Advice Needed - Cowboy Plasterers

Mate, I stuck up for you the whole way through this, putting my already damaged reputation even further on the line. If you can't take a bit of advice then away and do your shitty ceiling yourself

Oh ***** that did make me chuckle
 
Here’s a few mor pics including what the paper was, which they did remove from the hall.

I think a bead 1nich off the edge of the coving and overboard is the cleanest, quickest and easiest way. So annoyed these T***s have ruined the ceiling though. If they told me they needed an extra day, I wouldn’t have cared.

No plasterer did that
 
Here’s the finished result. I went for an overboard in the end to simplify the job and reduce the mess and really happy with the end result!

The guys that did it were in a different league that the jokers that did the botch job. Seeing these guys in action made me realise the others couldn’t have been plasterers. I have massive respect for tradespeople who take pride in their work. I wish they were easier to find.

Thanks for all the advice. I’ll post a final pic when it’s painted.
 

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Here’s the finished result. I went for an overboard in the end to simplify the job and reduce the mess and really happy with the end result!

The guys that did it were in a different league that the jokers that did the botch job. Seeing these guys in action made me realise the others couldn’t have been plasterers. I have massive respect for tradespeople who take pride in their work. I wish they were easier to find.

Thanks for all the advice. I’ll post a final pic when it’s painted.
Good work.
They are very nearly professional. Very nearly.

They are still at the 'polish like glass' stage.
:p:p:p
 
Decorator wouldn't have to f**k**g worry about it if they didn't shine the s**t out of it in the first place.......I'm sure decorator is really going to appreciate having to get sanding pole out first before roller.......selfish ego stroking hoofwanking bunglecunts
Not the first time I've been on sites where the architect has stipulated a polished finish.
 
Decorator will prime it with this https://www.zinsseruk.com/product/gardz/

With regards to paying the other plasterer, considering it’s now cost me more than he was charging me, to correct his botch, I was going to offer to pay for his materials and travel costs as a gesture of goodwill. He knows full well what he did was taking the piss. Is this a fair gesture or is it too kind?

The guy who was actually doing the plastering called me the other day and apologised and said that the guy I’d organised the job through, told him to do it. He said he knew it was bad.
 
Decorator will prime it with this https://www.zinsseruk.com/product/gardz/

With regards to paying the other plasterer, considering it’s now cost me more than he was charging me, to correct his botch, I was going to offer to pay for his materials and travel costs as a gesture of goodwill. He knows full well what he did was taking the piss. Is this a fair gesture or is it too kind?

The guy who was actually doing the plastering called me the other day and apologised and said that the guy I’d organised the job through, told him to do it. He said he knew it was bad.
f**k off you said two chaps did it when you were out and now subbies are ringing giving apologies you are one full of s**t f**k*r
 
Decorator will prime it with this https://www.zinsseruk.com/product/gardz/

With regards to paying the other plasterer, considering it’s now cost me more than he was charging me, to correct his botch, I was going to offer to pay for his materials and travel costs as a gesture of goodwill. He knows full well what he did was taking the piss. Is this a fair gesture or is it too kind?

The guy who was actually doing the plastering called me the other day and apologised and said that the guy I’d organised the job through, told him to do it. He said he knew it was bad.

Nope...not your problem, dont pay them a F*****g penny for that ceiling!
 
#1
Hi all,

I'm having my flat converted from a communal heating system to an independent one, so whilst the upheaval is happening, I thought it would be a good time to redecorate and get the ceiling re-plastered as there were a few previously repaired cracks in the lining paper that bugged me.

Our decorator, who has a very good attention to detail, recommended someone to strip and skim the ceilings. Unfortunately they have done a terrible job, and in the living room plastered straight on to the lining paper as they claimed they couldn't get it off the ceiling, even though they managed to take it off in no time in the hallway, which was the identical stuff.

The next day I realised the issues with plastering over paper, so paid another highly rated plasterer to do a survey. His report was that the plaster was well bonded and not lose, but that the finish was extremely poor and not suitable for decoration.

Today the decorator arrived and was so sorry for the recommendation and couldn't believe it was done like this. He confirmed it would not look good once decorated as well.

I've since spoken to a local plasterer who is highly rated, who says I have 2 viable options:
1. He can skim the ceiling with a finish coat to correct the finish issues, but cannot assure the ceiling as the base is on paper.
2. He can cut the ceiling out (there is an original 1930's cornice) around the cornice, re-board it and skim it.

My question is what would you do? Given that the plaster is over textured paper, could the plaster be scrapped off to reveal the original base, or is this an impossible task?

BTW, I haven't paid the original plasterer yet and when I spoke to him to tell him my findings, you could tell he was aware of what they had done. although he did say, "we do this all the time and it's fine" which is worrying for other unsuspecting customers!
Jesus wept that's butchered tell me did he have a van or horse outside because he's definitely a cowboy,as for the ceiling take it down and re board it ,there is a chance the skim has pulled the backing paper loose of the ceiling so there is a slim chance you could scrap it down but it would be a lot of hassle
 
f**k off you said two chaps did it when you were out and now subbies are ringing giving apologies you are one full of s**t f**k*r

Just for clarity. The decorator recommended a “plasterer” he knew called Dave (not his real name). I organised the job with Dave. Dave didn’t turn up on the day he said and txt me 30 minutes before he was meant to arrive saying his workmate was still on holiday, but he could make it the next day. The next day Dave and Bob rock up at 11:30am. Turns out Dave isn’t a plasterer but a decorator, so Bob’s left doing all the plastering.

When I spoke to Dave the next day to tell him what a state it looked, he said sorry, it wasn’t his normal plasterer and that they always plaster over paper and it’s fine.

Few days later Bob calls me to apologise and says Dave told him to do it. Then he asks if he can still be paid. I told him the take that up with Dave and he says Dave won’t take his calls. Not sure how he got my number then.

No bs here mate. I’m an honest and fair bloke who just wants a decent job done and willing to pay decent money for it.
 
Yeah that’s exactly what I want... a wavy ceiling that might fall down for free!

They took the paper off the hallway and plastered that. The next time I saw them they were plastering over the paper in the living room. I asked them why they were, and they told me they couldn’t get it off. Not knowing anything about plastering at the time I didn’t think anything of it and assumed it was standard practice. Only when I saw bubbles the next day, I got concerned. The paper wasn’t woodchip it was a textured lining paper. The quote for the job was to strip the paper, PVA, Tape and Skim. I expect the real reason they didn’t remove the paper was because they wanted to get away that day and they only arrived at 11:30am and left at 7pm.

Now I’m left with either a bigger job of removing the original cornice, overboarding and skimming or taking the risk that I might wake up one morning to find my living room covered in plaster.

I wasn’t aware that sanding a ceiling was expected when you’ve pay someone to do a job properly.

The cornice is original. It’s a 1930 mansion block and all the flats have the same cornice.

Attached is a photo of the ceiling before. Arguably in better condition than it is now.
Trowelled wrong way to the light possibly..
 
Just for clarity. The decorator recommended a “plasterer” he knew called Dave (not his real name). I organised the job with Dave. Dave didn’t turn up on the day he said and txt me 30 minutes before he was meant to arrive saying his workmate was still on holiday, but he could make it the next day. The next day Dave and Bob rock up at 11:30am. Turns out Dave isn’t a plasterer but a decorator, so Bob’s left doing all the plastering.

When I spoke to Dave the next day to tell him what a state it looked, he said sorry, it wasn’t his normal plasterer and that they always plaster over paper and it’s fine.

Few days later Bob calls me to apologise and says Dave told him to do it. Then he asks if he can still be paid. I told him the take that up with Dave and he says Dave won’t take his calls. Not sure how he got my number then.

No bs here mate. I’m an honest and fair bloke who just wants a decent job done and willing to pay decent money for it.
Lot of stuff not mentioned when you came on the first time
 
Lodan you have quite strong opinions on this.... was it you who did the first plaster by any chance?
I'm in Sutton in ashfield notts so a bit of a run for me, aren't you London. I just spent a lot of time reading people in my job before I was a plasterer
 
This is me is this the company that did your plastering, I'm not called Dave or Bob
 

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Although that's not my company name any longer as doing something different but you get the idea
 
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