old semi needs plastering!!! need advice

[lauren_haney]

hello just wondering if anyone can help me.
i have got an old house that ive gutted. i have done all the work myself upto now. but now all the walls and rendering need sorting out. they need some plastering, some patching and skimming. i was going to just patch myself and cross line it but decided i want it done properly if im staying there. so i got a quote £4500 front and back of house rendered and every room ready to paint. materials included. 7 rooms! just wondered if anyone has any advice. im abit stubborn and like to try doing things myself.
thanks
lauren

 

[legs-akimbo]

Get in the pros and bask in the beauty of your lovely painted smooth flat walls...... go the d.i.y. route and you will rue the day you ever considered tackling those bumpy hideous walls ...... i am all for d.i.y. where it is merrited but that 3mm of plaster skim is the finished article and it is an artisan that can produce a first rate finish, money well spent, ensure you get allyour electrics and plumbing sorted, particually ceiling spots and chases before you get in the spreads, nothing wose than having to disturb new plaster for items that should have been a long time sorted.

 

[oilman]

It depends how old your building is, if it's old enough, "perfect" finish on plaster can look out of place. Unlike legs-a-kimbo, I rue the day I got a plasterer in. I should have done it myself and retained the rustic character.

People will pay an arm and a leg for houses with no straights, horizontals or verticals.

 

[legs-akimbo]

And how superb the olde worldy charm of a rustic finish looks on a period property oilman as I have done many an old traditional Irish cottage in this manner, but of course it only befits the right property charachteristics, why dont you go for that look now oilman it can still be achieved relatively easily?

 

[lauren_haney]

its was built 1891 im a painter and decorator so painting lovely straight walls does sound good. £4500 doesnt. but i suppose it is an art!!

 

[oilman]

Your house is about the same age as ours. Our walls aren't precisely flat, and they look good as a result.

I hate perfection.

 

[lauren_haney]

oh dear
dont know what to do now
ive got original coving up. maybe perfectly straight flat walls will look daft!
the money could go towards the kitchen or bathroom. oh the stress !! its my first house im sure it will get better as i go along

 

[legs-akimbo]

Though I have never come across it in my part of the world I understand there is a product that replicates the spanish type of plaster... a kind of distressed look without going full tilt to the thick cottage type render coats, actually saw it on one of theese renovation type programmes a while back and was very impressed with the finish. Maybe something like this may suit as if it is self applied you should not have too much difficulty, and even if it aint cheap, if you buy one tub (think its ready mixed if memory serves) try it out and like the results you can buy an awful lot for less than four and a half grand.... try the sheds for starters as I think one of them stocked it.
Try to save the coving , what a crying shame to lose original features.
Good luck.

 

[sammoseley]

is the £4500 for taking it all off and re-floating or PVA+skim over the existing plaster? i wouldnt go for an overskim on an old house. cheers sam

 

[lauren_haney]

there is loads of bad plaster and all the chopping out ad to be done for electrics. so all the bad has got to come off, plastered and skimmed also the stairs cieling took down and done again.
and rendering took of front and back and done again. only got quotes because we want to get things moving weve had the house since feb! dont alot our selves!