Saving money for a major job

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mo7

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Hi

I am in need of some plastering due to having quite a big refurb - problem is I am running out of money so want to do as much of the elgwork as possible.

I am therefoire looking into doing a plastering course (DIY level).

I then intend to plasterboard aall my ceilings and walls and then get a pro in to actually skim the walls.

Would plasterers generally be OK with this or would they only want to skim onto boards they have attached themselves?

The course I am going on would in theory teach me skimming but I probably wouldn't fancy the scale of what I need doing.

Aside from doing the boarding what other ways can I save money so am only really paying a plasterer for the really skilled stuff?
 
Course is about 350.

I have about 9 walls and 2 floors of ceilings to do in a 4 bed house - could run into significant amounts if I pay a plasterer to do it all.

I could probably board up myself without going on the course but I might just go on the course for the hell of it to learn something.
 
If you want to save money watch YouTube and do it all yourself, if you want a good job let the plasterers do the lot. You can't have it both ways.
 
mo7 said:
Course is about 350.

I have about 9 walls and 2 floors of ceilings to do in a 4 bed house - could run into significant amounts if I pay a plasterer to do it all.

I could probably board up myself without going on the course but I might just go on the course for the hell of it to learn something.
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Just for the hell of it lol, you can't be running that much out of money
 
Don't throw money away on the course. You'll probably end up making a mess of the boarding anyway. Also you'll think after doing the course that it's not that hard. Do a few walls and balls them up too. Save your money and pay a professional to do the job right first time. Trust me if you don't you will regret it
 
I don't expect a course to make me an expert. As I have indicated I would most likely get a plasterer in to do the skimming.

Whether I do the course ro not I could probably do the boarding but by going on the course I may elarn things on how to do it better/best practice.

A course is 350 - that is a long way away from what I may have to do the plasterer to do the whole job - I may learn enough skills to save money in the long run (i.e after this job) - its an investment.

I've done a similar course on plumbing and it has saved my arse in the past when I have had an emergency. I expect a plastering course to do the same - not make me an expert but maybe give me enough practice to try some things out.

Of course once I do the course I may be confident enough to do it all myself - but I don't expect to be.

My question is can I have a halfway house - do some of it (boarding) and leave some it.
 
Al you need is a bag of clouts, a hammer and a knife, easy. Get fired into it, what's the worst that could happen?
 
you'd be better off using the 350 to pay for a boarder to come and spend a few days tacking and work with him, that way you would get a lot of the boarding done professionally plus you could watch and learn so you could finish what's left yourself
 
I fancy doing a course on major surgery but I only want to do the cutting open bit then get a proper surgeon to do the tricky parts :rolleyes) but seriously if you think your up for it it's your house and money so go for it and if it goes wrong you can always save up and get it done again properly !
 
Yes leebo. If you loaded out the boards for him. Got him to just pin the boards you can put in the rest of the screws later you would get a lot more done than if you tried it yourself. The cost of a boarder probably £150 a day and a decent one will probably do that in two days if your labouring for him.
 
your job is to save money by sourcing the materials at the best price. then try to find a plasterer who will work for labour only.
the idea of a refurb is to add value to the property not devalue it.
 
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I wouldn't be guaranteeing any work on diy boarding. Just pay the price mate. No disrespect but in this trade we tend to find customers have plumbers fit the best boilers. Rads showers etc. Sparkies fit the latest gadgets. People buy the biggest tv and surround sound going. Yet always try and save money on plastering. Ive just done a house where hes boarded it all. he's skimmed 2 rooms and the finish isnt bad for diy. The boardings terrible though. Dont worry. Looks all the same once painted. Until you put a level on it or try and fit a 3m work top in the kitchen. Am I bothered, am I fucck. Skim it. Take the money and move on to the next one
 
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Always the case, saving money on the plastering ..... These people f*ck me off. The games full of it.

mo7 just do it all ... i know i wouldn't touch any skimming after you'd boarded it, see it all the time.
 
I am in Hampshire.

There may well be valid or invalid reasons as to why peopel do not value plastering in comparison to other trades. I can see the argument that it is 'just the wall' after all and does not appear that important in comparison to other things. That said I think most people think/know that plastering is a tarde that can be difficult and many people will attempt basic plumbing/electrics and not plastering.

In my particular case I have had to plaster a load of walls because some of the existing walls unexpectedly had to be taken down - if you don't have the budget you don't have the budget.

I am not sure I agree with the analogy about the surgeon - IMO boarding as a DIYer is more than possible as long as you do it properly - its not brain surgery (pardon the pun).

I am having electrics done and will be doing all the chasing etc to save the electrician charging me for it - I will just pay them for their skill/knowledge in doing the actual wiring.


I spose worst case scenario I put up a few boards and balls it up - they just have to come down again.
 
I am having the same issue... I ma hiring a chippy to help with my loft conversion its getting bit complex in the loft... but doing everything else :-)
 
mo7 said:
In my particular case I have had to plaster a load of walls because some of the existing walls unexpectedly had to be taken down
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Why did they have to come down unexpectedly? I hope you didn't 'accidentally' brick your wife up in the kitchen or find you needed more room in the cellar for 'guests'?
 
Just ask about in the local pubs there's always a fireman or something willing to work for £60 a day.
 
Seen loads of DIY boarding, and its crap, course wont make you any better, but you will get a worthless '' In house '' certificate... just pay someone..
 
Mo7 I honestly think the reason is the majority of the general public (not necessarily you) havent got a clue what a good plastering job is. They see a pink wall and tadaaa! All done.
 
do it yourself, but the plasterer who skims it will charge you more for dubbing out crap boarding, re-screwing etc than just to skim other a few boards
 
Don't bother with the course and use the money to pay a tacker to do the boarding. You could give the tradesmen a hand and learn a lot in the process.
The only course I'm interested in is intercourse!
 
well I would say mo7,that you are a fireman or a engineer or a teacher, please let us know, unfourtanetly I am not a happy bunny today, as I have just walked off a job after being messed around off a customer, who wanted everything done at rock bottom prices, who was asking me if I had any spare bits of plasterboard in the back of my van, this customer by the way also married the daughter of a millionaire, so anyhoooooo you can imagine how surprised and delighted I was to read your thread, ....... I will write this slowly so you understand, do not waste money on the course, get a reputable plasterer in , p.s. make sure he is not driving a big red machine with ladders on top and flashing blue lights, he will tell you he is an emergency plasterer , but in reality he is a fireman, don't be conned by him, in fact kick him in the nuts and run away, so where was I ,..... oh yes , get a plasterer in and do one room at a time, as I said anyother day I am a happy go lucky chap ,but not today.
 
hector said:
well I would say mo7,that you are a fireman or a engineer or a teacher, please let us know, unfourtanetly I am not a happy bunny today, as I have just walked off a job after being messed around off a customer, who wanted everything done at rock bottom prices, who was asking me if I had any spare bits of plasterboard in the back of my van, this customer by the way also married the daughter of a millionaire, so anyhoooooo you can imagine how surprised and delighted I was to read your thread, ....... I will write this slowly so you understand, do not waste money on the course, get a reputable plasterer in , p.s. make sure he is not driving a big red machine with ladders on top and flashing blue lights, he will tell you he is an emergency plasterer , but in reality he is a fireman, don't be conned by him, in fact kick him in the nuts and run away, so where was I ,..... oh yes , get a plasterer in and do one room at a time, as I said anyother day I am a happy go lucky chap ,but not today.
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All in a days work Hector ,tomorrow is another day :RpS_thumbup:
 
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