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  1. J

    marshall town trowel dragging - can it be saved?

    It's pulling the plaster from the wall - almost as if you've put the top coat on before the first coat has set enough!! Was thinking a bit of screeding might sort it - ironic that the £12 trowel I've worked in now is doing a much better job and giving a tidy finish!! Thanks for the advise!
  2. J

    10 day courses

    Here here!! The courses tend to only provide a basic understanding - but like everything else it takes a lot of practice and experience to even consider doing anything other than DIY work!! I actually did a course a few years ago and it has taken a good 2-4 years of working to get it right, but...
  3. J

    marshall town trowel dragging - can it be saved?

    Morning Chaps, recently had to buy a new trowel as my marshalltown has started to drag badly and not producing a good finish. is there anyway to fix this as it never used to drag? Was wondering if a bit of rendering with it may help it out a bit?? Don't want to get rid as it's only a couple...
  4. J

    single coat of plaster to plasterboard??

    That's what I thought - I noticed a contractor had done this on site and obviously if they have priced for 2 coats then the client is being double charged. They've also used taper edged board so that the scrim tape is nearly level with the board, thus making it easier to do a one coat!! Think...
  5. J

    single coat of plaster to plasterboard??

    Chaps - what are the implications of doing a single coat to plasterboard rather than 2 coats? I was always taught to do two coats no matter what - but never really with a reason - granted the first coat sometimes polishes off to a perfect finish - but always put on two anyway. Is there a good...
  6. J

    damaged walls

    I'd just board on battens, skim on top - that way there's a decent cavity!
  7. J

    Food colouring in PVA???

    That's great - I think we'll give it a go on our next big job! Jord
  8. J

    Food colouring in PVA???

    Good tip - just noticed that sometimes it's difficult to see sometimes exactly what has been covered until it's a little bit too late!!
  9. J

    Food colouring in PVA???

    Chaps, A friend of mine suggested putting a few drops of food colouring into the PVA when going over the various surfaces as he had been let down by a labourer only part covering a ceiling last week. He hasn't tried this yet and I haven't either - have any of you? Would it work? I can't see...
  10. J

    paint pealing

    Nice one - I've just found out that the owners used "fresh to plaster" paint and not a normal watered down matt which is what I always suggest to my customers. Will pass on the advise though - many thanks!! Jord
  11. J

    being arsed

    Get those tunes pumping mate - always does it for me and promise yourself a reward once complete - i.e. like a few beers or something!!
  12. J

    Giving up plastering

    fair enough - rather that way than it come as a shock. I just think there's work there but just need to find it. as I said we've got a fair bit on and am working overtime to get the cash in and banked so there's a little spare should things drop further!! Good luck with anything you find!!
  13. J

    Giving up plastering

    Sorry to say this mate but you're wrong - the Housing and Communities Agency (formally housing corporation) is pumping money back into social housing as there's simply not enough housing going around. We are seeing massive developments in the pipelines for the next few years as recession or no...
  14. J

    What rate?

    same here - if they've got some window reveals to do or a bit of patch work - no charge. I think the time can be the biggest issue as with the artex in can take a couple of hours to get it all scraped and then two coats of pva + skimming time and travelling. I now try to do two rooms in...
  15. J

    paint pealing

    Chaps, just had a look at a job a mate did and when the plaster had been painted the top coat of paint was pulling off the base coat. Apparently the plaster had a few weeks to dry out so it wasn't wet at all. I'm assuming that the base coat of paint wasn't watered down enough and therfore has...
  16. J

    What rate?

    fair enough gents but we've got loads of work coming in at the rate's I stated and the customer is always happy as they're left with a clean room and good finish. Once painted we always offer to go back and rectify the odd mark or two and actually do it! This then begins the word of mouth and...
  17. J

    Giving up plastering

    you're right - I meant covering up artex not doing it - god that stuff is awful but there's so much work in the east anglia region for people to skim ceilings it's a good little earner!! With regards to the social housing, you're right in the sense that some of them are bastards to work for...
  18. J

    Giving up plastering

    I work in the building industry and as all have felt the hit of the climate, however I can tell you that the government are releasing 1 billion pounds into the industry for social housing. This is a great opportunity for you guys to get yourselves known and get in with house builders. I would...
  19. J

    What rate?

    I think you misunderstand. these are the rates that are normally charged out for contracts and therefore anything over 10m2 in a day will be profitable. From a personal point of view you are right that you would easily be able to do more than this. Most contractors normally price their...
  20. J

    What rate?

    I'm in the building industry as a Quantity Surveyor and Project Manager and have been plastering in my spare time for ages The rate we use is £15 / m2 for a normal skim and anything up to £25 / m2 for skimming over artex ceilings this roughly equates to anywhere between £150-£250 a day. I...
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