Lath & Plaster Replacement Advice

lisal0u

It was a bit difficult to stop it getting into that state but good point about the nails! They were sharp but easily avoided especially with the appropriate ppe!

Leif

prosaver wrote: »

if you get it skimmed the new plaster would only be 3 mm thick

I assume it would have to be undercoat plaster in rough areas followed by 3mm finish plaster, assuming the wall was of a material suitable for plastering, which seems to be the case in the photo, not that I know!

tpt

Why did you pull it down? just overboard with 12mm plasterboard. use long (50-60mm) drywall screws and make sure you hit the timber studs -Just mark the stud position top and bottom before you start. Then skim the new boards.

Saves all the mess, creates a nice flat sound surface and increases the firebreak\sound deadening..

lisal0u

tpt wrote: »

Why did you pull it down? just overboard with 12mm plasterboard. use long (50-60mm) drywall screws and make sure you hit the timber studs -Just mark the stud position top and bottom before you start. Then skim the new boards.

Saves all the mess, creates a nice flat sound surface and increases the firebreak\sound deadening..

We did a full re-wire too so pulling the ceilings down made it much easier.

tpt

ok in that case i can see your logic - i think i would still only smash a channel where i needed it though - as you say the dust is biblical

silvasava

OOOh Happy memories Lisalou

We also have a 30's house & we'd not been there long when I asked DH to move the loft hatch from the bathroom (about 18 inches square) & put a nice big one on the landing so we could have a proper loft ladder & easy access.
He built the frame & was sawing through the plaster & lath ceiling when the whole lot came down. He had put dust sheets on the landing but the rubble went all down the stairs & into the hall. I had been shopping while he was doing it so as I went to come in he said - 'dont open the front door' which of course I did. I was very calm - especially as we had a purple carpet (previous owners!) & just said - you did it - you clear it!! B*gg*red up my hoover though!
We still laugh - needless to say over the years the P&L has all been replaced. Dirty job but as someone here posted putting up stud walls & plasterboard is quite straightforward - then get them professionaly skimmed

prosaver

Leif wrote: »

I assume it would have to be undercoat plaster in rough areas followed by 3mm finish plaster, assuming the wall was of a material suitable for plastering, which seems to be the case in the photo, not that I know!

the undercoat is called the browning and then skim it

jc808

consider keeping the laths to burn in your woodburner/ fire (if you have one and dont live in a smokeless area)

or have a bonfire out back

if you have near a skips worth of lath thats 250 quid saved right there

polishing_peanuts

To answer your original questions, removing lath and plaster is not a particularly easy job for DIY, unless you have experience in renovating houses. It is messy, quite physically demanding and putting up plasterboard and skimming usually defeats most non pro builders.

Re cost and time, impossible to say without seeing it. Builders and plasterers charge between say £120 and £180 a day with labourers coming in between £75 and £120 (varies widely dep on age/experience/dole etc!). (All prices may be higher if you live in a "posh" place/village/london )

Ceilings are usually worse, condition wise than walls (Google the phrase "Thinking About How to Repair or Remove your Lath and Plaster" to find out how to check them and see some good photo's too of the dust! (BTW I Love the description of the dust being "biblical"!)

To remove the lath and plaster in a room and clear up could easily take a builder and his labourer a day or two. Add another couple of days at least for boarding and skimming each room.

Like the other posters say, not a job for an occupied house. Because you have so much to do, containing the dust is not an option, emptying the house would be quicker than sealing up so many rooms!

Re builders contract. Never been asked for one. I feel that it is better to use a builder that you love and trust than to use a rubbish one and then batter him with the law to do what he should have done in the first place

Ask in your local builders merchant to recommend a good guy, they know who all the scallywags are. Of course you might have to wait, all things worth doing are worth waiting for and if someone is free, don't you wonder why......

Cheers Ian
p.s feel free to "find" me online if you want more advice........

BatCat

jc808 wrote: »

consider keeping the laths to burn in your woodburner/ fire (if you have one and dont live in a smokeless area)

or have a bonfire out back

if you have near a skips worth of lath thats 250 quid saved right there

If you don't have a wood burner you can offer them on freecycle. We had a house filled with wood cladding and lathes which we needed rid of and put out a call on freecycle. People arrived with trailers and bins and took all the wood away. It was wonderful.