Is it ever worth returning to the brick?

[smp50]

I have a bedroom that's causing me a lot of trouble. The walls are completely trashed in places and I really don't know what the previous owner(s) had been doing to them - lots of different fillings and re-plastered patches, etc.

I considered having it re-skimmed but large chunks of plaster continue to fall off whenever I'm sanding or filling and in some places I'm back to the brick (or timber!) and it all just seems like such a mess. I'm wondering if I should just knock the out of it all and get everything back to the bricks so that some decent new material can be put up. What's on at the moment seems to be held together only by the multiple layers of paint on its surface, and it just crumbles to dust when actually contacted directly.

I'm seeking quotes for plasters already and will get their opinion when they visit. This simple decorating job has dragged on for several months now because I keep uncovering (or causing) new damage and I'm unsure how to proceed.

I've got chisels and would delight in pulling all this infuriating plaster off, but I don't want to just dig myself deeper into the hole. Can anyone suggest roughly how much it would cost to have to replastered from scratch? Is it far more expensive than skimming (quoted at around £1000 for this room)?

Here are some pictures. In addition, there are crumbling gaps around door frames and under window sills, etc.

What do you reckon? I just want to get it done, it's taking up way too much time and I have the rest of the property to renovate as well

 

[Pigeon85]

If you are willing to put in a bit of work yourself then it could be well worth going back to brick.

You could remove old plaster then batten out and plaster board yourself or dot and dab it, will give you the option to add insulation to the outside walls. Then your just left with skimming needing to be done.

 

[smp50]

If you are willing to put in a bit of work yourself then it could be well worth going back to brick.

You could remove old plaster then batten out and plaster board yourself or dot and dab it, will give you the option to add insulation to the outside walls. Then your just left with skimming needing to be done.

I'm happy to undertake plenty of work so long as its productive and gets me somewhere. Currently I feel like I'm not actually achieving much and I keep finding new hollow-sounding areas or crumbling corners all over the place.

Do this look like old plaster to you? Pulling it all off would be an expensive and time-consuming matter, so I need to know if it's really sensible.
There seem to be metal "beads" running up open corners (i.e. 270 degree ones, rather than close 90 degree corners) as well, would I have to replace those?

 

[Lower]

That looks like old plaster to me.

If there are lots of hollow sounding areas it will be worth going back to the bare brick.

If the plaster is blown, it will be dead easy to get it off the walls.

 

[TheVictorian]

I have took off pretty much all the plaster from every room that I have worked through in our house so far, it's been well worth it as the finish is now top notch plus I have insulated the external walls as I've gone.

You do end up with a lot of plaster though! I'm on first name terms with the guys down the tip now!

 

[Pigeon85]

a quick fix may be possible but that's all it's going to be, batten out and plasterboard it. The end finish will be well worth it.

If you want to cut costs a bit more then the old plaster can be crushed up and spread on the garden, saves a trip to the tip.

 

[Makeitstop]

I can't believe you've been quoted £1k just to replaster "this" room.

That sounds well over the odds to me, even if the guy was doing every bit of prep work including removing the old stuff and skipping it away.

I'd get several other quotes, and preferably from someone who has been recommended.

 

[smp50]

I can't believe you've been quoted £1k just to replaster "this" room.

That sounds well over the odds to me, even if the guy was doing every bit of prep work including removing the old stuff and skipping it away.

I'd get several other quotes, and preferably from someone who has been recommended.

This guy came through a friend who personally had a very reasonable price from him to do a similar (as far as I can tell - might not be) job. Perhaps he just doesn't want the job? I'll get back to him and ask what he thinks about me taking it back to brick - that must be a simpler job, really - no filling in loads of cracks and weak patches.

Some walls are pretty OK and some are quite bad.

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Can you suggest ROUGHLY what cost I'm looking at to plaster onto brick in a ~4.5m x 3m room? Fairly large windows, although the window area actually has a very different plaster on it - despite holding the original windows still. There are eight "corners" in the room, due to its shape.

Just so I know whether it's worth pursuing some quotes at all!

Battens and plasterboard sounds interesting as well, since I could presumably manage that myself and then have it skimmed. I presume it's far cheaper to plaster onto the brick, though - plaster is surely cheaper than the wood and board?

Also, important question - what if the mortar is bad between the bricks, do I even want to know? : /

 

[Makeitstop]

Well, I'm refurbing a complete house at the mo (3 bed semi), and have a guy (who's already done the exterior) to render and skim the whole of the house internally for £2.5K.

Of course, that's with me boarding all ceilings ready for him. All walls are back to bare brick and ready to go after total re-wire and adjustment to walls / fireplaces.

There are 3 bedrooms, one bathroom, separate living room, dining room and kitchen. downstairs toilet (small) and all hallway, stairwell and landing area.

For comparison, one of those bedrooms is approx 4m X 3m.

Oh, just to add, all materials supplied by me.

 

[smp50]

Well, I'm refurbing a complete house at the mo (3 bed semi), and have a guy (who's already done the exterior) to render and skim the whole of the house internally for £2.5K.

Of course, that's with me boarding all ceilings ready for him. All walls are back to bare brick and ready to go after total re-wire and adjustment to walls / fireplaces.

There are 3 bedrooms, one bathroom, separate living room, dining room and kitchen. downstairs toilet (small) and all hallway, stairwell and landing area.

For comparison, one of those bedrooms is approx 4m X 3m.

Oh, just to add, all materials supplied by me.

Very nice price.

My ceilings are ok, by the way - I just want the walls doing, I reckon.

How are your bricks, is the mortar a bit crumbly? It's *terrible* in a fireplace I opened up, but I'm not sure if that extends all over or if it's different stuff in there.

 

[stevethespreader]

Well, I'm refurbing a complete house at the mo (3 bed semi), and have a guy (who's already done the exterior) to render and skim the whole of the house internally for £2.5K.

is this the same house that you are questioning how to board up the window reveals? how come your plasterer dont know how to do it? and your having to ask questions on here?

 

[Makeitstop]

Yes same house.

My plasterer has suggested dry lining the rooms where these windows were, but, the problem with that is that ALL the windows are like it.

That means.....

Two front bedroom - two windows in each
One back bedroom - one window
Bathroom - one window
Landing area - One window
Living room - two windows
Dining room - two windows
Kitchen - three window

Dry lining is a nice idea, but it's not giving me the finish I'd like, or the finish I've worked for, after stripping ALL old stuff from every wall.

The reason these reveals are this bad is because whoever had fitted the old ****e PVC windows that were previously in there, had decided in their infinite wisdom to make up this HUGE difference I've mentioned in the internal reveals with Carlite. This was soaked in places, as the exterior of the building was rough and needed re-doing, as there were blown patches and considerable crazing to the old exterior finish.

My question in the other thread was to get other views and opinions on some ways to go about sorting the reveals. My plasterer is very good, but, has said that there was risk of cracking at the points I mentioned in the other thread. I suggested using EML over the joint area between plasterboard and exisiting brickwork, to offer some reinforcement for S&C render, before plaster finish.

The reason I made the timber frames to surround the reveals was to offer some solid substrate to the reveal, BEFORE cladding it over with plasterboard. Making the massive (nearly 3" in places) difference up using layers of 12mm plasterboard is a lot of plasterboard, and in some ways, a fair amount of weight to be bonded to the reveal with just adhesive (although granted, I could also screw it). The point at which it joins the existing brickwork is my concern, as I have two different base surfaces being rendered over.

I have some general building knowledge Steve, but I'm not a plasterer. This is why I am asking here, to hopefully get several replies with varying suggestions, or to find out whether my initial idea will be solid enough.

I'm always willing to learn something new, even when I have some ideas of ways to resolve problems.

 

[stevethespreader]

I have some general building knowledge Steve, but I'm not a plasterer. This is why I am asking here, to hopefully get several replies with varying suggestions, or to find out whether my initial idea will be solid enough.

I'm always willing to learn something new, even when I have some ideas of ways to resolve problems.

you have missed the point here your plasterer should know how to get round this any way im now going to your other post and give you another reply

 

[smp50]

I've been quoted about £400 to skim the existing walls, crumbling cracks and all, or about £700 to board OR plaster and then skim. I'm tempted to go for the full job, I just don't want to be worrying about the old plaster underneath, there are so many suspect patches.

It's pretty cheap, materials would be costing me a few £100 as it is, right?


Is there a significant difference between battening or using adhesive, for plaster board?

And is it correct that using a wet backing plaster (which I think I would favour) takes several MONTHS to fully dry before painting??

I'm a little bit concerned about the durability and resilience of plasterboard, though - does it sound hollow when tapped? Does it crack and puncture easier because of the air gap behind it?