of a reply - you've echoed everything that I thought and explained it so clearly. Thanks. I feel that I owe you the 'full story'. The house involved in fact belongs to my son who recently bought it in Whitney near Oxford - it needs everything doing to it. The two of us spent a lot of time getting downstairs ready for replastering . One room was taken back to the brickwork - else where any doubtful plaster was hacked of back to the brickwork. I took out the fire-places increasing the openings and putting in concrete lintels - all 100% level and straight. I took out the back wall from the back room into the kitchen and put in a steel girder - again all 100% straight and level. Everything was made good and ready for a plasterer to take over and do his thing. We didn't know anybody. The day before I went home ( I live 130 miles away in Somerset) I met somebody in the street who said he was a plasterer - great - he came back to the house and agreed to do 'the job'. I asked would he use a sand and cement base coat -he said no he always uses Hard-wall. So I left him to it -a little anxious. Before I left I took him to one side and explained that my son was not 'street wise' would he look after him. He said 'Don't worry I wont rip him off'. Well to cut a long story short he did the biggest 'cowboy' job you have ever seen. Nothing was straight-bulges and dips everywhere. Where he did use corner bead it was undulating. The surface I would describe as a poor attempt at artexing. The whole thing a real pig. He's taken my son's money and gone. When I came back and saw what he had done I genuinely nearly cried. All that work we had done and now we had gone ten paces backwards. There is so much other work to be done - bathroom, toilet, kitchen, ceilings, windows, heating - it goes on and on . My son and young wife have a ten month old baby and a new one on the way. They are in a right mess - and the winters coming on. So we are taking it all off and starting again. My son has found another plasterer but from what he tells me what he is going to do I'm a nervous wreck - hence my posting on this forum. I'm sorry I've gone on a bit but you seem like somebody who I can relate to. If my son finds out what I’ve just said he will hit the roof! So that's the story so far-thanks again for your reply - I only wish that you lived near Whitney - you sound as if you could have solved all his problems - cheers.

 

[brist]

You have learnt the hard way, Hire a plasterer with a good reputation ,make spot checks to see the work he is doing and finally if not satisfied DO NOT PAY HIM.

 

[roughcaster]

Hi again Raybuild,
Well,what can I say to that? Unfortunately this happens such a lot nowadays.I know how you and your family must feel over this setback.It is very hard to know if someone is competent to do a job to your satisfaction.I think asking a tradesman how he is going to do a job is a good thing,but you should also tell him what you want to be done.Looking back,I'm sure now you will never again take somebody of the street who says he can do this or that,without finding out a bit about that person's past customer references.Everyone of us is only as good as our last job.The person who did yours was undoubtly a cowboy.I was born in Hampshire,but now live with my family in the little fishing town,or ex-fishing town of Lossiemouth Scotland,and work on my own,I have done for the past 23 years covering about a twenty mile radius.There is no room to do a bad job.Your reputation would just crash. Getting back to you,if you are unsure of this new plasterer that is about to start,then cancel the job,take stock,and maybe go with a local named firm with a reputation.It might cost a bit more,but you would have a guarantee with the work. There are many good plasterers out there Ray,don't let this fool put you off.Good luck to you and yours,keep us in touch

Roughcaster.

 

[Raybuild]

I should have asked this before but is there anyone out there in the Witney near Oxford area who can help?

Also what should you expect to pay per square metre for sand/cement base coat/s and also for skim finishing coat on existing plastered surface?
Thanks
Raybuild

 

[Cummins]

I should have asked this before but is there anyone out there in the Witney near Oxford area who can help?

Also what should you expect to pay per square metre for sand/cement base coat/s and also for skim finishing coat on existing plastered surface?
Thanks
Raybuild

You won't ever get a price per meter on a job like that! Its only contract work that is ever priced per sq meter. Plasterers will only give a total price for the work that you want doing.

 

[jj plastering]

Raybuild , give me a call , I live a little way away in Farnborough , Hampshire , but do know some good spreads in the Oxford aera , trouble is I do not how quick you may get these guys in , if you want more info give me a call on ***** *******