Keeping a good name or being a mug

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Hello lads, all the best for 2013.
I skimmed a decent size lath and plaster ceiling over heavey artex a few months ago. I removed the original moulded panel, patched with bonding, scraped and WBA'd the ceiling then 2 coat skimmed and fitted coving. All went perfect. Few weeks later customer called back to say 3 cracks have appeared. So fair enough went back checked ceiling still solid no movement so taped and patched cracks. Just had another call nearly 3 months on asking can I reskim the whole ceiling as there are a few ridges in the light.
What would you lads? I want to keep a good name. Another thing to consider is it's got original lath and plaster then artex then 2 coats of finish how much more weight is it going to hold!? Plus the whole room is now decorated.
 
Could be a sore one for you mate? Did you offer them the option of overboarding the lid when you originally priced it? They old lath ceilins can come back an bite you in the arse.:RpS_crying:
 
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It is annoying, best to have a look and see if they have a point or not, sometimes people have to accept an old ceiling will never actually look like a brand new ceiling in a brand new house with nice even joists all level and plumb.. Plastering can easily be picked apart by customers and then again some like it quirky..
 
how ever good your work is it is only as strong as the back ground it goes onto, old **** like that will crack it probs 70 year old. i always tell people that when going over old crap then if it happens they been forewarned and had the chance to spend a bit more to do a propper job in the first place, their choise then so no come backs on me if they pick the cheap option. as for re-skimming it to uphold reputation **** it mate they'll use another plasterer next time anyway if they think you not done it right. what you need to ask yourself is do you think its good enough?
 
Go in the middle of the day - prefereably when it is sunny (ha ha ha ha ha...sorry).... then ask them to show you the issues without a light on...... I bet they can't!

then when they show you the issues with the lights on.... ask them to go in all the other rooms and see what they look like...... offer to reskim the room you already did, as long as you can do the rest of the ceilings in the house at their cost!


I am no expert at this, but I am sure there is some BS standard that says that the wall / ceiling has to be looked at from a certain distance and with a certain sort of light, then certain defects are acceptable......? ask whoever supplied the plaster to confirm that.....

Good Luck mate!
 
If they want you to do it for nothing charge them 300 quid to bond it flat then skim it
 
same as with any unibond and skim work, we have no idea what the background is really like, we have to make our best guess judgement, in the ideal world where the plasterer is God , we could have every house knocked back to brickwork, every ceiling pulled down ,levelled and re boarded . I see the God types typing but our world is far from ideal, people want us in and out ,cheap as chips all the time, 2 mm of skim to right the wrongs of a hundred years of drying and absorption of moisture..
 
Rubbish Loads of artex ceilings are reskimed

you can indeed reskim artex ceilings.
but if you read the original post, he says that the ceiling is lath and plaster. you now know that there is a very good chance that the ceiling has been decorated with distemper or lime wash.alarm bells will then tell you to overboard or they may be trouble ahead.
 
you can indeed reskim artex ceilings.
but if you read the original post, he says that the ceiling is lath and plaster. you now know that there is a very good chance that the ceiling has been decorated with distemper or lime wash.alarm bells will then tell you to overboard or they may be trouble ahead.
The problem with artex is its now a generic term for any stipple type finish on a ceiling, like woodchip it is often used to cover a multitude of ills,I have seen artex type products over lining paper and beneath this ,distemper, boarding over is preferable but we try to appease clients and it is us who suffer for it.. when the pocket is light we want to earn a days money so chances are taken even though we issue caveat emptor..
 
I think you'd be a bit unlucky moisture going through a couple of coats of paint and artex into distemper if it's there then blowing
 
same as with any unibond and skim work, we have no idea what the background is really like, we have to make our best guess judgement, in the ideal world where the plasterer is God , we could have every house knocked back to brickwork, every ceiling pulled down ,levelled and re boarded . I see the God types typing but our world is far from ideal, people want us in and out ,cheap as chips all the time, 2 mm of skim to right the wrongs of a hundred years of drying and absorption of moisture..

Get real!! there is good money to be earned in over-skimming ,and it's nice for us to paint and skim !! who wants to go right back to the joist's/brick ,dusty **** -job easy-money all the way please ......
 
I always tell clients no guarantee on re-skim ceilings unless I overboard and skim.

Perhaps thats why I am not getting any jobs I price?
 
Never give guarantee on lath and plaster ceilings unless overboarded ,,how can you.
Just warn people I tell them I can skim it but chances are it will crack and you have the chance of it falling down seen it loads, never loose a job over doing a proper job
As my professional opinion counts for a lot. I would not go back twice and sort out the problem tell them that's how it is
 
Hello lads, all the best for 2013.
I skimmed a decent size lath and plaster ceiling over heavey artex a few months ago. I removed the original moulded panel, patched with bonding, scraped and WBA'd the ceiling then 2 coat skimmed and fitted coving. All went perfect. Few weeks later customer called back to say 3 cracks have appeared. So fair enough went back checked ceiling still solid no movement so taped and patched cracks. Just had another call nearly 3 months on asking can I reskim the whole ceiling as there are a few ridges in the light.
What would you lads? I want to keep a good name. Another thing to consider is it's got original lath and plaster then artex then 2 coats of finish how much more weight is it going to hold!? Plus the whole room is now decorated.
3 months later ?no mate think someone taking the piss ,as said have a look at it ,then go from there
 
I know the jobs more than good enough especially considering the state the ceiling was in, the age of the house and what it was going on to. I don't think the loft insulation guys done the ceiling any favous either. But the customers denyd the empty rolls in the front garden saying it was insulated before the ceiling was skimmed so it's my fault it cracked. It's hard to make sence and get through to some people, especially woman. When i start trying to explain the reasons they just look through me and expect it to look like they do on the deluxe advert.
Think im best trying to think of a way to put her off the idea of a reskim really...
 
Don't worry about the odd **** of a customer dude, people worry far too much about getting bad rep, for one person to give such a bad name about you, he/she would have to tell hundreds of people.. and then in turn, they would have to spread the word too... but at the end of the day, all they are gonna tell is their mates, who half the time, cant be arsed with their complaint, because they probably know them to be a difficult person in the first place.. Im sure you good customer base far out weighs any form of bad complaint you may get, don't let them walk all over you and take advantage, **** em. :)
 
I had similar experience about 5 years ago, not a ceiling but a call 3 months later saying the plaster was falling off on staircase and Id over skimmed artex.

It turned out to be the husband had not fitted the door frames properly (square) few years beforehand and I'd not noticed the doors didnt fit the frames when doing the work. Anyway the plaster had cracked and fell out around the architraves, along with a fare few cracks.

In the 3 months inbetween me finishing the job and this phone call she had told anybody that would listen in the village chippy where she worked that I had ripped her off and I was rough as fook. She was a gobshite.

You know the type, scruffy bithc that needs drama and gossip to feel important.

I did patch up and explain why it happened, but she would not admit it was the door frames even though I explained several times about forcing a door into an un square frame, and the 2 kids that ran riot slamming them every day.

She kicked me out in end. It did piss me off for a while but your only as good as your last job and that's the only call back iv had in near 10 years.

Next time you quote, offer to rip down and re board, or explain that it will more than likely crack and you can't guarantee it.

I always tell customers that I can't guarantee over skims, as I had no control over what happens with the existing plaster.

You can only repair something so many times before you hack out and start again.
 
definate loft insulation men! tell em to **** off unless they paying again, and paying what you asking the price is the price if you yeild to them trying to chip you they think you was trying to rip em with first price and don't trust you also you won't be happy doing the job cos you think your the one getting ripped off now. 99% oof people are idiots they got a mate who said he had a full room plastered for £200 so they think that thats what it costs to plaster a room regardless of size or amount of prep. this is the hardest thing about being self employed as it has nothing to to with plastering its psycology, people skills and being able to manipulate a conversation to go the way you want it to. you are in the driving seat they asked you to come to their house they're not doing you a favor giving you the work even if you really need the wages they are just trying to get as much as pos for as little as pos out of you then you could drop dead for all they bothered. i always ask what i think is a fair price for me and them and in return respect their home and leave the best job i can with minimal fuss, if they don't like my price then get an alcoholic or some tit who been on a course 2 months ago, they do nice cheap jobs
I know the jobs more than good enough especially considering the state the ceiling was in, the age of the house and what it was going on to. I don't think the loft insulation guys done the ceiling any favous either. But the customers denyd the empty rolls in the front garden saying it was insulated before the ceiling was skimmed so it's my fault it cracked. It's hard to make sence and get through to some people, especially woman. When i start trying to explain the reasons they just look through me and expect it to look like they do on the deluxe advert.
Think im best trying to think of a way to put her off the idea of a reskim really...
 
Get real!! there is good money to be earned in over-skimming ,and it's nice for us to paint and skim !! who wants to go right back to the joist's/brick ,dusty **** -job easy-money all the way please ......
I think thats what I said. I have millions of pva and skim metres done, I work for people who buy semi derelict houses and we get to tart them to decorating stage, it is always more profitable than new work which is so metre rate based and we get screwed down too much. ps on my own house's I go back to brickwork and joist where I feel it necessary ..
 
Go over th ridges with Gyproc dry wall cement and sand down with gyproc paper,no mess a little dust then it.s up to him,i think you,ve been more then fair.
 
Tell her if she wants a re-skim to pay you for it, but it will probably happen again.

Offer her a rip down (ceiling, not her panties) reboard and skim and then you can guarantee.

Ask her How much more weight does she want to add to this cracking old lath ceiling.
 
Horror ceilng

On one occasion we were called to a house to price a job, single mother (other half buggered off when young'un was born), young'un crawling about on the floor. Looked at the ceiling and it had cracked and was showing signs of movement. Got steps out and gave it a little push and a huge slab came loose. Must have been at least 3 inches thick in places! Got the lass out of the room with her bairn and checked a bit more - another 3 ft sq piece came down! We got our ligga top out and screwed it to the ceiling with long screws. Told the lass to stay out and showed her the pieces that had come off and the weight. She was nearly in tears with shock.
We postponed the job we were doing the next day and ripped the lot down, near enough filled our trailer (which is big enough to hold 8x4 sheets with room). Cut inside of the old cornice and centre rose as it was solid enough and boarded it all out+skimmed. Probably one of the worst lathe and plaster ceiling we've come across and to think her bairn was crawling around under it - doesn't bear thinking about.
 
i knew you would have a story Rhys.......................:RpS_laugh:
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Rich could you please be moved to head of knauf plaster division?




Go in the middle of the day - prefereably when it is sunny (ha ha ha ha ha...sorry).... then ask them to show you the issues without a light on...... I bet they can't!

then when they show you the issue
s with the lights on.... ask them to go in all the other rooms and see what they look like...... offer to reskim the room you already did, as long as you can do the rest of the ceilings in the house at their cost!


I am no expert at this, but I am sure there is some BS standard that says that the wall / ceiling has to be looked at from a certain distance and with a certain sort of light, then certain defects are acceptable......? ask whoever supplied the plaster to confirm that.....

Good Luck mate!
 
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