Plastering disaster - what kind of finish can I expect?

[whatsnottolike]

Hello, new member here. I hope someone can help.

I am finding myself in a spot of bother with a kitchen company. I have an agreement with them to supply and fit a new kitchen, and am also having the plastering (walls only) done via this company. It is a small room (2.5x3.5m). The quote was for £450 which included removing some tiles (came off very easily) and repairing the plasterboard in one place. The kitchen company use a subcontractor for the plastering.

I am very unhappy with the job for several reasons, and am just wondering what I can expect. Initially, rather than a full plaster job they only plastered some areas (and not very well). They blamed this on a "job mix-up". They had the kitchen plans but didn't even bother checking where the units are going exactly, so even missed out some bits on this half job. The finish was really bad in places, especially around doorframes, corners, sockets, light switches etc. Rough, uneven, and definitely not ready for decorating.

I complained, and they came back the next day to plaster more areas of the kitchen. They still managed to miss out some bits, and the finish only improved marginally. Again, no taking measurements or checking the plans. Still a really rough and uneven finish in places. I have uploaded some pictures but not sure if it's worked.

The response by the contractor and kitchen company is:
- The finish is not bad. It is normal that the finish is rough and uneven, it should be sanded down/filled in by the decorator.
- The finish is not perfect because the faceplates on sockets and switches were not removed completely. Nobody mentioned this being a problem at the start.
- The finish is not perfect because they had done half a job initially, which makes it more difficult to fill in the other bits.

As far as I am concerned, none of this is my fault. My decorator has refused to decorate in there unless the room is replastered first. Other tradespeople I employ have said that it's the worst plastering job by a professional they have seen. I don't trust the contractor any longer (they have even used threatening language towards me), and I have refused to get them back in to have another go at repairing this. Instead I am trying to get in another plasterer to completely re-do the job.

Am I over-reacting here? I would be really grateful for some professional opinions. Many thanks.

(Edt: managed to upload the images.) This one is from before they came back. It has improved now but it is still not even. View media item 62374This one is also from before. They plastered over it but left a visible bulge - looks awful. View media item 62375This is one side of the room as of today. View media item 62376

 

[Morten225]

I should declare that I am purely an amateur...

....but I can do 10x better than that.

It looks like a load of mud thrown on the walls by a bunch of 5 year olds.

My understanding is that if the plastering was to be done to a 'rough' finish, then this should have been specified at the outset.

I really don't understand this quality of job. Anyone who has done a bit of plastering after watching youtube vids can do better than that.

 

[whatsnottolike]

Thanks Morten. Reassuring to know that I am not the only one who thinks this is poor quality.

 

[kbdiy]

Did the subbie's van have 'M.Mouse' on the side?

As above, purely an amateur but I can get a much better finish than that, obstacles or not!

 

[whatsnottolike]

Thanks kbdiy. Interestingly it is just a white van, with no name, phone number or company logo on it anywhere. To date I have only been told the guy's first name.

 

[stevethespreader]

thats a shocking job it looks like they have used easifill to try and tart it up
dont pay them a penny it looks like they havent fitted the kitchen units yet so dont let them or you could end up regretting it

 

[whatsnottolike]

The plasterer has used this white filler stuff in several places, apparently in order "to blend the plaster in".

I have told the kitchen company that I will stick with them for the kitchen - they have a really good reputation locally for their kitchens, they are five minutes from my house and manufacture their own cabinets. Also, I have been without a kitchen for almost 2 months now (floor and units had to be taken up following water ingress due to a faulty dishwasher installation), and I really don't want to be without one for another two months. Just hoping they will do a better job on the installation than the plaster work...

 

[stevethespreader]

the fact that they are saying the plastering is good and making exuses for it dont bode to well for the rest of the job, they should be saying sorry and sack the plasterer and get another in to make good, £450 for that pile of cr@p is outrageous, any spread worth his salt knows how to blend in with existing work without the use of easifill you decorator is right not to touch it, its your call but if they are happy with the plastering that says something about them remember your kitchen is expensive and if they mess it up you have to live with it.

 

[Norcon]

A guy near me had plasterers in on his 5000sq/ft new build and after they were finished a team of guys (about 3 ) spent the next 3 weeks filling the hollows, straight edging sanding etc before the decorators arrived.

 

[stevethespreader]

A guy near me had plasterers in on his 5000sq/ft new build and after they were finished a team of guys (about 3 ) spent the next 3 weeks filling the hollows, straight edging sanding etc before the decorators arrived.

there is always snagging on large jobs epec if the spreads were on price 5000m2 is a lot of meterage did the spreads do their own snagging or did someone else do it?
"edit" sorry have just looked again and seen its 5000sq/ft not 5000m2

 

[whatsnottolike]

the fact that they are saying the plastering is good and making exuses for it dont bode to well for the rest of the job, they should be saying sorry and sack the plasterer and get another in to make good, £450 for that pile of cr@p is outrageous, any spread worth his salt knows how to blend in with existing work without the use of easifill you decorator is right not to touch it, its your call but if they are happy with the plastering that says something about them remember your kitchen is expensive and if they mess it up you have to live with it.

Thanks. My walls are dry lined. Does that make a difference?

I know I am taking a risk here. I am just stuck between a rock and a hard place, I really need this kitchen in. I am obviously disappointed by the response of the kitchen company. At the moment I am concentrating on getting a plasterer in to make good; the good ones are all very busy, unsurprisingly.

The most upsetting thing was the behaviour of the contractor's boss who came to my house and verbally threatened me after I had complained!

 

[whatsnottolike]

A guy near me had plasterers in on his 5000sq/ft new build and after they were finished a team of guys (about 3 ) spent the next 3 weeks filling the hollows, straight edging sanding etc before the decorators arrived.

My kitchen company would probably say that's perfectly normal...

 

[Nige F]

[
I know I am taking a risk here. I am just stuck between a rock and a hard place, I really need this kitchen in. I am obviously disappointed by the response of the kitchen company. At the moment I am concentrating on getting a plasterer in to make good; the good ones are all very busy, unsurprisingly.

The most upsetting thing was the behaviour of the contractor's boss who came to my house and verbally threatened me after I had complained!

I`ll bet you don`t live in E. Sussex - no posters seem to We can help you out if you do - we`re not busy because we`re not good - it`s just the good old E.Sx. economy

 

[stevethespreader]

Thanks. My walls are dry lined. Does that make a difference?

I know I am taking a risk here. I am just stuck between a rock and a hard place, I really need this kitchen in. I am obviously disappointed by the response of the kitchen company. At the moment I am concentrating on getting a plasterer in to make good; the good ones are all very busy, unsurprisingly.

The most upsetting thing was the behaviour of the contractor's boss who came to my house and verbally threatened me after I had complained!

bad plastering is easy to sort out, "BUT" have you ever considered what living with a badly fitted kitchen is going to feel like? it will depress you everytime you walk in the kitchen, i wouldent trust them to fit my kitchen after shabby work like that, do you really want to give your hard earned money to someone whos threatened you? well as i say its your call and your money i just hope as you say that they may do a better job with the kitchen than the plastering

 

[RogerBoyle]

personally I would get the Kitchen company around
Tell them that as they think the standard of works so far is fine
that you are cancelling the order. I would then go somewhere else

The guy that plastered the walls was not a Plasterer

and he certainly wouldnt be plastering on any of my clients works