Advice needed pls - Finishing behind fitted kitchen

saver_newbie

Hi,
I am in the process of getting my kitchen fitted. The previous kitchen had floor to window-sill tiling on one (external) wall which was set in some kind of hard plaster. To fit the new kitchen the fitter had to remove/chisel the old tiles and after removing the old tiles the walls don't look very good and in some places the brick work is exposed.
I always expected that the fitter will plaster over the area which was previously tiled but now I find that the fitter expects to only tile the portion above the work-tops. The base units have a back and once you place them the walls can't be seen and hence the fitter feels that the hidden area need not be plastered.
I would like some unbiased advise on what is the right thing to do. Since the wall in question is an external wall (it is a cavity wall) will there be any problems with damp etc ? Should I insist that the walls be properly plastered or should I just go with what the fitter is saying ?
Thanks a lot.

TomsMom

If it was me I would want the wall made good and plastered even though it will be unseen. Maybe I'm a neatness freak but I just wouldn't be happy leaving bare brickwork.

If you want it plastered then have it plastered, after all you're paying for a job to be done, but if this hasn't been factored into the quote then expect to pay more. But just a thought - maybe you kitchen fitter doesn't do plastering and you'll have to bring in someone else to do it. If you do have it plastered it will need to dry out before placing the kitchen cupboards against it.

wallbash

Out of sight , out of mind!

Bare wall( brick) behind base units , would not worry me.

saver_newbie

Thanks, he does do plastering. He has quoted to remove any old fittings and fit the kitchens but I do not know the breakup. I have little experience with fitting kitchens, so I do not know what is usual. I am hoping that leaving the walls behind the cabinets is not unusual.

27col

It would not worry me that the unseen part of the wall was not plastered. Especially as the units have backs anyway. The presence or otherwise of plaster will have no effect on dampness, if the cavity is doing its job. The only point that I would make is that of whether the quote specified plaster repairs. The fitter might be unable to make a decent job of plastering, so is not keen on doing it, it is not as easy as people think.

jockster211

saver_newbie wrote: »

I have little experience with fitting kitchens, so I do not know what is usual. I am hoping that leaving the walls behind the cabinets is not unusual.

Its not unusual at all to find no plaster, old tiling, old wall paper, etc behind an old kitchen. This isn't usually made good & doesn't have a detrimental effect on either your new kitchen or home in general.

Jockster