Plasterers just started - advice please

[MrHfromBath]

I have removed most of the lathe and plaster ceilings in my new house and have commissioned plasterers to board and skim the ceilings. They are currently doing the prep work on the walls, but i realised tonight that they are planning to baton the ceilings and screw the plasterboard to them. I was expecting them to simply screw the plasterboard to the joists.

I haven't seen them yet as I was late from work, but my electrician said they told him they were dong it to get a clean finish where the wall meets the wall. It's true that there is a lot of muck there, but I was gradually clearing it out room by room.

The celings are very high, so the loss of height is no issue, but is there any downside to this, or any point? It's all fixed price, but I am just curious as to whether this is necessary, or if there's anything i should be concerned about. I will discuss with them tomorrow, but any pointers would be welcome.

Thanks.

 

[ColJack]

it actually might be of use if you plan to re-wire or re-plumb at some point.. the pipes and wires can go through the ceilings without heving to drill or notch the joists..

 

[joe-90]

If they can give you a better finish that way what's the problem? If anything they are doing you a favour.

 

[Micilin]

They are probably trying to get even spacings for the boards - ie putting the battens up at parallel spacings that suit so that they do not have to cut boards to match the original joists. When lathing, it does not matter if your joists run out of line, but it does for plasterboard. . They may also be using packers to get the battens straighter than your ceiling, and take out the worst hollow. especially aroud the ceiling line (perimeter) It sounds to me like they are doing a better job than most, if anything(if they do it properly, obviously..

 

[MrHfromBath]

Ok thanks, it seems like there is no downside and the one ceiling they have boarded so far looks very good, so I guess I have no concerns. As mentioned I was just curious as I wasn't sure they didn't need to do it and I had done a lot of work tidying up the ceilings to be prepared for them, which was to some extent unnecessary.

 

[roughcaster]

With all due respect to you Mr H,, but most plasterers would want to do their own prep,, (apart from stripping wallpaper etc),,, they see it as part of the job.

Roughcaster.

 

[Richard C]

With all due respect to you Mr H,, but most plasterers would want to do their own prep,, (apart from stripping wallpaper etc),,, they see it as part of the job.

Roughcaster.

Absolutely, never do any prep without consulting your chosen spread first; at best you could be wasting your time & at worst you could actually make things worse!

 

[Micilin]

Motion carried!