Looking for advice

[Looking for advice]

I recently had my living room ceiling removed and replaced as part of it had fallen down. When replacing it the plasterer knocked down the cornice on one side (it was completely intact before the job) He said he was unable to repair it and it was not his responsibility as my house is old and hence he was not liable. I have been quoted £650 for a mould to be made and it to be repaired by another plasterer. Am I right in thinking if he caused the damage he should be liable and not me? Also what can I do to get him pay up if he is liable?

 

[stuart23]

Hmmm, honestly without knowing the state the cornice was in before hand no one on here is going to help you go after the plasterer unfortunately.

 

[zolco]

These things happen sometimes unfortunately

 

[Looking for advice]

Hmmm, honestly without knowing the state the cornice was in before hand no one on here is going to help you go after the plasterer unfortunately.

There was no damage to it at all. I think he was not experienced with older properties. At one point there was a suggestion of nailing the plasterboard to the old lathes on the ceiling till I pointed out the were just millimetres thick!

 

[zolco]

There was no damage to it at all. I think he was not experienced with older properties. At one point there was a suggestion of nailing the plasterboard to the old lathes on the ceiling till I pointed out the were just millimetres thick!

Was he really using nails? Coving can give way when you disturbing an old ceiling, unfortunately less and less people doing the fibrous part of the trade, so it's not uncommon that people refuse to touch it.

 

[algeeman]

danny your site has turned into a free advice line.

 

[stuart23]

I refuse to remove old ceilings if there is cornice that must be kept, tried a few times to do it without damaging it but it always breaks somewhere.

 

[Danny]

There was no damage to it at all. I think he was not experienced with older properties. At one point there was a suggestion of nailing the plasterboard to the old lathes on the ceiling till I pointed out the were just millimetres thick!

at that point I would be questioning my choices

 

[flynnyman]

I recently had my living room ceiling removed and replaced as part of it had fallen down. When replacing it the plasterer knocked down the cornice on one side (it was completely intact before the job) He said he was unable to repair it and it was not his responsibility as my house is old and hence he was not liable. I have been quoted £650 for a mould to be made and it to be repaired by another plasterer. Am I right in thinking if he caused the damage he should be liable and not me? Also what can I do to get him pay up if he is liable?

It should of been pointed out to you it may fall down but Deffo should of left it hanging off to show you, I would expect it to be still up if he was only boarding a ceiling.

 

[stuart23]

It should of been pointed out to you it may fall down but Deffo should of left it hanging off to show you, I would expect it to be still up if he was only boarding a ceiling.

So if your knocking an old ceiling down and the cornice comes with it your paying for a new mould?

 

[Marshy]

You can run a grinder/oscillating multi tool around the edge first. I think any experienced spread should be able to remove a ceiling without damaging existing cornice?? If there's obvious clues that the cornice is loose/damaged it should be discussed before you start??

 

[zombie]

Personally I wouldn't put myself in that position in the first place I would of advised the pitfalls and offered to overboard with a stop bead trim around the perimeter of the board actually look nice detail when done properly.

As with all things communication & experience are king.

 

[flynnyman]

So if your knocking an old ceiling down and the cornice comes with it your paying for a new mould?

cornices don't fall down on their own have you ever tried to get one off? Like I said I would explain it could be damaged and I could repair it but it will be extra and we will deal with it if it's damaged. I guarantee this plonker has left some idiot there who has pulled down the laths that run below the cornice and that's what has f**k*d it and the excuse it's an old building is pathetic. If I left some one on a job and returned and one length of the cornice had been take Down then yes I would replace it Coz it's my responsibility, daft c**t probably could find the last joist and didn't know what to do so removed the cornice.

 

[zolco]

Yes nothing beats experience or common sense

 

[stuart23]

cornices don't fall down on their own have you ever tried to get one off? Like I said I would explain it could be damaged and I could repair it but it will be extra and we will deal with it if it's damaged. I guarantee this plonker has left some idiot there who has pulled down the laths that run below the cornice and that's what has f**k*d it and the excuse it's an old building is pathetic. If I left some one on a job and returned and one length of the cornice had been take Down then yes I would replace it Coz it's my responsibility, daft c**t probably could find the last joist and didn't know what to do so removed the cornice.

The ones I've came across the cornice has detached from the laths and it's only the bond with the ceiling keeping it up, massive problem around my area. I've used an Angle grinder and run it along ceiling line and this works in parts but when the ceiling comes down you can stick your hand in behind the cornice.

 

[stuart23]

Or the guy could just have been rough c**t, unfortunately we will never know without being there at time of removal. I'd say he wasn't responsible based on my own experience.

 

[flynnyman]

Or the guy could just have been rough c**t, unfortunately we will never know without being there at time of removal. I'd say he wasn't responsible based on my own experience.

I agree but his attitude and excuse is embarrassing.

 

[Pagey]

Smacks of taking the cheapest quote

 

[vfr12]

How come 80 % of the cases on here we conclude that is the tradesmen fault? I think is 100% customers fault no matter how you looking at it. He is the contractor, the manager, the client , he has looked for quotes and maid all the decisions down the route until everything goes south and then is the tradesman fault. Maybe he is not a tradesman at all, just the cheapest quote. I say it's the ops fault, for everything!

 

[zolco]

How come 80 % of the cases on here we conclude that is the tradesmen fault? I think is 100% customers fault no matter how you looking at it. He is the contractor, the manager, the client , he has looked for quotes and maid all the decisions down the route until everything goes south and then is the tradesman fault. Maybe he is not a tradesman at all, just the cheapest quote. I say it's the ops fault, for everything!

That's always the way, well said

 

[Dropsalot]

"I guarantee this plonker has left some idiot there who has pulled down the laths that run below the cornice and that's what has f**k*d it and the excuse it's an old building is pathetic. "

That's the trouble with the world today,......
"Plonkers" employing "some idiot" with a pathetic excuse book....
(Shaking head tutting).......

 

[flynnyman]

"I guarantee this plonker has left some idiot there who has pulled down the laths that run below the cornice and that's what has f**k*d it and the excuse it's an old building is pathetic. "

That's the trouble with the world today,......
"Plonkers" employing "some idiot" with a pathetic excuse book....
(Shaking head tutting).......

IT would be interesting to know which way the laths ran to the cornice that has fell down.