Is it acceptable finish by Pro?

[epic1400cs]

Hello, I am new here and I am delighted that I have found this forum where I can receive experienced peoples advice.

Ok, now I am redecorating my new flat (victorian) and I asked pro to repair some crack and paint the corridor.
I have done wall paint and minor filling by myself many times but I don't have much idea about crack on plaster/brick wall and due to time limit, I have decided to ask for pro.
As there were cheap but fairly new plain wall paper in nasty orange in colour already pasted by previous owner, the decorator recommended me to paint over it rather than damaging the plaster underneath by removing them.
They also said if there is loose paper then they will cut it and feather it by sand it and paint over it to cover the seam.

After 2 days of job in total, they had filled the crack with polyfiller and they had painted two coats of Leyland white emulsion and one more coat to go.
I had a closer look today and I noticed that there are quite few uneveness on the wall.
One group of uneveness is bubbled up wall paper and the other is holizontal strip of uneven plaster/filler in my chest height.
I asked the decorator if he would fix them and he said no worry it will even out when the paint is dry.
When I looked at them after second coat, the paint was 3 to 4 hours after coat and more than half dry and I have pushed one bubble but it is rather hard like plastic bottle - I can't see it will flat out later.
I also asked him about uneven filler at a height, he said it is where the bottom plaster work and top plaster work meet and it is better not to sand it down and leave it.

Should I accept his word or can I fix these myself?
I think it is matter of scraping the bubbled paper and for the uneven filler, I can simply give further polyfiller to fill the gap and sand down the bump.
Or are there anything I have to pay attention for it before I do this?
Any advice will be welcome.

 

[Zampa]

The wall should not have bene painted....not over old paper.....its such a risk and not worth chancing

He may have been right about the filling over plasterword...sometimes it can end up looking worse

Dificult to comment without seeing though

 

[epic1400cs]

Today I have spoken to the decorator on site and they agreed to make it smoother as possible. For the paint over the paper, they told me that if I want them to redo the plaster work, they will do it but the cost will be over a couple of thousand (the size of the wall is 3m heigh and 18m long). Thier idea is that if the paper is very securely pasted it sould be all right to paint over it as they some times use lining paper before paint. Thanks for your input and next time around, I will study a bit more before asking pro.

 

[paintycait]

Thier idea is that if the paper is very securely pasted it sould be all right to paint over it as they some times use lining paper before paint. Thanks for your input and next time around, I will study a bit more before asking pro.

There is a question here ....what is a pro? Is this guy time served? Have you employed a reputable firm that have trade association back-up? Have you checked to see if they have public liability? Have you a quote or estimate in writing? Have you an outline of works from them that describes exactly the work they will be carrying out? What did you ask for ...did you ask for the cheapest option possible? Have you signed anything? have you paid anything up front? The answers determine what you should do now.

The most important question is - did you ask him to be cheap? If you did, then you got what you asked for.

We occassionally decide to paint over wallpaper...but only when we can see or if we know for a fact that it has been well hung. We always give the client the option, and lay out the possible problems in writing before we carry out the work. We always get a signature from the client that basically says:

"yes, I'll take the risk in the hope of a cheaper job, but if it goes wrong after the first coat, I'll understand that I'll probably have to pay more than the estimate"

Do you get the idea - the client knows that it is a risk...not a sure fire thing. Where you made aware of the risk, were you made aware that it may cost you more to fix if it didn't go OK?

Painting over wallpaper is not the same as painting over lining paper...the two have totally different surfaces as a rule. Most wallpapers have non-absorbant surfaces unlike the soft absorbant surface of lining paper. If you paint over most wallpapers the moisture from the paint makes any weak area in the paper show unless you seal off the surface with a suitable primer.

If you are unsure that your tradesman can complete the job to a satisfactory finish then I would terminate his contract now, say that he has not been able to satisfy the standard expected from your original discussion and negotiate a final payment. Get a signature on the receipt to say that this is in full and final settlement.

Having said all that...it is a biiiiig wall. Assuming that's the long side of the room that's a biiiiiig room. If it's the short side of the room it's a huuuuuuuuuge room.

If the previous owner wallpapered, I doubt there is any need to replaster - unless you believe he wallpapered to hide a problem, but even stripping and lining would cost you a pretty penny.

Basically it all comes down to your original discussion with the decorator and the paper trail that is in place.

Cait

 

[Zampa]

"yes, I'll take the risk in the hope of a cheaper job, but if it goes wrong after the first coat, I'll understand that I'll probably have to pay more than the estimate"

Thats very good advice...

My concern would be how did the decorator come to the conclusion that the paper was well stuck?.....its so difficult to tell...is his name David Blaine by any chance???

 

[epic1400cs]

Wow, thnak you very much for you guys great reply.

As this is our first time buying flat, I didn't have clue how to go about tidying up the flat. My wife's boss had her office/house redecorated/modified/repaired by a decorator who did very good job thats why we decided to ask him. There wasn't written estimate (bad) and I admit that we hoped that the job should be done as reasonable as possible but it doesn't mean we wanted have bad job - I know its contradictory but our budget is limited. As you suggested, next time I will ask written estimate and get more than two estimate from different decorator/firm.

About the paint over paper, thanks again, now I understand much clearler. They have asked me that they will remove the paper if the section is not well hung but not all of them. My concern was they didn't remove some of the part where the paper is not pasted well against the wall. But after speaking to them, they have done most of those part which I wasn't happy with.

You explanation about the lining paper is very clear, too and I will go out and find out more about the sealer you mentioned today.

I have removed some texturerd wall papers from other room and some plain wall paper from staircase yesterday with steamer. The plaster underneath seems to be ok and smooth except there are small part of loose thin layer of plaster and crack. Most of all, what I have found was that the colour of the wall under the paper was incredibliy bad taste (to me) and uneven that why previous owner put up the paper in the last minutes of the sales I assume.

After filling the patch and crack with polyfiller, is it ok to give a coat of under coat or sealer to the section and paint over the emulsion? For the staircase, the paper seems to be very well hung. If I want leave the paper on some part, should I use under coat or sealer on the plaster surface where I remove the paper or should I cover both on the paper and plaster surface with under coat? I am sorry if my question sounds silly and in fact I am nobice but I will appreciate any suggestion. Thank you very much for your time and advice.

Mr Zampa, yes, thats good question. May be I have to believe the decorators decision? - scarly though. How do you check it? By the way his name is not David Blaine..