Plastering finish not amazing, what are my options?

Members online

Total: 690 (members: 10, guests: 680)

Share this page

Rachel G

Rachel G

New Member
Hi all,

I got a plasterer in recommended by a friend. He wasn't the most expensive but also not cheap (3.5k for about 7-8 days work on a one bed with his workmate, South London). I went to have a look today and he said they'd finished the upstairs. I'm not sure what to expect as this is my first house but there are some small bobbles on the surface and trowel marks visible around light fittings. Should that be there? Is it normal that I get to point it out and he fixes it at the end, like a 'snag list'? If I accept the work then can I do anything to make a better surface before decorating?

Thanks
Rachel
 
"Not amazing" is definitely a step up from what we've seen lately.
We're usually amazed at how bad the work is.
 
Rachel G said:
Hi all,

I got a plasterer in recommended by a friend. He wasn't the most expensive but also not cheap (3.5k for about 7-8 days work on a one bed with his workmate, South London). I went to have a look today and he said they'd finished the upstairs. I'm not sure what to expect as this is my first house but there are some small bobbles on the surface and trowel marks visible around light fittings. Should that be there? Is it normal that I get to point it out and he fixes it at the end, like a 'snag list'? If I accept the work then can I do anything to make a better surface before decorating?

Thanks
Rachel
Click to expand...
Get some pics up for the perverts.
 
no spread should leave you with anything but a surface to paint straight onto, no filling or sanding to do but unfortunately the trades gone to shiiit and it's now full of chancers, youtubers, corsas and (quick in and out time is money) site slags masquerading as decent domestics who don't/can't put the effort required into this job to get the end result
you've even got to be careful nowadays of recommendations and reviews on trades as they are easily faked
plastering was once looked on as a skilled trade now it seems any fker can do it.... if you can pi$$ you can plaster
 
clone of lurpak said:
no spread should leave you with anything but a surface to paint straight onto, no filling or sanding to do but unfortunately the trades gone to shiiit and it's now full of chancers, youtubers, corsas and (quick in and out time is money) site slags masquerading as decent domestics who don't/can't put the effort required into this job to get the end result
you've even got to be careful nowadays of recommendations and reviews on trades as they are easily faked
plastering was once looked on as a skilled trade now it seems any fker can do it.... if you can pi$$ you can plaster
Click to expand...
Chancers, youtubers,corsas and site slags :ROFLMAO:
Love it! :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
hector said:
some photos would help rachel, what was the most expensive quote you had, is it an old property
Click to expand...
Not an old property (80s house I plasterboarded myself to a high standard). Most quotes were 5k. Here are some pics - some 'snot' and trowel marks but rest of upstairs looks okay.
 

Attachments

  • 20231024_124136.jpg
    20231024_124136.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 224
  • 20231024_124209.jpg
    20231024_124209.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 227
  • 20231024_124352.jpg
    20231024_124352.jpg
    1.6 MB · Views: 224
  • 20231024_124416.jpg
    20231024_124416.jpg
    911 KB · Views: 211
  • 20231024_124509.jpg
    20231024_124509.jpg
    961.2 KB · Views: 229
Rachel G said:
Not an old property (80s house I plasterboarded myself to a high standard). Most quotes were 5k. Here are some pics - some 'snot' and trowel marks but rest of upstairs looks okay.
Click to expand...
Snots scrape off the rest is dog shite.
 
The point is, he is finishing tomorrow so should I try to insist he does something about the trowel marks or is that the decorator‘s job, ie me? I don’t know the etiquette around this, whose responsibility is it?
 
Rachel G said:
Not an old property (80s house I plasterboarded myself to a high standard). Most quotes were 5k. Here are some pics - some 'snot' and trowel marks but rest of upstairs looks okay.
Click to expand...

The snots are snots but not that much of an issue... the corner is not that bad... certainly not the best I have seen but not bad
 
Rachel G said:
The point is, he is finishing tomorrow so should I try to insist he does something about the trowel marks or is that the decorator‘s job, ie me? I don’t know the etiquette around this, whose responsibility is it?
Click to expand...

i would get a mist(miss) coat on and see...
 
Use Dulux trade supermatt for mist coat. Only dilute with 10% water and go from there.
Put second mist coat on once sorted imperfections. Dulux trade covers well.
 
Rachel G said:
Not an old property (80s house I plasterboarded myself to a high standard). Most quotes were 5k. Here are some pics - some 'snot' and trowel marks but rest of upstairs looks okay.
Click to expand...
Dug poo don’t let them skim anymore
 
Ritch said:
Dug poo don’t let them skim anymore
Click to expand...
Yes it probably is a bit poo and I would not have him back. Problem is he has finished now but even if he hadn't then it seems very hard to find a competent plasterer (from what people are saying on forums that is). Everyone else who quoted wanted 5k for this 50m2 house. Not sure what a fair price would have been as I'm renovating by myself and only hired gas plumber and electrician so who were both good but very different trades from plastering. This guy was word of mouth from a tradie friend which seemed a sensible way to go. What do people do to find a decent plasterer nowadays? Seems very hard compared to finding other good tradespeople.
 
FreeD said:
Pay decent money if most of the quotes were 5K that's where you went wrong.
Click to expand...
That would have worked out as £625 a day assuming it still only took 2 men 8 working days which is more than my electrician and plumber when you factor in materials (I think - not quite sure how much material a plasterer normally uses). Seems a bit steep even for London but I take your point.
 
Rachel G said:
That would have worked out as £625 a day assuming it still only took 2 men 8 working days which is more than my electrician and plumber when you factor in materials (I think - not quite sure how much material a plasterer normally uses). Seems a bit steep even for London but I take your point.
Click to expand...

I don't think you can compare electrician and plumbers prices with plasterers. We have a dark art very few can master. Anyone can be a plumber these days...plumbers push the pipes together and electricians plug in the heat pump. If you are running a business £300 - £400 a day really is not that much with all the overheads. Anyway back to your job just hire a Flex sander for the day and blitz it.
 
Rachel G said:
Yes it probably is a bit poo and I would not have him back. Problem is he has finished now but even if he hadn't then it seems very hard to find a competent plasterer (from what people are saying on forums that is). Everyone else who quoted wanted 5k for this 50m2 house. Not sure what a fair price would have been as I'm renovating by myself and only hired gas plumber and electrician so who were both good but very different trades from plastering. This guy was word of mouth from a tradie friend which seemed a sensible way to go. What do people do to find a decent plasterer nowadays? Seems very hard compared to finding other good tradespeople.
Click to expand...
Well you've answered your own question. If most others were quoting 5k and you went for a cheaper option you're as much to blame as the chump who threw plaster around your house.
 
essexandy said:
Well you've answered your own question. If most others were quoting 5k and you went for a cheaper option you're as much to blame as the chump who threw plaster around your house.
Click to expand...
Agreed - Customers should always go for the highest price

Spreaders are on minimum 800 a day or 100 an hour and homeowners need to be at home to serve tea and biscuits otherwise they are to blame
 
I totally understand the need to pay someone a fair price but the ‘going rate’ for trades doesn’t always seem to correspond with levels of competence. One of the 5k guys was from checkatrade which I don’t trust as I understand they remove negative reviews. The other was a relative of my electrician who did a couple of days plasterboarding and I had to rip out the window reveals as they looked wonky to the naked eye. Doubt either of them would have been a better way to go than a personal recommend off someone with construction experience. As a woman I get a lot of piss take quotes from condescending tradies who assume I won’t know what I’m talking about so paying more doesn’t always avoid problems. But interesting if you’re all saying £625 is a fair day rate for a plasterer and mate - the electrician and plumber both said that was a crazy price but obviously they are in different trades.
 
A competent plasterer can manipulate the properties in materials to achieve more accomplishments in one day than a learner or newbie can thus can achieve a job in quicker time but the job is worth the price of the job as your not paying for a labourer but a skilled trades person

there was once a tanker, like the ones you see deliver petrol and diesel to the fuel station you know the ones, it had a big dent in it from a bump it received in a bad manoeuvre by the driver.
they called out a guy to fix it. He came, walked around the tanker for about an hour and a half then took out a hammer and punch and at a specific location hit the tanker vessel and the dent popped back to original design shape and he invoiced the client a lot of money. The client said
”How much? I could’ve done that myself”
guy said
“you couldn’t that is why you got me to come and do it.”
what may look easy is built on a wealth of hard won experience and worth every penny
 
Rachel G said:
I totally understand the need to pay someone a fair price but the ‘going rate’ for trades doesn’t always seem to correspond with levels of competence. One of the 5k guys was from checkatrade which I don’t trust as I understand they remove negative reviews. The other was a relative of my electrician who did a couple of days plasterboarding and I had to rip out the window reveals as they looked wonky to the naked eye. Doubt either of them would have been a better way to go than a personal recommend off someone with construction experience. As a woman I get a lot of piss take quotes from condescending tradies who assume I won’t know what I’m talking about so paying more doesn’t always avoid problems. But interesting if you’re all saying £625 is a fair day rate for a plasterer and mate - the electrician and plumber both said that was a crazy price but obviously they are in different trades.
Click to expand...
well rachel, i am not saying 625.00 a day is a fair day rate,

well and truly overcharged,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top