Preparing Walls for Painting

markwilliam · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 4:06 pm Post Subject: Preparing Walls for Painting

I hired a professional decorator to strip, prepare and paint a number of rooms in my house. The quote states "strip old paper from walls and prepare surfaces to receive emulsion paint." The rooms have been stripped and now I'm told that the "preparation" will require lining paper that is not included in the quote. As the wall were previously papered and this is a professional decorator, I'm now surprised that "preparation" doesnt include lining paper. Am I being taken for a ride here? [/quote]

Third_Eye · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 8:08 pm Post Subject:

Errrmmmmmmm...........

With the wording of the, "strip old paper from walls and prepare surfaces to receive emulsion paint."

I would say you have a good argument. As it states, " PREPARE surfaces to recieve emulsion paint".

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FredFlintstone · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 8:59 pm Post Subject:

But is the quote for labour only or is the P&D supplying the emulsion? Does it say anywhere on the quote labour only?

Perhaps they should have made it clearer at the start but "prepare" walls may just mean the labour for hanging the lining paper?

How much will the lining paper cost, how much was the quote and how long will the job take from start to finish?

Personally I'm not convinced that you're being taken for a ride but I do think it should have been made clear from the start exactly what materials and in what quantities you were expected to provide.

In any event, the walls will require lining. Aside from the "smooth" factor, if they're not lined the residues of the old paste will eventually eat through the new emulsion and cause it to craze or crack. I don't know why it does it but I just know from experience that it does.

Regards

Fred

markwilliam · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:02 am Post Subject: Preparing walls

The quote stated all labour and materials included. What constitutes "prepare" is the central issue. At the end of the day, I am relying on the professional decorator to create a high quality and durable result based on the quoted price. If this is achieve by lining the walls or careful filling of cracks and holes, do I really care. Based on Fred's comments, maybe I do.....

Growler · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 5:31 am Post Subject:

Tricky one this.
A similar thing happened to me 27 years ago, I quoted to strip and then re-paper (shortened version) when I stripped it I advised him that it needed lining, he said he thought the quote included lining, it never got fully resolved so now...I always give a separate quote for lining and let them decide.

back to your prob.. If I had been asked to do this, I would never have thought of just painting the walls without lining , as lining is pretty obvious in this situ. However, he/she never used the words lining paper.

Bit of a legal one this so....get a quote off the decorator for lining and try and fraction it out with your original quote and it should give you a rough idea of whether the decorator did or didn't originally quote for this.
This might not help you but you could always come back here with some figures and see if we can work it out.

markwilliam · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:42 am Post Subject: Preparing Walls

Growler...thanks for the comments -- original quote for the room is £2,600 -- proposed variation for lining is £190 for ceiling and £380 for walls -- total variation £570 => 22% uplift --- so what is "fractioning out?"

FredFlintstone · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:22 am Post Subject: Re: Preparing Walls

markwilliam wrote:

Growler...thanks for the comments -- original quote for the room is £2,600 -- proposed variation for lining is £190 for ceiling and £380 for walls -- total variation £570 => 22% uplift --- so what is "fractioning out?"

For one room?

Jeez! And £570 for lining! Again, one room?

If that really i just for one room personally I'd tell him to stuff it. Find out how much he charges for a day and just pay him for the days he's done and tell him to get lost!

Third_Eye · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:31 pm Post Subject:

As i said, hehe.................

Third_Eye wrote:

Errrmmmmmmm...........

With the wording of the, "strip old paper from walls and prepare surfaces to receive emulsion paint."

I would say you have a good argument. As it states, " PREPARE surfaces to recieve emulsion paint".

__________________
Why is'nt WTC Building 7 mentioned in the 911 Commission Report !

joe-90 · Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:49 pm Post Subject:

The guys a rip off merchant - show him the door. Pay him a hundred quid for each day he's spent so far.

Growler · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 2:20 pm Post Subject:

Third_Eye wrote:

As i said, hehe.................

Third_Eye wrote:

Errrmmmmmmm...........

With the wording of the, "strip old paper from walls and prepare surfaces to receive emulsion paint."

I would say you have a good argument. As it states, " PREPARE surfaces to recieve emulsion paint".

A good argument is all it is though, because it could be said...if the decorator priced for the lining he/she would have said.... "strip old paper from walls and prepare surfaces for lining paper, to receive emulsion paint, but as lining paper has never been mentioned by the decorator or customer, then it could be assumed that it was never priced for in the original quote.

Third_Eye · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:57 pm Post Subject:

I know what you are saying "Growler".............

However, the same argument could be taken into that the sentence in question does'nt mention 'filler' etc......

The way i see it is the answer will be in the Materials required for the Job within the written estimate.

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Growler · Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 5:51 pm Post Subject:

"Strip old paper from walls and prepare surfaces to receive emulsion paint."

What if the plaster dropped off during stripping.

duckegg · Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 6:12 pm Post Subject: Re: Preparing Walls

markwilliam wrote:

Growler...thanks for the comments -- original quote for the room is £2,600 -- proposed variation for lining is £190 for ceiling and £380 for walls -- total variation £570 => 22% uplift --- so what is "fractioning out?"

For that kind of money you could get the walls & ceiling skimmed and have better finish!

Third_Eye · Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 6:56 pm Post Subject:

Growler wrote:

"Strip old paper from walls and prepare surfaces to receive emulsion paint."

What if the plaster dropped off during stripping.

Ermmmm........

An Painter & Decorator aint an Plasterer.

Therefore, the situation you mentioned sorts itself out.

Client has to get Plasterer in.

However, i personally can Plaster aswell but this in no way means that i would include Plastering.

Therefore, this gives me personally an option to write on estimates "Once Wallpaper has been stripped and it is in my opinion the surface(s) in question needs to be plastered or lined, then added costs for materials & labour will be added to the estimate"

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Growler · Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2007 5:11 am Post Subject:

Yeah right

You're estimates must be as thick as a barristers hips pack.

I've plastered in the past for free , just to keep the peace. In fact I don't think i've ever done a job where I haven't done more than I originally estimated for.

This is obviously a badly worded estimate that's caused the confusion with no mention of lining paper from either party.

Has the original poster "markwilliam" managed to get any satisfaction?