Builders/Plumbers/Plasterers.. Bathroom project help needed

[uptown47]

Hi, I'm new to the forums so first off let me say a big hello to all the other visitors to this site.

I am in the middle of decorating our house.. well, when I say in the middle.. it's been three years so far. We've been saving up and then decorating a room.. saving up again, decorating another etc etc...

Since finding out I'm going to be a Dad around the middle of April the timescale for the project has had to be slightly speeded up!!!

So far the rooms haven't been too bad. I've rewired the house with the help of an electrician mate of mine and have decorated three rooms with the help of my ever patient dad.. today I decided to tackle the bathroom... My prescence here might be an indication on how it's going so far..

The bathroom is a small auxillary bathroom upstairs and contains a sink and toilet. My idea is to convert the sink to a shower, replace the toilet with a new one and put in a small basin for hand washing. The walls are not very true to say the least with one particular wall (the one that is facing the outside world) being very bowed.

I've had a couple of plumbers in for quotes but they have all been reluctant to take on the work due to the bowing wall, so I decided to try and sort the wall myself. In fact.. if I can get the wall right I will probably attempt the tiling etc myself as well and just leave the shower and toilet fitting to the plumber.

The wall seemed to be about two foot of brick plastered with a timber frame on top of it holding the plasterboard. My idea was to remove the skewed plasterboard and replace it. I cut out a hole in the plasterboard to have a look behind...

Unfortunately it looks like the actual timber frame beneath the plasterboard is causing the plasterboard on top to bow.

Any ideas how I can remedy this? Do I need to pack the wood to try and make it true or is this a job for a builder?

My DIY experience level is probably 4 out of 10 (with 1 being unable to distinguish between a drill and a spirit level and 10 being able to build my own house).

I've got bags of enthusiasm but very little know-how...

Another question is this...

While I was removing the tiles, some of them brought plaster away with them.

Is it enough to just "fill" these holes or am I best trying to knock all the plaster off and then get someone in to re-plaster the wall?

I am on a very very tight budget so would like to do as much of the work myself if possible without resorting to getting in the pro's.

I thought I'd come here and ask the pro's opinion before I take the next step.

Many thanks for reading this far and also many thanks for any help / pointers or places of reference that you can give me.

Cheers

John

 

[loublou]

Hi JT
You helped me with some advice.....'email hijack makes life a mess', so I thought I may help you out a little.

As it happens I've recently done up my mothers bathroom which was modern build but very similar.

She had a very tight (read non existent) budget so I came up with a good solution that may not help with any future house sale but got her a good and water tight, easy clean, bathroom.

Many pro's will not want to read on!

The french (yes I hear them moan already) sell a great range of pvcu sheets in many many deco styles, they are the same sheets as you buy here for exterior facia.

They are cheap and very easy to use. They slot together and provide 100% waterproofing if finished off well. Fixing to walls with clips or dabs of adhesive. They can cover over bad patches easily.

This cladding may not be the permanant solution, and I would definitely check out for any rot on the stud work you have as lots pretty wet to me. You do need to stop this timber from getting wet in future.

I'm only suggesting this as a temp solution until you have time to sort properly when your son or daughter is off to uni!

Lou

 

[uptown47]

loublou,

Is that stuff known as "wetwall"??

The timber didn't feel damp when I touched it although, as you say, it does look like its been wet in the past.

I might strip the rest of the plasterboard off to make sure there is no damp getting in from the outside?

Do you have a link to a website where I could see an example of these pvcu sheets?

Many thanks for the help

Cheers

JT

 

[leadbeaterian]

first i would take of all the plaster board to expose the stud work as it looks as if its wet or been wet check what could have caused it / and cure that next give it a coat of preservative to prevent any further problems .I cannot see how the wall could have bowed suspect the plaster board blew with the damp so replace the board , and patch up the other hole
and tile with some cheap white tiles/ colours to choice .( get a cheap tile saw if you can ) hope this helps

 

[uptown47]

Many thanks for the reply... I think I'll follow your advice and first thing remove all the plasterboard to see what I'm dealing with.

I've had a few ideas off different people so far, they include...

Just patch up the hole I've made and put some 9mm plasterboard over the entire wall.

Remove all the plasterboard, treat wood, batton the wood (so it's true) and then put plasterboard onto the batons and treat the plasterboard with PVA then tile on top.

I think the second option is probably the best...

Thanks again for your ideas/help and advice.

Cheers

JT