plaster problems

[Lunasa]

Ok, the story is that we're re-decorating the sitting room... New fireplace, carpets, and hopefully no woodchip wallpaper. That's where the problem is: under the wallpaper the walls are bad. The plaster is obviously coming away from the walls in spots, other places it's already gone (I can see the dents under the paper). Under the plaster the walls are concrete and were 'shuttered' (or so I've been told... no nice flat bricks).

I know a professional is going to have to be involved in this, but I'd like to have an idea of what needs to be done first. Should I pull all (or as much as possible) of the plaster down? Should I try to leave as much as I can? Can anyone provide some advice?? Thanks!

 

[jbonding]

your better off not touching it get someone out they should tell you what needs doing get a few quotes if you can. dont always go with the cheapest go with who your confident with. dont hand over any money its not a big job and plasters not that expensive. pay when its finished and dont believe it will look sound when it dries if it looks **** when its wet it will look worse when it dries. get a price for the lot of it, taking plaster off yourself wont save you any money. if you get a price lets say £300 and it will take two days it doesnt mean you own the plasterer for two days, so he can do that whilst hes here. if theres anything else needs doing around the house get a price for the lot its cheaper in the long run and you dont know when you will be able to get the plasterer back.

 

[HandyJon]

I know a professional is going to have to be involved in this, but I'd like to have an idea of what needs to be done first. Should I pull all (or as much as possible) of the plaster down? Should I try to leave as much as I can? Can anyone provide some advice?? Thanks!

I'd take off all the plaster. You'll probably find that only a few patches are ok, but it easier to plaster the whole wall rather than cope with existing bits.Saves the plaster time in taking of the blown plaster. If it really is only patches (even if biggish) then just remove the plaster from them, clean the edges of the patches and use some patching plaster from B&Q/Homebase/Wickes/etc.

 

[jbonding]

if the plasterer says it needs to come off it might be cheaper to to take it off yourself but if it needs patching up i would never recommend buying patching plaster, the same as normal plaster, in a smaller bag but twice as expensive.

 

[Lunasa]

your better off not touching it get someone out they should tell you what needs doing get a few quotes if you can. dont always go with the cheapest go with who your confident with... pay when its finished and dont believe it will look sound when it dries if it looks s**t when its wet it will look worse when it dries.

All good advice, since last time I had to get plaster work done I had a friend of a friend who's a labourer do it. BAD IDEA , and he didn't get paid! I'll also be sure to get all my little problems addressed... there's a second room we might get done. Eventually they're all going to have to be done, and I'm not looking forward to it!

Related to that, anyone know how long it should take to plaster a room? it's about 12' x 15' I think, and the second one is 12' x 10'.

 

[jbonding]

each room would only take a day if its just a reskim but if theres lots of prep work to be done maybe slightly longer not much. first decide wether your replacing skirting boards and architrave there will be some making good also is the light in the right place are you having any more lights also have you got enough sockets and are they in the right place i would recommend getting the ceiling done if the walls are done without the ceiling it might look alright now, but compared to flat walls the ceiling will show everything up.

 

[-dj-]

lunasa, put a call out for "legs akimbo" he is in the job and living on the west coast, he may be able to help you out.

dj.

 

[legs-akimbo]

Wotcha d.j Lunasa it should take about a month and cost in the region of 15,000 euro, please remit a downpayment of 50% over to me in Castlebar and I will be around to you in about November.... next year.
Where are you?

 

[Lunasa]

Wotcha d.j Lunasa it should take about a month and cost in the region of 15,000 euro, please remit a downpayment of 50% over to me in Castlebar and I will be around to you in about November.... next year.
Where are you?

Wait a minute, you're the guy who did my kitchen wall, aren't you???

I'm in a *lovely* overpriced ex-council estate in Dublin... A bit of a ways from Castlebar. So a month, I should expect it'll probably take twice that, and cost double too... or at least that seems to be the way they work around here! Should I tell you about the guy who installed my kitchen cabinets??

So any advice for my plastering? All help is greatly appreciated (and thanks to everyone who's replied!)

 

[-dj-]

don't forget my commission legs!! send it to the usual po. box number

dj.

 

[legs-akimbo]

Hey d.j hes a Dub so we can charge whatever we like... you think of a number and I will treble it.
Seriously though I have seen alot of theese pre cast houses with a thin coat of bonding and skimmed, and I mean a thin coat of bonding!
Is this the case with yours Lunasa or are you fortunate enough to have a rendered backing coat?
If alot comes off freely then you may as well pull the whole lot off and be done with it then start afresh, your location! its gonna cost ya!

 

[Lunasa]

Hey d.j hes a Dub so we can charge whatever we like... you think of a number and I will treble it.
Seriously though I have seen alot of theese pre cast houses with a thin coat of bonding and skimmed, and I mean a thin coat of bonding!
Is this the case with yours Lunasa or are you fortunate enough to have a rendered backing coat?
If alot comes off freely then you may as well pull the whole lot off and be done with it then start afresh, your location! its gonna cost ya!

You should be careful there, *she's* living in Dublin, but she's not a Dub.

I'm not sure what rendered backing coat is, but we probably don't have it. We were forced to take the plaster off the hallway (due to the extreme uglyness of the plaster 50's bar effect on the wall) and it came without much struggle. Part of that was probably the weight of the outer plaster effect (and dark wood beams). Underneath was just rough, uneven concrete.