Please help

Discussion in 'Painters' Talk' started by Vanessa m, May 16, 2015.

  1. Vanessa m

    Vanessa m New Member

    Just come on here as need some help and wondered if you lovely people can help me .don't know really if my builder is trying to pull a fast one or in fact it me in the wrong

    Just had a garage conversion done and at first was happy , then they started the plastering and to be honest am not happy with the finished job ,it is all flaking away where the wall meets the ceiling , there are
    Holes around the light fitting is and where the wall has a curve you can see the plasterboard , spoken to the builder and he said he was happy with the job and that if I wanted a better finish I should have book his decorating service as well which cost an extra £450 .is this just me or am I expecting to much , as I am a single middle aged lady I really have no idea if what he is saying is right
    Thanks in advance
     
    Phil the Paver likes this.
  2. Hi Vanessa.

    Hopefully this should be an easy one...

    It all comes down to what you agreed at the beginning.

    I presume it includes everything to make the conversion ready to move in to? And this includes painting, for example?

    In which case it needs to be done to a satisfactory standard. That means no holes, gaps, flaking bits, exposed plasterboard (tho' that might not matter once it's painted), etc.

    It's a bit of a tricky one deciding what is 'satisfactory' as some people will expect a perfectly smooth, blemish-free finish, whereas most walls don't have to be 'perfect' to look completely acceptable.

    (Any new-build homes nearby? Could you have a look inside them? That will give you an idea of what to expect - and it won't include obvious gaps and stuff...)

    So, what exactly are these guys contracted to do? What 'stage' are they meant to take the extension to? Ready to move in?
     
  3. FatHands

    FatHands Well-Known Member

    can you upload some photos of the pieces you are not happy with?
     
  4. Vanessa m

    Vanessa m New Member

    Thank you so much for your replies,
    Put on a couple of photo of work !!!
     

    Attached Files:

  5. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    Very poor finish ouch! :eek:

    That's more than a job ready for decorating.
     
  6. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Extremely poor workmanship.:(
     
  7. I agree with Astra - there will be a few hours sanding a and filling to do there.

    However, when it's all done it'll look great, so don't at all become disheartened about this conversion.

    I think it still comes down to what I said previously; what you agreed at the beginning. Does it include everything to make the conversion 'ready to move in to'? Does this includes painting, for example?

    In which case it needs to be done to a satisfactory standard. That means no holes, gaps, flaking bits, exposed plasterboard (tho' that might not matter once it's painted), etc.
     
  8. Hi again Vanessa.

    I notice in your first post he mentions that you could "book his decorating service as well which cost an extra £450" if you wanted that plaster finish improved.

    I presume by that he means getting it all painted inside?

    So 'painting' was not included? In which case, who was going to paint it - yourself or a paid decorator?

    Ok, first things first; part of this conversion job obviously was to give it a 'plaster skim'? In which case that needs to be done to a satisfactory standard, regardless of who is going to paint it afterwards. And from the photos you've shown us, some parts are definitely not to a satisfactory standard - so you can insist he sorts them for the initial agreed price for the whole conversion.

    That shouldn't take him long, but it's a bit depressing that a self-respecting builder - who should be proud of his work - would seemingly haggle over this or even leave it looking so poor in the first place.

    However, if you were going to get a decorator in to paint it afterwards anyway, then perhaps you could agree his 'decorator service' for the additional £450 - that price seems fair enough for a whole room's decorating, and I wonder if you'd get it cheaper elsewhere?

    However, however, if you were planning to paint this room yourself, then he simply needs to improve that plaster finish in these areas - end of. Or you'll withhold a sum from the final payment that will cover someone else doing this - say £200 or so?

    I'm not saying that the plaster skim needs to be perfect and blemish-free - I would hope that all pro painters would give these surfaces a quick going over with fine grit to make sure the finish they obtain will be spot on in any case - but there should not be any obvious gaps, obvious bumps, tape showing through, flaking bits, etc etc.

    So, your call - depending on who was going to do the painting anyway. I'd tell them either "Sorry, but a skimmed plaster finish should be better than this, and I expect you to put it right - or I will get someone else to, and withhold that amount from you," or "I'm not happy with the existing finish, but I am considering asking you to do the complete decorating in any case for the additional £450 - but the final finish MUST be acceptable to me."
     
  9. Vanessa m

    Vanessa m New Member

    Thank you all for your comments , I feel alot more confident in my comments to him now , I have him coming round today so fingers crossed for me !!
    Thx again x
     
  10. Report back :)

    Don't forget, he is the one in the 'wrong', not you. If he isn't helpful and contrite, then he's a twit, and you shouldn't have to feel bad about pointing out the bleedin' obvious to him...
     
  11. FatHands

    FatHands Well-Known Member

    Hi,
    I would go so far to say that any plastering work (in my opinion) should be ready for painting.
    I know of people who don't put as much effort in when they know its going to be wall-papered because the work will be good enough for this - is this what they have been told perhaps?
    I am not making excuses for them, just saying that some plasterers will not be too fussy about their work when they know it is going to be wall papered our tiled over and the occupiers are not going to see the finish of their work.
    The second thing is price: was this garage conversion project with one company to do the complete thing, or have you appointed individual trades? If its a company to do the whole works, i would say to whoever they send that you are not happy with the finish and would like it done again. The may surprise you and agree its not up to standard and get it re-done to a good standard. If not, say you are going to get 3 quotes in to sort it and expect and alteration in the invoice.
     
  12. Boolay

    Boolay Member

    Get the plasterer back, what poor workmanship. I'm not a plasterer but would have done a better job. How could he say that it is acceptable. Yes us decorators do expect a bit of work to be done after the plasterer but he should not have left it in that state. Good luck
     
  13. Jitender

    Jitender Screwfix Select

    Poor workmanship, also in the first pic is there hairline cracks in the plaster? I wold say more than a couple of hours to put right.

    A plastered surface should be nice and flat with minimal sanding and filling.

    Also poor fitting skirting boards - not correctly mitered.
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2015
  14. Is that skirting board in the first pic?!

    Aaaarrrgh!
     
  15. Phil the Paver

    Phil the Paver Screwfix Select

    What's worse, the plastering or the carpentry.

    The skirting doesn't even fit the corner and the plaster, well what can one say, oh yer RUBBISH.
     
  16. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select


    It's not even in the corner. Or is it? I don't know! Where is the corner? Is there one?

    :(

    Mr. HandyAndy - Really
     
  17. Jitender

    Jitender Screwfix Select

    Looks like chamfered 75mm skirting, can you see the hair line cracks above it.

    Also as the builder has carried out other work, and this is the standard that it is done by. Then there are likely to be other problems, maybe a professional view from another party would reveal this, if you are unsure of the standard of workmanship.
     
  18. seen it all before

    seen it all before Active Member

    Needs to re skimmed the whole lot, and re fit the skirting.
     

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