Should I pay for a bad plastering job?

[Marina41]

I wonder if someone could give me some help and advice. We have just had a plasterer in to do some work (ie; bathroom & hallway ceiling - previously artexed, and hallway walls) and are very unhappy with the result. Our expectation of the job was that we would be able to paint directly onto the wall and have a smooth finish (understanding that it would never be 100% perfect). What we have got are walls and ceilings with so many imperfections that we in essence have a textured finish - trowel marks, grooves, bubbles, holes etc. No beading was used on corner edges in bathroom, and the curved egde of a wall in the hall has not even been plastered - the plaster just stops on either side of the curve in a uneven jagged line. It is very difficult to find a smooth / even patch on any of the surfaces plastered. The plaster advised us to paint the walls to show up the imperfections and he would come back and taper them in with a finer product. No paint was needed as the imperfection were more than obvious.
We invited two other plasterers to look at the work and both were flabergasted.
We have not paid the plasterer but have asked him back to review his work and to express how unhappy and disappointed we are with the job. He has conceded that it is not great and said he will come back and put a skim on it to make is smooth. We have no confidence whatsoever that he is up to the job and would prefer to have someone else to make good the work even though it will cost us more.
Where do we stand on payment - I cannot express how poor this job is!!!

 

[joe-90]

You didn't have a plasterer at all. Tell him to go away or you'll take him to court in regard to the damage he's caused.
The job should be perfect - or pretty damn close. Smooth, no holes, grooves or anything like that.

 

[Marina41]

Do you mind me asking if you are a plasterer yourself? We are certainly not in the habit of not paying our tradesmen but are not happy to pay this one. Can he take legal action against us for not paying?

 

[joe-90]

Yes I plaster to a high standard (amongst other things). If I did shoddy work I'd expect to be sued - and not paid.
And no he cannot take any action against you.

 

[dmplastering]

I would not pay him but give him that chance to do it right. Make it clear to him that you won't payup if he leaves it to a poor standard. He will probably get aggressive if you don't pay him but you have every right to expect a smooth flat finish.

 

[joe-90]

If he could do it he would have done it. No corner beading?
Bet he was a foreigner.

 

[DoubleDPlasterers]

If he cant do it right the first time then chances are he wont second time round.... As for not using thin coat beads, we all have bad days but that is shocking! also im guessing he hasn't PVA bonded none of walls or ceilings so your going to have problems later.

 

[gregers]

if its that bad how about some pics of this shoody work?
like anything to do with building if you have to pay for it,then its your given right to have a decent job carried out,and not be fobbed off with feeble excuses.

 

[huddsspread]

If you say it looks like a textured finish then he is really bad. No plasterer is 100% perfect in my opinion, 99% yes.

But there is no way you should be left with what you have. I always carry some easi fill, on case something happens at the end of the job, 2 things have happened in the last few months...

1 my car keys were in my back pocket, and leaning over at the end scraping the floor, i shuffled backwards, and they scratched a small 2mm deep and 10 mm long scratch,

2 i had a tiny pull through right at the end as it had gone solid, b@stard!

But as i said i had some easy fill, and i always gove the customer some, just incase they find any tiny imperfections after a miss coat.

As for no beads? my four year old knows about beads as she walks round wickes with me, daddy need any beads today? Maybe this person has been on a 3 day course to be plasterer and got a certificate? as thats more than what i have after 19 years....

I would not pay him, and you might want to explain that it may cost you more to put it right than the orignal plaster quote, where are you in the world, maybe one of us can reccomend a plasterer near you who don't have a certificate, who could come and give you some REAL advice.

brad

Also put some pics on, and keep them as evidence. If you can ( it may be a long shot ) but have a plasterer there when he turns up, someone like me who is not afraid of anyone, and would never back down in an argument, to put your point across. Do you know anybody like this if you get my meaning? Maybe again, if your near somebody on this forum, they could help you. Im in yorkshire/manchester border, peaps in derbyshire, dmplastering is in fife...etc etc