Bits of plaster coming down

[Tappers]

Hi
I recently had my whole kitchen diner plastered there are now little patches of cracked paint appearing on the ceiling. I rubbed a couple of them quite gently and the plaster comes off and I can see a kind of mesh underneath. Is this likely to get worse? Should I just fill the holes in and re-paint them?
Thanks in advance!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

The mesh is likely to be the joint tapes where the platerboards but up to each other.
Have you been in contact with the plasterer who did the job?
The areas can be patched up, but I would firstly contact the plasterer and see if they are wiling to resolve the problem.
Do you know if the ceilings were plastered or joint taped and filled out?

 

[Tappers]

Thanks for your reply. I had a wall taken down between the kitchen/dining room , so I think there was a bit of plasterboard put up in places but mainly the old artexed ceiling was just skimmed. I'm not sure why there is tape in the main area that it is coming down- there wouldn't have been joins there. Any ideas what could cause this? Could it have been my painting?!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It would be hard to predict where plasterboards are butted up together, as this will depend on a number of things, the size of the boards originally used and the cuts made in the boards.
The other thing it could also be is if the ceiling was ever repaired, a hole could have been taped or even repair mesh used.
Do you know what this mesh is made of, is it nylon/plastic or is it a cloth like fabric.
Did the ceiling have damage to it, prior to it being replastered?

 

[joe-90]

Is there a floor above? Sounds more like the ceiling joists moving to me.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Is there a floor above? Sounds more like the ceiling joists moving to me.

That could well be what is the cause of the damage, that is why I asked if the ceiling had any damage prior to being replastered or could be a loose board that needed to be screwed back up tight.

 

[Tappers]

It looks like nylon mesh. The only damage to the ceiling was where the wall had come down, but it's not coming down anywhere around there!

Yes Joe there is a floor upstairs... that thought makes me nervous... we originally had calcs done that saaid we needed a very large 300mm deep RSJ x 6m long going across the room and another half the size going the other way. These actually got put up and then building regs came round and said they didn't understand why they were so big... We called the guy out who'd done the calcs and the builder and him decided between them that we didn't actually need either RSJ, so now we don't have one at all.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

So after they had been removed, what did the building inspectors say?
Why would they calc for 300mm then decide there was no need for anything?
Something sounds odd!
Normally calculation will be made by a SE then they will be given to building controls, they are normally calculated well over what's needed but that's belt and braces stuff. Building Controls will then inspect to make sure the specification has been complied to, then sign it off, you can't then go removing it without their approval.

 

[Tappers]

The builder said becuse we didn't need any RSJ's we didn't need building regs. They weren't informed it had come down... Should I get this checked by someone?!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I would.
You've had a wall removed, that by the sounds of it was a concern and likely a supporting wall.
Calculations have been given to support the floor and maybe the walls too.
Building Controls have visited and inspected the work, so they must have been informed that work was being carried out.
Just because they thought the RSJ was over sized for the job, does not mean that no support was needed.
I could be wrong and I hope I am, but for safety and peace of mind, get it checked out!

 

[Tappers]

I will do! Thanks!

 

[stevethespreader]

the old artexed ceiling was just skimmed. I'm not sure why there is tape in the main area that it is coming down- there wouldn't have been joins there. Any ideas what could cause this? Could it have been my painting?!

if the skim is coming off thats over the artex then the artex may have debonded

 

[joe-90]

Oh dear! You can't go from a 6 metre RSJ to nothing and hope to get away with it. Alarm bells should be ringing.

 

[Tappers]

I have been on to the guy who did the calcs again this afternoon. He says he did get them wrong in the first place as he made no site visit and had not realised our chimney was coming out too. He would have expected the builder to flag the over engineering of the rsj before he ordered it and put it up in the first place and is coming to have a look to check out the plaster and re-check the joists etc too. Thanks for your replies. Lets hope it is just the artex debonding!

 

[joe-90]

Get a second opinion, the guy is a clown. Chimneys add no weight as they are keyed into the wall. Take a look at a building bombed in the blitz and you will see countless examples of chimneys hanging onto walls with no support.