plastering job - dry line or float and set?

[kikiglis1]

Hi - want to get some advice on a plastering job as have had several people say different things.
I have a 13ft x 13ft reception room in 1880s house. Ceiling has large cracks and one small section where plaster has come down. Walls are covered in cracks and in some places the plaster sounds hollow when tapped. One wall has some water damage below a window. All original plaster and looking rather worse for wear.
Also need the fireplace bricking up.

One guys suggested dry lining half the walls and skimming the other half, water-proof cement under window, overboarding ceiling, skimming whole room and replacing plastic electrical capping with metal = £980.

Second guy suggested getting all plaster hacked off by labourer (£180), then float and set walls and overboard and skim walls = 2 days and £900.

Third guy said fill in the cracks and gaps and skim only. Have had all the other rooms skimmed but the plaster was in MUCH better condition and I'm not convinced skimming will look goo in a few months.

Any advice? Am I being overcharged? I have never plastered myself and am not very skilled with DIY but could I dot and dab the walls myself?

Thanks

 

[roughcaster]

Could you put up some pictures on here?

 

[kikiglis1]

just uploading some now

 

[kikiglis1]

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• kikiglis1
• 15 Aug 2011
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plaster crumbling off when wallpaper removed

Tried to get photos of several areas to give a good idea of what the walls are like.

 

[kikiglis1]

Ooops - sorry only posted one photo!

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• kikiglis1
• 15 Aug 2011
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damp damage under window

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• kikiglis1
• 15 Aug 2011
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wall near fireplace

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• kikiglis1
• 15 Aug 2011
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cracks in wall opposite fireplace

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• kikiglis1
• 15 Aug 2011
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ceiling cracks

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• kikiglis1
• 15 Aug 2011
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ceiling

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• kikiglis1
• 15 Aug 2011
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wall near fireplace

 

[bradleigh1977]

I would have it all removed and then floated/boarded and set.

If you remove it yourself, that will save you labouring costs. If the old plaster isnt there anymore, it cant move or crack.

 

[kikiglis1]

Thanks Bradleigh. That was my thoughts too - better to start again from scratch than do a bodge job over dodgy plaster. Can anyone say if the prices sound reasonable - last had a room skimmed about 4 years ago and this is obviously a bigger job so not sure what I should be getting charged.

 

[NickB_99]

I have a 13ft x 13ft reception room in 1880s house. Ceiling has large cracks and one small section where plaster has come down. Walls are covered in cracks and in some places the plaster sounds hollow when tapped. One wall has some water damage below a window. All original plaster and looking rather worse for wear.
Also need the fireplace bricking up.

.....

Any advice? Am I being overcharged? I have never plastered myself and am not very skilled with DIY but could I dot and dab the walls myself?

looking at those walls, would not go with guy #3. Bit of filling and skim will not be good. Especially as you say there are hollow areas too - long term solution will mean taking it off the walls.

Overboard & skim on the ceiling probably ok and not essential to take it all down. If you do, will be v v messy!

Is your water damage under the window resolved? If not, I would sort that first. If you did go with a float&set undercoat plaster or plasterboard, the gypsum wouldn't like continued water ingress. Applying a waterproof render would be resistant to continued water, but really need to sort root of the problem first.

Agree with bradleigh - you could strip it yourself, it looks quite loose, so prob not too hard. Just messy!

If you read the forum there are mixed messages whether metal capping better than plastic - or even if you need any at all. You prob need to make your own mind up after some research. So this may be a cost you may not need.

fireplace - if you cover it, I think it may be better to leave a small vent still to allow air to circulate.

Guy #2 may be the best bet - IMO float & set is a more hard-wearing solution than D&D (tho you may get some differing views on this).
Also as your house is 1880s, seems a shame to resort to modern practice of D&D. Going out a limb here but you may even wish to consider something like lime plaster, if that's what was there before. Gypsum plasters are fairly modern too.

As to prices - have to bow out and leave that one to the pros.

 

[kikiglis1]

Thanks newbee - think i have decided to go with the float and set and will discuss the types of plaster with the plasterer. The damp seems to be sorted out but I will double check while removing the plaster.

 

[NickB_99]

Thanks newbee - think i have decided to go with the float and set and will discuss the types of plaster with the plasterer. The damp seems to be sorted out but I will double check while removing the plaster.

Nice one.
Of course, float & set can lay render on also, so worth seeing what other advice comes your way.
I'm assuming your external walls have cavities? I'm not a building expert, so not sure when cavity walls became standard practice!
If you have no cavity walls, this will have a bearing on any advice given here also.

 

[kikiglis1]

Sorry - did not realise that would change things. We do not have cavity walls as they came in a while after our house was built. Does this mean float and set is not a good idea or do I just need to make sure he renders it first?
Thanks for advice so far.....not sure the house will ever be plaster dust free again!

 

[NickB_99]

Sorry - did not realise that would change things. We do not have cavity walls as they came in a while after our house was built. Does this mean float and set is not a good idea or do I just need to make sure he renders it first?
Thanks for advice so far.....not sure the house will ever be plaster dust free again!

It means D&D should definitely be a no-no. No cavity=colder walls. Where the drywall adhesive is placed can give cold spots on the wallboard and allow condensation and later maybe black mould.
I'm getting out of my comfort zone here with older properties.
You may need to search for some older posts on this topic.
I would suspect that if you go with float&set, you'd be best with at least the scratch (first) coat as render with a waterproofer in. Then probably a second render coat with a skim using multi-finish. I think the first coat must not be a gypsum undercoat plaster.

There are more specialist lime plasters, where lime is good as I think it allows the wall to breathe still. Other posts from memory have suggested also battening a stud framework, with insulation between, and fixing wallboard over the top & skim.
There are also building regs about improving thermal properties when taking a reasonable percentage off the wall e.g. over 25%.

I'm hoping one of the more seasoned pros will jump in at this point