N
Nev
Guest
Hi people - now and again you come across something where the only answer is to walk away!
This morning I was asked to go & give an estimate for plastering up over a damp proof course - when I arrived the lower 3 foot had been hacked off throughout the ground floor and the guys working in there had fixed membrane over the brick without any priming or treatment. They had plasterboarded over this using a variety of 'fixing' methods none of which have worked properly- the boards are flapping / springing away from the wall and the membrane is not fixed flat to the brick - ie full of bulges and gaps.
- There is silicone squished between boards, oozing out and smeared over the plasterboards.
- Although they used proper membrane fixings there are long screws / plugs drilled through the board & membrane into the brick with no sealant leaving the so called dpc full of holes
- Some boards have drywall adhesive behind them onto the membrane but this is also flapping away from the brickwork
- In many areas the boards are standing well proud of the plaster above, blending would take it halfway to the ceiling. They insisted they didnt want the whole wall skimming to the top - they were happy to cover any step with a dado rail!
I couldn't see a way to salvage what they were doing. They have tried to minimise plastering costs by bodging the bulk of it themselves thinking they can just call in someone for a quick 'cheap' skim.
I advised ripping it all off, injecting proper dpc then doing a sand/cement job & skim to finish. No way were they having it. I am short of work and pretty skint a.t.m as theres so much competition round here I need every job I can get - but I had to draw the line at this one. If i attempted to put anything over that it would be absolutely shi*e and I ain't putting my name to it as 1: i'd be ashamed and 2: it would come back to bite me in future when the damp comes through the fresh paint. Good luck to 'em. There's some crazy people out there
btw if anyone can see a way to sort this out pls post !
This morning I was asked to go & give an estimate for plastering up over a damp proof course - when I arrived the lower 3 foot had been hacked off throughout the ground floor and the guys working in there had fixed membrane over the brick without any priming or treatment. They had plasterboarded over this using a variety of 'fixing' methods none of which have worked properly- the boards are flapping / springing away from the wall and the membrane is not fixed flat to the brick - ie full of bulges and gaps.
- There is silicone squished between boards, oozing out and smeared over the plasterboards.
- Although they used proper membrane fixings there are long screws / plugs drilled through the board & membrane into the brick with no sealant leaving the so called dpc full of holes
- Some boards have drywall adhesive behind them onto the membrane but this is also flapping away from the brickwork
- In many areas the boards are standing well proud of the plaster above, blending would take it halfway to the ceiling. They insisted they didnt want the whole wall skimming to the top - they were happy to cover any step with a dado rail!
I couldn't see a way to salvage what they were doing. They have tried to minimise plastering costs by bodging the bulk of it themselves thinking they can just call in someone for a quick 'cheap' skim.
I advised ripping it all off, injecting proper dpc then doing a sand/cement job & skim to finish. No way were they having it. I am short of work and pretty skint a.t.m as theres so much competition round here I need every job I can get - but I had to draw the line at this one. If i attempted to put anything over that it would be absolutely shi*e and I ain't putting my name to it as 1: i'd be ashamed and 2: it would come back to bite me in future when the damp comes through the fresh paint. Good luck to 'em. There's some crazy people out there

btw if anyone can see a way to sort this out pls post !