Plastering Courses - value for money?

EHL123

We've just started to decorate our house all through (finally :j).

The walls and ceiling are pretty sound but not good enough to paint on due to various holes and cracks, so we planned to get the whole house skimmed and then paint. Unfortunately our budget has recently taken a huge knock due to reduced hours at work, so our new plan was to get someone in to line the walls instead (neither of us has wallpapered before so don't think we'd get a good enough finish ourselves). Unfortunately due to the number of rooms involved, we've been quoted £1400 for the work. Even though this is much cheaper than having the house skimmed, it's still takes up too much of our new budget.

Hubby decided he'd give it a go himself, so we've been looking for short wallpapering courses in our area but there's nothing. However, we did find a place nearby offering plastering courses (plasterclass.co.uk). The 5 day beginner’s course is £350 for Mon-Fri, which works out at £10 per hour. There's also the option of making it into a 7 day course over the weekend for an extra £180. This seems very reasonable, and even taking into account the cost of buying tools and materials after the course, it would still cost us a lot less than £1400. And as well as being able to do all the skimming now (hopefully!), he'll also learn a skill for life - rather than just paying someone else to do the work and learning nothing. So in my opinion, it represents very good value for money in the long run.

The problem is, he's worried he'll go on the course and still be useless! I've told him it's not like he needs to be able to do all aspects of plastering perfectly, just skim over to a decent standard - and if he does the whole seven days, it works out at over 40 hours of hands-on tuition, so he should be able to at least skim a wall at the end! I think he's very good at picking something up once he's shown what to do, so I don't think he needs to be worried anyway (he's a goldsmith by trade so does highly skilled and fiddly work, and seemed to cope with learning how to do that!). Unfortunately he doesn't seem to have the same faith in himself, and worries he'll come away £530 later and still not be able to do it, and it'll be money down the drain :rolleyes:

Has anyone ever done one of these courses so I can put his mind at rest? Or has anyone ever done one and felt it to be money wasted?
Any advice appreciated, thanks :beer:

beetlebum_2

Well I've never done one, but my mate went on a 8 week course (1 evening a week). He then came round and skimmed my chimney breast and done a very good job. I have done a little bit of plastering myself and done a reasonable job. I would say it's all about the right technique and plenty of practice. A bit like using silicone sealant.

wallbash

If I was on your sort of budget, would save my money.

Have a go at filling the holes and cracks , not difficult and CHEAP.
Use lining paper ( dont buy the really cheap rolls) and have a go, its not that difficult,

The worse that can happen you spend £50 , and in a few years do it again.
Your finances might ( hopefully) will have improved , then get in the pro's , room by room.

I would love to do a short plastering course, its one skill have never tried, but
I have the money to indulge in it as a hobby

jamesy

Hi elh1223

If you go onto https://www.ukspreads.co.uk there is a guy there called bigbud who sells dvds that he himself has made he is a plasterer and the dvds are well worth it £120 i think for them all but you will not be disappointed, trouble with the plastering courses you dont plaster for the 5days as you spend at least 2days being shown what to do, watch the dvds when you want and if you are not sure about anything you just play the dvd again you cant do that with a plastering course, i myself bought these dvds and can tell you they are far better than a course, and you have them for reference
ps. forgot to add go to b&q and buy a couple of sheets of plasterboard to practise on any mistakes you make it is better to do it on the boards rather on your walls, practise till you think you are ready to tackle a wall, it is not difficult on plasterboard as you are starting from a level surface anyway, and it is plasterboard walls that you plaster at the plastering courses

Greenr

i think the goldtrowel dvds are meant to be better - have a look on ebay and see if you can pick any up second hand? my partner taught himself how to plaster using dvds and practicising on a wall....

jamesy

greenr i have both dvds and trust me bigbuds dvds are far better as he explains what he is doing and why, not just showing you

markie1980

A couple of years ago i bought a repossed house which needed alot of plastering work.
I thought i would give it a go so bought a decent trowel (it's worth getting a good one) a mixing paddle to go in a normal drill, some plaster and a couple of flexible buckets.
I started on a 6ft wide bit of wall, next to the bath which was going to be tiled anyway ad made a damn good job of it!
By the end i had plastered virtually the whole house on my own, including the ceilings and made a better job of it than some plasterers i have seen.
It was very hard work and i took longer than a pro but it is possable.
There's a lot of help in the internet but you need to get stuck in and see if you can do it.

SailorSam

Most of these things come down to practise. I always have a go at most jobs myself, i've done evening classes or sometimes weekend day classes in all sorts, motor mechanics; spraying; welding; plumbing; electrics, everything. The thing i've learned most important take your time, but get stuck in.
The first time i tried bricklaying was a small porch at the back of the house that i could keep knocking down till i was happy, then went onto a bigger porch at the front, did'nt mind now that people could watch me, then i built a large garage.
I've been asked to do work for others but i know i'm to slow, but usually get there in the end.
Same as others i'd say, get a book from the library and have a practise in a small bedroom.