Plasterboarded over Old Artex, but is Wonky. Advice Needed

[Micilin]

Trading standards and breach of contract - the contract, written or otherwise , would be payment for work to an acceptable standard.

 

[roy c]

I totally agree with what all the "lads" have said about the standard of work and I think you are still hold the upper hand by not paying them. If you are worried about confronting them about the "workmanship" (Or lack of it) I would get a painter in (One you may know and trust) and get his opinion of what would happen if he was to try and paint the work that you have showed us.(Even get it down in writing if you want). This may make it a lot easier for you to confront Jesse James and his Hole in the Wall gang.......

 

[stevethespreader]

we havent heard from timbo since monday come on timbo update us, whats the score?

 

[JMLanders]

Maybe not JML, but the cowboy/s responsible, should be prosecuted and strung up for impersonating a plasterer.

Are you serious; absolutely agree RC

Totally agree with the sentiment. Think builders sometimes forget that they are working in people's homes, not a general building site.

Think the expression "unfit for purpose" could be applied - especially if the purpose is to have a level ceiling

 

[Timbo21]

Hi all,

They have got a new plasterer to reskim. A neighbour has had a look and feels they have done a good job, also I got another plasterer to have a look and he said it was a nice job.

However, I've not seen any sign of scrimtape, but I haven't been there to check. i will ask on this.

Others (family etc) have said it's an old house, etc etc. So i shouldn't expect a straight line everywhere.

I did not ask them to remedy dodgy walls. The job was to skim them. The ceiling is a different matter, since that was paying for a replacement

Ultimately, I need to get the kids back in asap and to go through all this and pull the ceiling down is something I don't think I can mentally go through. I slept 2 hours Sunday night!

It may have to come down not paying for the ceiling.

They have rebuilt half the front of my house and done a very nice job, and I've checked their technique and all seems good in that department. They are doing a little room in my loft and I know someone who had their loft conversion done by them 8 years ago. They have also done countless renovations for others who I have spoken to.

The quality of skim looks nice and smooth, but the question remains of to what extent walls and ceiling lines should/could have been remedied.

I could get them to pull the ceiling down, but if they show me something that justifies the way it is in the joists, then what? As I said, not sure I can bare having to go through that, since we've already been through 3 weeks and I need to get the kids back in.

ps. I appreciate so much the help provided here
ps. ii) Original pics weren't finished job, but was to show the wall/ceiling line

 

[Timbo21]

I would be interested to know how much going rate for skimming is in London area (I'm actually Greater London, Middlesex)

Room is about 4x4 with 8-9ft ceilings with couple of alcoves.

I stripped away old paper, and they took out skirting and coving/old cupboard frames, which were built into alcoves.

 

[stevethespreader]

well im glad they reskimmed the walls, its probably the ceiling thats making it all look out of shape, and if they mention to you its because of the joist are uneven ask why they didn't packed them out first, (level them) also if theres no scrim tape thats why your getting the cracks, i would like to know what they say about having no scrim tape along the angles, if they have made a good job on other propertys then prehaps they might have changed spreads and the last one havent been with them long, i remember i once went to give a builder a quote and knew the roofers that were working for him, but the builder wasent there, go in they said, and have a look at the plastering thats been done already, and i tell you what it was 10 times worse than yours, you even had electric wires (capping) grinning through the skim where even the float coat dident even cover them, and the walls were the most uneven ive ever seen the ceilings were really bad as well, also 10 times worse than yours, it looked like this builder does really nice work and it was all messed up because he had a couple of bad spreads in, what im saying is you can have the best builder in the world but if he has a bad spread then it all goes pair shaped, theres no way your builder could have had that last spread on the other jobs, otherwise those jobs would have been as bad as yours, if the new spread has done a nice job on the walls tell him you want the ceiling rectified and get him to do it, i doubt it will come out of the builders pocket because i think he will withhold the other spreads money and give it to the spread that puts it right, thats the way it works, your half way there now timbo, walls are done now you want the ceiling done, although if the ceiling is going to be done they should have waited so they can scrim between wall and ceiling line

 

[Timbo21]

The small section of 4m (width) and about 3/4m deep, running along the window they did completely replace looks the muts nuts.

I'm not sure why that has turned out that way, whether there are joists at different levels, but as you say it surely wouldn't be too hard to add a slither of wood to a joist here (is this "packing them out"), or shave a bit off.

 

[Timbo21]

PS. Is levelling joists difficult? What does it entail?

Want to make sure so he can't come back at me and say...something like that would cost you £xxx.

Cheers,

Tim

 

[stevethespreader]

PS. Is levelling joists difficult? What does it entail?

Want to make sure so he can't come back at me and say...something like that would cost you £xxx.

Cheers,

Tim

its not that difficult what you would do is get a straight edge and hold it up to the joist to see how level they are then pack the unevenness out using laths or slithers of wood

 

[Timbo21]

How long would it take, IYO, for about 14sqm ceiling to dothis to joists.

Also how will the wonky wall impact on this? As I said. I didn't ask them to right a wonky wall. Just skim it.

Would be interested knowing what you think going rate (for someone good) in London for skimming a room this size. Would you say £400? Things are cheaper in the home counties, etc. Also I am paying cash. I have been willing to pay bit extra. Haven't been pushing for bargain basement prices, so would be interested in
a) What is el-cheapo
b) What is standard
c) Premium price

Thanks Steve (and everyone else)

 

[1john]

I worked in maidenhead, the plasterer there charged £20/sq/m for skimming over painted tape and join, this was 2 years ago. His work was A1, very nice!

 

[Timbo21]

I worked in maidenhead, the plasterer there charged £20/sq/m for skimming over painted tape and join, this was 2 years ago. His work was A1, very nice!

Wow, that sounds v. expensive. There must be at the very least around 40 sq/m in the room (probably more), which would be £800

 

[Micilin]

I worked in maidenhead, the plasterer there charged £20/sq/m for skimming over painted tape and join, this was 2 years ago. His work was A1, very nice!

Wow, that sounds v. expensive. There must be at the very least around 40 sq/m in the room (probably more), which would be £800

You can't really go by m2 in jobs that size - it's more a case of pricing the job as a whole or by room /stage.

I take your point about only paying them to skim - but they should have pointed out what they could 'ease' out, and what they couldn't. This would have taken 5 -10 mins and put you clear about everything, then you could have had the option of a bit of bonding here and there, or just skimming.

Sometimes a hawkful of bonding, or a bump chopped out, or a thick coat of finish ruled off can make a big difference. A 10mm bump in the middle of a wall won't be seen, but getting ceiling, skirting and angle lines should be done if you can.

I've had this loads of times with plasterers saying, 'well that's the way the wall was' or ' the studwork /doorframe/window etc was out' and you say "WELL IF YOU SAW IT WHY DIDN'T YOU ***%ING TELL SOMEONE BEFORE YOU PLASTERED IT!"

 

[Timbo21]

Found a role of scrim tape this morning, so that's a good sign.

I spoke to my guy and told him they should have taken the old ceiling down, repacked joists, and done some bonding on the wall. To which he went quiet.

However, I am not willing to go through pulling it all down and doing that. I've got to get the kids back in and move on.

90% of the room is v.good in terms of straight lines. I've told him I'm not paying the £260 for just putting up £50 worth of plasterboard. The room looks great apart from that piece of wall. The finish is lovely throughout.

Not the perfect outcome, but if I had more time....