Run out of funds - Plastering advice

[flick237]

Hi

We have bought a house which has turned in to a bit of a money pit. We are having to have the electrics re-done, move a lot of CH pipework and it turns out every room in the house needs the plaster taking off back to the brick, plaster boarding and skimming. Having looked at general stuff on the internet I don't think we can afford to get everything done with our tiny budget (we are waiting for quote now for the electrics and plastering). I think we will have to get a bit of the house done at a time.

I don't feel confident attempting the plastering myself, patching and making good is one thing but this is a serious undertaking!

We are going to get all of the plaster off the walls because it creates so much mess before we move in in 2 weeks. Is there anything I can do to try and make the house more liveable until we can afford to reinstate the plaster? I am very worried about the dust.

We can probably only afford to get 2 out of the five rooms that will be back to bare brick plastered.

We have been told that plasterboarding it will be easier, quicker and cheaper. Is this true?

If we are using this method, which is the most costly part? The plasterboarding or the skimming?

Would it help stop the dust and filth if we got the other rooms plasterboarded and saved the skimming until we can afford it?

We just don't know what to do. We can't borrow any more money.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

 

[i_am_fubar]

If you use feather edge plaster board, you can skim the joints yourself and save on a full surface skim. Just accept that the corners will damage more easily.

Plaster boarding isn't the cheapest option as far as raw materials go (possibly labour too) and a base coat + skim may come in cheaper.

If you DO plasterboard. Would you batten the walls and screw to them, or would you dot and dab?

Fubar.

 

[Beefpotnoodle]

If I've read it right, you intend to gut the rooms yourself, right? To help to prep for boarding and stopping further dust, pva the walls. Basically once you've got it back to brick, clean up the plaster, then take 50/50 mix of pva and water and 'paint' the brickwork. It will stop further dust coming off the wall, sealing it. If money is really tight you could turn it into a feature. I once stayed in a hotel with 'back to brick' walls. Or like the previous post use boards and cement joints. Or just leave boarded till you can afford to plaster. If you do decide to board for someone else, please try to get it level. I taught myself to plaster, after my mom's I've done my. Level boards save time and money later.
If I was in your situation, either practise yourself, or pay for someone to do what you can afford, and diy patch up the other rooms. Or if you have a local college get in touch, there's always kids out there on apprenticeship's maybe waiting for experience. It may not be as good as a pro but it will cost way less. You could always sand some of the blemishes out!
Good luck

 

[flick237]

Thanks for your advice guys. I had been thinking about the PVA glue thing. To be honest my wife has been amazing she has done all of the ripping out. She filled 3 skips in 2 days with plaster and old fittings, skirtings, window sills, fitted wardrobes etc. The lot really. She has taken everything back and prepped up to make things cheaper for us, as well as getting loads of quotes. Not sure if I can say the site name but she used a website that uses people that are rated and has got us a great deal for electris and plastering which means we can now get the whole house wired and plastered. We will have no floors or decor, but at least we have got electricity and walls! Bless her she has also drained down the central heating and removed all the radiators and in the most part repiped them back to the old system on her own. (We will get someone in to make sure she has done it right). I haven't had any time to do anything except rebuild the old fireplace because I couldn't get the time off work but it just shows what you can do with a bit of grit, brains and determination, and an excellent wife.