Skimmed Walls - Problems with Cables, Light Switch & Cor

[Krait]

Hi,

Would appreciate advice....

Just had hallway and landing skimmed with plaster in a very old house (17 years old wallpaper removed, some much, much older plaster fell off, then skimmed over). The main walls look good, however....

1) Where the walls meet in the corner and where the ceiling and walls meet, it's not smooth, there are cracks and gaps, will running a line of decorators caulk sort this out? Can I paint over the caulk the same as the rest of the walls? I am concerned caulk might show through the paint!

2) Light switch is damaged and surrounding area is poorly plastered. Need to replace with new light switch box, will need to rake out plaster (gap might be quite deep), will then attempt to fill it with easi-fill or deep fill polycell, sand it then paint? I am concerned about cracks appearing!

3) Not all the cables for light switches have been skimmed over. Plaster in and around the cables is very poorly done, what can I do to make it look half decent? I'm thinking of covering cables with lining paper, then apply an oil based primer just over that area, then carry on painting same as the rest of the wall. From what I've read, you can't paint vinyl matt over wallpaper paste, hence using the oil based primer for that area only! Not sure if I want to go to the trouble of raking out plaster to hide cables, then attempt to skim over with easi-fill or deep fill polycell! Perhaps another option might be to hide the cables in trunking/plastic casing (what is the correct term please?), then fill any gaps between skimmed plaster and trunking with easi-fill?

4) Skimmed plaster has overlapped on to the skirting board, must I use decorators caulk to seal the line where plaster and skirting board meets? I'm not confident in getting a smooth and straight line because it's more or less a flat surface I'll be running my finger along (hope that makes sense)! I plan on painting the walls with vinyl matt, after undercoating with thinned normal matt, then paint skirting with satin or gloss.

TIA

 

[geraldthehamster]

I'm not trying to be clever here, but have you paid the plasterer? If not, I would get him back to finish the job properly.

Cheers
Richard

 

[Alastairreid]

Can you post a pic or 2.

Sounds like a bit of a mess tbh.

 

[Krait]

There are some messy bits. Not able to post pics. I can appreciate it's difficult to give advice without seeing!

It's my mother and father's home. My mother met Polish builders doing work at local community centre and when they said they work for £60 per day, she got excited and gave them the job. They only worked for 2 days, towards the end they rushed and have not done a good finish. They are working at 3 other houses in the neighbourhood. I doubt they will come back!

I'm going to cover the wires with lining paper, then use easi-fill to hide the edge of the paper where it meets the skimmed wall, then sand, hopefully it will work out, doesn't need to be perfect, no one is going to stare at the walls, they will just walk past!

 

[Alastairreid]

Are the wires running on the surface of the wall? if the are you should either recess them in a channel and cap them or put them in trunking.

 

[Krait]

Hi alastairreid,

Thanks for your reply

Wires are sitting on top of the old plaster, they have skimmed up to the edge of the wire. The edge of the skim where it meets the wire is scruffy.

skimmed wall - sticking out wire - skimmed wall

Before this, the wires were hidden behind old wallpaper.

How about hiding the wires in trunking, then fill the gap between the skimmed plaster and trunking? The builders have left half a bag of easi-fill (incase you ask, they did not skim the walls with easi-fill).

Also, could you please advice, is it necessary to caulk where the skimmed plaster sits on the skirting board?

 

[sparkwright]

Sounds a right mess, primarily because the electricals were not attended to BEFORE the plastering. You can't expect plasterers to do much with the electrics.

Pictures would be most welcome.

 

[Alastairreid]

Will the trunking not cover the gap in the plaster?

The plaster on the skirting can be cut back with a stanley knife, i dont know why you would need caulk.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Sounds a right mess, primarily because the electricals were not attended to BEFORE the plastering. You can't expect plasterers to do much with the electrics.

Pictures would be most welcome.

It sounds like the job needs re-doing properly, in certain respects. In particular, the cabling should be chased into the walls and that area re-plastered.

A proper plasterer isn't expensive. It's not worth cutting corners and paying people who don't know how to do a proper job.

To be fair, all the chasing of electrics and removal of light switches should have been done before the plasterers came in.

Cheers
Richard

 

[Krait]

Going to get tradesmen in to finish the job off properly.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Going to get tradesmen in to finish the job off properly.

Good move. And good luck, hope it turns out well.

Cheers
Richard