Livid….

S

Sparky88

New Member
I’m a spark by trade but I have plastered 3 whole houses in my time and was originally apprenticed as a decorator.

im doing some work for my sister who’s having a garage converted into a granny flat.
she’s used a contractor but I’ve done the plumbing and electrics.
when I saw the way they done the drains and the dpm which had gaps in it and didn’t come up the wall in some places, I had a fair idea of the sort of job it was going to turn out and recommended she launch him before the pour. She wouldn’t and not wanting them to ruin a grands worth of insulation in the walls, I did the insulation as well.

Anyhow, the plasterer has come in, magicoat one coat, im not too impressed with the finish as basically he’s put it on, it’s a bit rough and then polished it to glass. It’s seems you can polish a turd…

I’ve just spent the day power sanding it and put a coat of paint on which just ain’t coveriing too well.
There we’re patches where the paint just wouldn’t take.
Then it hit me. PVA.! I went out on the drive to look and there was the empty container.

Why, why, why do people do this….?

The paint can’t soak into the plaster (Leland contract Matt - white) the paint won’t cover and it taints the shade.

I thought the plaster was supposed to be able to breath?

The paint has been on 10 hours and it still feels clammy to the touch.

Can anyone explain to me why in the blue blazes of fcuk anyone would do this?

Ive worked on some of the biggest build projects in the country and never in 30 years have I seen plasterers rock up with PVA to add to the mix to skim board…
 
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Sparky88 said:
I’m a spark by trade but I have plastered 3 whole houses in my time and was originally apprenticed as a decorator.

im doing some work for my sister who’s having a garage converted into a granny flat.
she’s used a contractor but I’ve done the plumbing and electrics.
when I saw the way they done the drains and the dpm which had gaps in it and didn’t come up the wall in some places, I had a fair idea of the sort of job it was going to turn out and recommended she launch him before the pour. She wouldn’t and not wanting them to ruin a grands worth of insulation in the walls, I did the insulation as well.

Anyhow, the plasterer has come in, magicoat one coat, im not too impressed with the finish as basically he’s put it on, it’s a bit rough and then polished it to glass. It’s seems you can polish a turd…

I’ve just spent the day power sanding it and put a coat of paint on which just ain’t coveriing too well.
There we’re patches where the paint just wouldn’t take.
Then it hit me. PVA.! I went out on the drive to look and there was the empty container.

Why, why, why do people do this….?

The paint can’t soak into the plaster (Leland contract Matt - white) the paint won’t cover and it taints the shade.

I thought the plaster was supposed to be able to breath?

The paint has been on 10 hours and it still feels clammy to the touch.

Can anyone explain to me why in the blue blazes of fcuk anyone would do this?

Ive worked on some of the biggest build projects in the country and never in 30 years have I seen plasterers rock up with PVA to add to the mix to skim board…
Click to expand...
Your amazing im yer no1 fan
 
it's the way of the world pal I'm afraid......we've got a generation of fkin clueless chancers in plastering....seen plenty of evidence of it on here over the years
 
Sparky88 said:
I’m a spark by trade but I have plastered 3 whole houses in my time and was originally apprenticed as a decorator.

im doing some work for my sister who’s having a garage converted into a granny flat.
she’s used a contractor but I’ve done the plumbing and electrics.
when I saw the way they done the drains and the dpm which had gaps in it and didn’t come up the wall in some places, I had a fair idea of the sort of job it was going to turn out and recommended she launch him before the pour. She wouldn’t and not wanting them to ruin a grands worth of insulation in the walls, I did the insulation as well.

Anyhow, the plasterer has come in, magicoat one coat, im not too impressed with the finish as basically he’s put it on, it’s a bit rough and then polished it to glass. It’s seems you can polish a turd…

I’ve just spent the day power sanding it and put a coat of paint on which just ain’t coveriing too well.
There we’re patches where the paint just wouldn’t take.
Then it hit me. PVA.! I went out on the drive to look and there was the empty container.

Why, why, why do people do this….?

The paint can’t soak into the plaster (Leland contract Matt - white) the paint won’t cover and it taints the shade.

I thought the plaster was supposed to be able to breath?

The paint has been on 10 hours and it still feels clammy to the touch.

Can anyone explain to me why in the blue blazes of fcuk anyone would do this?

Ive worked on some of the biggest build projects in the country and never in 30 years have I seen plasterers rock up with PVA to add to the mix to skim board…
Click to expand...
That lehland paint is trash covers awful, I’ve just converted my garage had dulux to start then ran out and finished it with that layland not a trade paint even tho it’s says it’s is
 
Sparky88 said:
I’m a spark by trade but I have plastered 3 whole houses in my time and was originally apprenticed as a decorator.

im doing some work for my sister who’s having a garage converted into a granny flat.
she’s used a contractor but I’ve done the plumbing and electrics.
when I saw the way they done the drains and the dpm which had gaps in it and didn’t come up the wall in some places, I had a fair idea of the sort of job it was going to turn out and recommended she launch him before the pour. She wouldn’t and not wanting them to ruin a grands worth of insulation in the walls, I did the insulation as well.

Anyhow, the plasterer has come in, magicoat one coat, im not too impressed with the finish as basically he’s put it on, it’s a bit rough and then polished it to glass. It’s seems you can polish a turd…

I’ve just spent the day power sanding it and put a coat of paint on which just ain’t coveriing too well.
There we’re patches where the paint just wouldn’t take.
Then it hit me. PVA.! I went out on the drive to look and there was the empty container.

Why, why, why do people do this….?

The paint can’t soak into the plaster (Leland contract Matt - white) the paint won’t cover and it taints the shade.

I thought the plaster was supposed to be able to breath?

The paint has been on 10 hours and it still feels clammy to the touch.

Can anyone explain to me why in the blue blazes of fcuk anyone would do this?

Ive worked on some of the biggest build projects in the country and never in 30 years have I seen plasterers rock up with PVA to add to the mix to skim board…
Click to expand...
I find it hard to believe that he added pva to the mix, that went out with Nelsons eye. More likley just over polished it to death. s**t happens !
 
Monkey Boy said:
Sometimes a spred will severely hard trowel finish if the painter is annoying
just saying
Click to expand...
Done it.
Labourer once said to decorator are you painter . He said I.m a decorator not a painter. f**k**g prick. So after we finished a fair size ceiling I said to lab just keep.running plastic fantastic over ceiling. In end you could look up at ceiling and see ye sen looking back.

Next time we saw joiners who got us job . They said that decorator was slagging us . Said every time he tried to run roller over ceiling it was just sliding lol
 
John j said:
Done it.
Labourer once said to decorator are you painter . He said I.m a decorator not a painter. f**k**g prick. So after we finished a fair size ceiling I said to lab just keep.running plastic fantastic over ceiling. In end you could look up at ceiling and see ye sen looking back.

Next time we saw joiners who got us job . They said that decorator was slagging us . Said every time he tried to run roller over ceiling it was just sliding lol
Click to expand...
If someone had asked my granddad if he was a painter he would also have replied, "no I'm the decorator". Why? Because there's a world of difference between the two. So I'd say it's you that's the "f**k**g prick".
Then to compound things you deliberately do your job incorrectly, even though you've been recommended by another trade on the job, making them look bad as well. f**k**g hell!
 
essexandy said:
If someone had asked my granddad if he was a painter he would also have replied, "no I'm the decorator". Why? Because there's a world of difference between the two. So I'd say it's you that's the "f**k**g prick".
Then to compound things you deliberately do your job incorrectly, even though you've been recommended by another trade on the job, making them look bad as well. f**k**g hell!
Click to expand...
Livid….
 
John j said:
Done it.
Labourer once said to decorator are you painter . He said I.m a decorator not a painter. f**k**g prick. So after we finished a fair size ceiling I said to lab just keep.running plastic fantastic over ceiling. In end you could look up at ceiling and see ye sen looking back.

Next time we saw joiners who got us job . They said that decorator was slagging us . Said every time he tried to run roller over ceiling it was just sliding lol
Click to expand...
Well that went well :coffe:
 
essexandy said:
If someone had asked my granddad if he was a painter he would also have replied, "no I'm the decorator". Why? Because there's a world of difference between the two. So I'd say it's you that's the "f**k**g prick".
Then to compound things you deliberately do your job incorrectly, even though you've been recommended by another trade on the job, making them look bad as well. f**k**g hell!
Click to expand...
He should of not said it in a up his own arse kinda way. Thinking back he was from darn sarth . When joiner told us labourer said tell him a good decorator will sort it. He also complained bout all cutting in even though all walls and ceiling were getting painted white
 
John j said:
He should of not said it in a up his own arse kinda way. Thinking back he was from darn sarth . When joiner told us labourer said tell him a good decorator will sort it. He also complained bout all cutting in even though all walls and ceiling were getting painted white
Click to expand...
Touched a nerve there about titles with the bailiff
 
f**k**g right hate kitchen ceilings the prep time is just as bad as skimming the f**k*r and the customer never thinks to take f**k all of the units and cupboards
 
Sparky88 said:
I’m a spark by trade but I have plastered 3 whole houses in my time and was originally apprenticed as a decorator.

im doing some work for my sister who’s having a garage converted into a granny flat.
she’s used a contractor but I’ve done the plumbing and electrics.
when I saw the way they done the drains and the dpm which had gaps in it and didn’t come up the wall in some places, I had a fair idea of the sort of job it was going to turn out and recommended she launch him before the pour. She wouldn’t and not wanting them to ruin a grands worth of insulation in the walls, I did the insulation as well.

Anyhow, the plasterer has come in, magicoat one coat, im not too impressed with the finish as basically he’s put it on, it’s a bit rough and then polished it to glass. It’s seems you can polish a turd…

I’ve just spent the day power sanding it and put a coat of paint on which just ain’t coveriing too well.
There we’re patches where the paint just wouldn’t take.
Then it hit me. PVA.! I went out on the drive to look and there was the empty container.

Why, why, why do people do this….?

The paint can’t soak into the plaster (Leland contract Matt - white) the paint won’t cover and it taints the shade.

I thought the plaster was supposed to be able to breath?

The paint has been on 10 hours and it still feels clammy to the touch.

Can anyone explain to me why in the blue blazes of fcuk anyone would do this?

Ive worked on some of the biggest build projects in the country and never in 30 years have I seen plasterers rock up with PVA to add to the mix to skim board…
Click to expand...
Are there no end to your talents?
 
Stevieo said:
Are there no end to your talents?
Click to expand...
Tell you what, this keeps on coming up in one form or another so I’m going to give you my take on it.

Bacl in 1982 when hardly any 16 year old had a job. I did.
Ok. It might not have been the RAF engineering apprenticeship I wanted but at the end of the week I had enough money for 8 pints Friday and another 8 pints Saturday with enough left over for a Chinzano and a packet of johnnys, should the occasion present itself..

im not sure where folk get the idea from that you can only be one thing in a lifetime?

I’ve now been working 40 years. Say I do 2 or 3 years on the brush and change trades and do another 37 as a spark. (not that I did, I’m just saying) Does that mean I’m still a painter?

’Cus I’ve never heard some say to me, ‘Well I’d like to give you the job mate, but the other bloke applying has got 40 years and you’ve only got 37, so I’m sorry mate but I’ve gotta give the job to Kenny because he’s got more experience.’

Now I ain’t saying I could still earn a living on the brush, because these days I’m only slightly faster than the late Stephen Hawking, but the quality is still there, so that means I can do it it without paying good money to someone else and without being disappointed with the results when they crash it in because all they wana do is get in and get out.

Plumbing: If you’re a JIB Approved spark with an industrial background like wot I is, you’ll have probably done about a mile of steel threaded conduit in the course of a year, on year, on year and those bending skills (quiet at the back) are transferable into copper. Now all you gotta do is learn how to solder and if you apply yourself and keep on applying yourself, you’ll get better, but no *u** is going to hand it to you on a plate.
You can learn the terminology and look on YouTube and familiarise yourself with Part H of the building regs and if you ask questions on site, I find people are only to happy to tell you.

Likewise with plastering. You’re in the s**t with a project at home, you cant afford to pay someone, so you have a go yourself under a bay window. Because you’ve got no other options. It’s only slighty f****d up and you go into work on Monday morning. Eh mate, I did this and then this happened, why? Where did I go wrong? How can I stop such and such happening? So the following weekend you take on a small wall and repeat the process. Then you might find yourself under notice for redundancy and by this time the blokes on site let you trowel up a whole wall because you ain’t really interested in joining bits of copper together anymore. It’s a new skill you’re acquiring. It’s exciting. But at this point you must be very careful not to get an erection - that just wouldn’t do at all…
Then they invite you to put some float on. ‘Don’t fk about with it. That’s what the Derby’s for..!’

To my mind, if you’ve worked several decades in the construction industry without acquiring another skill, ok perhaps not to the point where you can earn a living out of it, but certainly to advanced DIYer level or beyond, then I gotta ask you, How did you manage to avoid this wealth of information thats out there?

You get sparks with gas safe as well, or F gas as well. The lad who I went to school with, whose dad i worked for crossed over into spraying cars and later plastering too.

I look back now and remember a job at a flat above a Rumbellows in Birmingham and one of his blokes spent an entire day patching up the walls either side of a flight of stairs, mixing up about 5 boxes of Polyfiller in the process. And I think WHY? FFS! Simply because there was no one on the firm with any crossover skills.

where does the notion come from that you can be one thing and one thing only?

It takes 4 years to do an apprenticeship and to be fair perhaps as long again to learn the actual job.
But 2 of those years will probably be labouring and going to the shop while you’re waiting for the lad to mature. So take that out, you got maybe 2 years learning and after another 2 you should have someone capable of being meaningfully productive. Say like in the case of like an adult trainee.

65-16 equals a working life of 49 years. And you really think that’s only long enough to learn the one trade?

I went to uni as a mature student. I dropped out of a BEng Measurment and control Engineering.
I did 2 years at spark night school in one and got JIB graded up after 30 months. That was 25 years ago.
Do you wana tell me I’m not a spark now?
Is 25 years long enough to learn a trade?
I can move at a decent pace, but I’ll never be the fastest.
ive seen the fastest, I’ve worked along side the fastest, but I personally don’t think they’re any better, they just know which corners to cut so the work is just a good enough quality.
Ive seen £2.5k worth of custom light fittings blow up because Mr Fast did it so fast that the neutral fell out, resulting in 400volts through em, they were ruined. (3 phase lighting track)
im too meticulous for that, but that does come at the expense of speed.

and thank you all for your replies, some are especially insightful.
 
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Couldn't agree more with you. I started with a very different trade than im in now, and did a full four year apprentiship in that one. I now plaster mainly, 25 years in, which I totally love. I do hovever also, and regulary take on brickwork, joinery, basic building, electrial if neccesary and painting as a last resort. Hate tiling and plumbing.
Good post mate.
Hope it turns out well.
 
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