Bad Plaster Job Advice Please

A

Al92

New Member
Hi all,
I'd really appreciate an opinion on some work we had done recently. Last year we used a plasterer to do our hallway and living room and they did an excellent job. So this year when we decided to have our spare room done we asked them to do it. Same guys under a different man. They quoted and though it was a high quote we accepted as they'd previously done a good job.
Sadly this time they left a terrible mess, photos attached. Lumps everywhere, small holes in large areas of plaster, mesh poking through.
We stupidly paid when it was still wet, I know... stupid when we weren't happy with it.
What is worse is that we since realised they didn't strip the wall paper-we didn't know this when we paid, only when some of the edging chipped off. So they have used render mesh and plaster over the paper. He argues this is fine and if we wanted the paper removing we should have stipulated, but since it has been removed in previous jobs with them and that not plastering on paper is standard practice we assumed it would be this time (and surely if he wasn't prepared to remove it he should have told us to give us the chance to?)
So now we are in a position where we paid over the odds for plasterers to render mesh and plaster our wallpaper. There are areas where skirting boards are indistinguishable because of the added plaster to the wall.
Any advice on what we can do, our rights and opinions of the job would be welcome. Thank you
 

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Is one of them pics taking underneath a boiler? Those little strips that have been plastered around pipes are probably the hardest thing to do, can you take a picture standing a little bit back from the wal showing the full wall.
 
Same guys under a different man?
Is this new man called Donald Trump?
That work is not too bad considering it is over wallpaper- I’m impressed!
 
Al92 said:
Hi all,
I'd really appreciate an opinion on some work we had done recently. Last year we used a plasterer to do our hallway and living room and they did an excellent job. So this year when we decided to have our spare room done we asked them to do it. Same guys under a different man. They quoted and though it was a high quote we accepted as they'd previously done a good job.
Sadly this time they left a terrible mess, photos attached. Lumps everywhere, small holes in large areas of plaster, mesh poking through.
We stupidly paid when it was still wet, I know... stupid when we weren't happy with it.
What is worse is that we since realised they didn't strip the wall paper-we didn't know this when we paid, only when some of the edging chipped off. So they have used render mesh and plaster over the paper. He argues this is fine and if we wanted the paper removing we should have stipulated, but since it has been removed in previous jobs with them and that not plastering on paper is standard practice we assumed it would be this time (and surely if he wasn't prepared to remove it he should have told us to give us the chance to?)
So now we are in a position where we paid over the odds for plasterers to render mesh and plaster our wallpaper. There are areas where skirting boards are indistinguishable because of the added plaster to the wall.
Any advice on what we can do, our rights and opinions of the job would be welcome. Thank you
Click to expand...
@Casper u been up to your old tricks again u ruff sock
 
stuart23 said:
Is one of them pics taking underneath a boiler? Those little strips that have been plastered around pipes are probably the hardest thing to do, can you take a picture standing a little bit back from the wal showing the full wall.
Click to expand...
I agree, if the gaps are that small and fiddly they customer will be told before hand that they will have to be boxed in or striped away from the wall.....
 
So you would all put render mesh and plaster directly over wallpaper. With no mention to the client that this is what you're going to do and despite the fact that for all other jobs you've done for the same client have involved wall paper removal?
 
For gods sake there's these things called margin trowels,youve been caspered pal...could of atleast brushed it in flat on the edges so was blended in which is really easy to do,he should of said remove wallpaper before he came thats standard.absoloute s**t show of a job
 
He told us the mesh was necessary because we live in an Edwardian maisonette so the walls are old. He said this would drive up costs but we accepted it because we thought the walls probably weren't in great condition and would need an element of repair once paper was removed. He charged £33 per sq meter for the render mesh (on top of everything else) and it was 40sq metre in total. Surely mesh on top of paper is pointless?
 
Al92 said:
He told us the mesh was necessary because we live in an Edwardian maisonette so the walls are old. He said this would drive up costs but we accepted it because we thought the walls probably weren't in great condition and would need an element of repair once paper was removed. He charged £33 per sq meter for the render mesh (on top of everything else) and it was 40sq metre in total. Surely mesh on top of paper is pointless?
Click to expand...
Pointless meshing over paper...but am i getting this right,he charged 1300 quid just for putting mesh on the walls.? What was the overall price ?
 
Al92 said:
He told us the mesh was necessary because we live in an Edwardian maisonette so the walls are old. He said this would drive up costs but we accepted it because we thought the walls probably weren't in great condition and would need an element of repair once paper was removed. He charged £33 per sq meter for the render mesh (on top of everything else) and it was 40sq metre in total. Surely mesh on top of paper is pointless?
Click to expand...
£33m2 just to render mesh the walls? He's had your pants down big time matey if you've paid that hahaha bloody hell
 
Yep I know, we've been really naive in trusting his advice that mesh was a requirement for our walls and accepting that it was an expensive requirement at that.
As Brimstone says trading standards probably worth a go. Though the agreed price is our fault, I'm gathering that he's not done a job up to standard practice in putting it on to wall paper. He didn't at any point say we needed to remove it first.
 
Al92 said:
He told us the mesh was necessary because we live in an Edwardian maisonette so the walls are old. He said this would drive up costs but we accepted it because we thought the walls probably weren't in great condition and would need an element of repair once paper was removed. He charged £33 per sq meter for the render mesh (on top of everything else) and it was 40sq metre in total. Surely mesh on top of paper is pointless?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately mate, it Sounds like you’ve been had over, The finish down to the skirting board is terrible!!
 
Fatarm said:
Pointless meshing over paper...but am i getting this right,he charged 1300 quid just for putting mesh on the walls.? What was the overall price ?
Click to expand...
Yes, it was £2500 in total. We thought we were paying for an expensive process in using the mesh on our old walls. We realise now we've been well and truly ripped off even if he had done the job properly and removed the wall paper.
 
Couldn't see pics earlier due to poor signal...
Not good...
Mesh ?
If it's fibre render mesh I'm sorry to say it's 30.00 to 75. 00 for 50m roll....
 
I appreciate you all think I'm stupid for being so badly conned on price but does anyone have any advice regarding our rights to money back or job being redone given that he put the mesh and plaster on paper and essentially made the whole job pointless?
 
Al92 said:
I appreciate you all think I'm stupid for being so badly conned on price but does anyone have any advice regarding our rights to money back or job being redone given that he put the mesh and plaster on paper and essentially made the whole job pointless?
Click to expand...
small claims court, but you will need 2 written reports from established plasterers, and it will take time and costs to pay,but this can be claimed back, but well and truly conned
 
Al92 said:
I appreciate you all think I'm stupid for being so badly conned on price but does anyone have any advice regarding our rights to money back or job being redone given that he put the mesh and plaster on paper and essentially made the whole job pointless?
Click to expand...
To be fair most people who come on here have a bad job done because they went with the absolute cheapest of the cheap and so get no sympathy.

You’ve done the opposite by putting your hand in your pocket wanting a decent job.

Don’t feel stupid. How were you to know? It’s not your profession.

Hope you find a resolution
 
JessThePlasterer said:
To be fair most people who come on here have a bad job done because they went with the absolute cheapest of the cheap and so get no sympathy.

You’ve done the opposite by putting your hand in your pocket wanting a decent job.

Don’t feel stupid. How were you to know? It’s not your profession.

Hope you find a resolution
Click to expand...
Thank you
 
Final post, but it's been helpful to get your responses thank you. Even if we are providing comedy value in the extent of our being conned...
When we realised he had not removed the wallpaper (and it was definitely patterned wall paper not lining paper- I have photos of it before) we asked why they hadnt removed it this time and that this seemed wrong.

His response:
In your house you do not have wallpaper in the bedroom, you have lining paper that strengthens the walls against cracks because your walls are soft and are done on matting not brick or solid plasterboard. Once that was the technology for strengthening the walls, if the lining paper was to be removed it is highly likely the old plaster to come off with the paper, this will lead to complicating the job thus significantly higher price for plastering.

Because of the circumstance we have taken measures to fully strengthen the walls and ceiling with specialist hardwall (tougher than the normal one we use) and render mesh.

Prior to each operation we have prepared the walls with a specialist waterproof impregnator that does not allow the moisture to soak into the surfaces and additionally strengthens the walls and ceilings in depth. This is more than enough to strengthen all kinds of surfaces and prevents further problems such as cracking and softness of the surfaces.

Multi-finish plaster has been done on two coats to thicken and further strengthen the surface.

After completing the job cleaning of corners and imperfections is to be done immediately before painting by the tradesman who is to complete the paintwork. All processes to complete the job have been done to follow manufacturer specifications, this guarantees the quality of the work.

Until the plaster is fully dried the material does not allow any further corrections, as a result the painter has to do making good not the plasterer. This is because of the plaster drying time. Technologically any corrections for plaster are done after first mist coat with diluted paint (ratio 1:1) after paint is fully dried.

I hope we have been detailed enough in the information we are sending you.
 
Al92 said:
Final post, but it's been helpful to get your responses thank you. Even if we are providing comedy value in the extent of our being conned...
When we realised he had not removed the wallpaper (and it was definitely patterned wall paper not lining paper- I have photos of it before) we asked why they hadnt removed it this time and that this seemed wrong.

His response:
In your house you do not have wallpaper in the bedroom, you have lining paper that strengthens the walls against cracks because your walls are soft and are done on matting not brick or solid plasterboard. Once that was the technology for strengthening the walls, if the lining paper was to be removed it is highly likely the old plaster to come off with the paper, this will lead to complicating the job thus significantly higher price for plastering.

Because of the circumstance we have taken measures to fully strengthen the walls and ceiling with specialist hardwall (tougher than the normal one we use) and render mesh.

Prior to each operation we have prepared the walls with a specialist waterproof impregnator that does not allow the moisture to soak into the surfaces and additionally strengthens the walls and ceilings in depth. This is more than enough to strengthen all kinds of surfaces and prevents further problems such as cracking and softness of the surfaces.

Multi-finish plaster has been done on two coats to thicken and further strengthen the surface.

After completing the job cleaning of corners and imperfections is to be done immediately before painting by the tradesman who is to complete the paintwork. All processes to complete the job have been done to follow manufacturer specifications, this guarantees the quality of the work.

Until the plaster is fully dried the material does not allow any further corrections, as a result the painter has to do making good not the plasterer. This is because of the plaster drying time. Technologically any corrections for plaster are done after first mist coat with diluted paint (ratio 1:1) after paint is fully dried.

I hope we have been detailed enough in the information we are sending you.
Click to expand...
They are full of s**t!
 
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