Would you expect work men to clean up afterwards?

lessonlearned

Spirit wrote: »

That's the wallpaper they ripped off while plastering the wall you see.
The wife cleared the paper on the wall requiring plastering but purposely left the paper on the wall that'd been ripped. Neither of us are a fan of that paper, so she wanted to paint it.

I'm no expert, but i'd say that now can't be painted because it'll surely show through & stand out, as it isn't even. It doesn't run to the edge, but runs around the edge, so to take it off you're going to have to take a lot off & the last time we stripped that paper it lifted the plaster.

So short of re-papering i'm not too sure what can be done. It can't even be left, which would've originally been an option, as it looks bloody ridiculous now.

Not too sure why it needed ripping. Surely it can't be to work the plaster into the edge, as then they would've needed to rip the ceiling paper off as well when working into that edge.

Not impressed by that one at all.

I think the plasterer has been reasonable in taking the wallpaper back to complete the corner. That would have been my expectation. If he had only plastered to the edge and in doing so 'trapped' wallpaper behind the edge of the plaster I would have been irritated when I subsequently wanted rid of the wallpaper.[/QUOTE]


Saver - Spirit is correct. The plasterer did have to peel back the wallpaper here to complete the corner. I hadn't looked at your photo closely before so hadn't spotted this, otherwise I would have made the same observation.

From what I can see from the photo it does indeed look like the plasterer has done a good job. Most of your other issues are down to misunderstandings which could have been avoided.

It's no-ones fault - you are obviously inexperienced in the mysterious world of diy and renos.

Don't worry inexperience can easily be rectified. I'm sure you won't make the same mistakes again.

Just remember the key to working successfully with your builder or tradesperson is communication and clear concise instructions.

Right breakfast and then I'm off back on site again to catch up with my work people via Homebase to pick up some tiles……Another day getting covered in plaster dust.

Whilst I'm there I will roll up my sleeves and get stuck in cleaning the kitchen and removing some rubbish. My son has been stripping out and hacking off old plaster. He needs copious amounts of tea to keep him going. Last time I looked the kitchen was a tip because my son is the dirtiest messiest worker I have ever met - but then he works for nothing so I can't complain.;)

There's no hot water so there will be much boiling of kettles. No heating and we are currently having to use an outside loo.

Who said property developing was glamourous. :rotfl:

phoebe1989seb

Have to agree with the other posters regarding the plasterer removing the wallpaper in the corner - he couldn't have done a proper job otherwise If it were me I wouldn't have wanted to keep that paper anyway - I know that's only my opinion - as it looks very dated and if you're renovating/modernising I'd have thought that would be on the *to go* list

I don't mean to be rude, but dust and all the other associated mess caused by house renovations is really only a first world problem - if you want to make an omelette, eggs have to be broken!

We're almost three years into our current major (not mere redecoration) project and I've given up trying to keep things clean - obviously we are living here whilst the work is ongoing, whereas you have the luxury of living off-site, but tbh whilst the broken door is a shame (and the offending trade should be questioned and recompense possibly sought), the other issues are just par for the course. When you're on your umpteenth project -as we are - you'll perhaps have chilled a bit and see things differently

lessonlearned

phoebe1989seb wrote: »

We're almost three years into our current major (not mere redecoration) project and I've given up trying to keep things clean - obviously we are living here whilst the work is ongoing, whereas you have the luxury of living off-site, but tbh whilst the broken door is a shame (and the offending trade should be questioned and recompense possibly sought), the other issues are just par for the course. When you're on your umpteenth project -as we are - you'll perhaps have chilled a bit and see things differently ;)

Yep - you do become quite relaxed when you've done a couple.

Just back from my site visit - muck and dust everywhere although we've had a lorry load of stuff removed this morning so we can at least see what's what now.

Will spend a couple of days doing some tip runs next week to keep the place clear and manageable.

Have decided whilst we are at it I'll just get the kitchen ripped out and start afresh - in for a penny in for a pound. That way we will at least get the real dirty jobs out of the way in one fell swoop.

Hey Phoebe - long time no see - still not finished that little job yet then!!! :rotfl::rotfl:

JustAnotherSaver

Mr_Ted wrote: »

BUT there is another issue possible here and that is OP, IF you portray the same attitudes you have on here to tradesmen who have offered good advise, or when asked for clarity of some of your unclear and naive statements, then its quite possible you have been subjected to the repercussions of your own behavior

Key word there is if - because you don't know.

Answer is i don't. Why don't i?

Because in "real life" (as in - in person) people generally don't come with the needless attitudes of many on MSE.

When you stop someone for directions in the street, you generally find that person quite helpful, even if they're not telling the truth.
Ask someone on MSE for directions & some may be helpful, but there seems to be an increasing number (such as yourself) who act like the world is about to end.......... you want directions? I can't believe it. How stupid are you???!!! You don't know where you're going??? My god man, you're an !!!!!!!!!! etc etc & all the rest of the twaddle.
Some members (like yourself) even take it further & just spend the rest of their days following you around to basically b!tch & moan every time you dare open your mouth (or in the case of MSE, touch a keyboard).

I sent you a PM recently. All very civil & genuine just asking for your help. You declined to reply. No doubt because any b!tching & moaning wouldn't get seen by your followers.

So yes, i have an attitude on here ...... to those who come to me with an attitude.
Some may wonder why i have an attitude with others & some may say i don't have an attitude at all. It's all about how you are with me. I treat people the way they treat me.

I tried treating people howi'd like to be treated myself & it didn't work out - i was a doormat. Give back what you get.
IMO, you start at the top because that's what you should give & what you should expect to get back. People work their own way down that latter quite quickly on an internet forum & i've no problem in giving back what i get.

Do i do it in person you ask? No, because people generally aren't like yourself in person. Sometimes you get them (though not as frequent as internet warriors) so then they get it back.

Treat people with a bit more respect when its YOU that needs help from them, and you will be more likely to get a positive response for your requirements

Don't talk such tosh!!

I start out with no attitude. Many come & respond & are very helpful & it's appreciated.
Then you get people like yourself who just step in to moan about nothing in particular.
Respect is earned, not given. You want treating with respect? Drop your attitude!

As for ME, there will be no more help forthcoming,

How about all the !!!!? Are you going to keep all that too? If you've got nothing helpful to say then don't bother at all, i've told you before. I don't mind if you don't want to be helpful, but don't come in just talking !!!!.

robby-01 wrote: »

I think this post sums you up you are a bit of a !!!!.

An exclamation mark? Never been called one of those before. That's a new one.

lessonlearned wrote: »

Regular site meetings are essential. It's not fair on your trades people to just leave them to it - they need your input and you need to check their work to make sure that they haven't made any mistakes or missed something.

This is not to suggest that they cannot work without supervision - of course they can - but it just makes things much easier for everyone if there is regular contact and feedback.

Thanks for your helpful response.

If only you could show some others how to be/do the same.

The closest we could come to what you mention is dropping in after work at night, taking a look & then leaving a note, giving a call, a text etc. We did this each night just about.

Obviously it depends on your line of work but you should be able to negotiate some flexibility or leeway with your employer. I've always been able to negotiate time off by either staying late, going in early, working through my lunch hours, taking work home etc.

I know what you're saying & it'd be handy if i worked in an office but i don't. The days work is the days work. There's no early. There may be late but we have to do that anyway. We can only ask. Sometimes they say yes (like the time i dropped in), other times no. You can only have 1 per week unless an emergency anyway.

Saver - the best advice I can give you is make this a learning experience.

You know what you need to do next time.

PS Just edited to say - when it comes to building work attention to detail will pay dividends - saving time and money - keeping to the time scales and staying on budget.

Indeed, it is a learning experience. I haven't ignored the rest of your post either - it's all been taken on board. Thank you.

Spirit wrote: »

I think the plasterer has been reasonable in taking the wallpaper back to complete the corner. That would have been my expectation. If he had only plastered to the edge and in doing so 'trapped' wallpaper behind the edge of the plaster I would have been irritated when I subsequently wanted rid of the wallpaper.

Fair enough.

They did tell us what they would need removing & what they wouldn't & that wasn't mentioned though.

But by that token, wouldn't the same apply to the ceiling??

lessonlearned wrote: »

It's no-ones fault - you are obviously inexperienced in the mysterious world of diy and renos.

Don't worry inexperience can easily be rectified. I'm sure you won't make the same mistakes again.

Thanks

Again, if only others were like yourself & could accept the fact that not everyone knows all & that there are people who just simply don't have a clue instead of getting offended by it.


So as we work through this bit-by-bit then, the only real gripe is my main one...
...the door.

Yes it may be able to be glued as has been said, but that isn't the point.

phoebe1989seb wrote: »

Have to agree with the other posters regarding the plasterer removing the wallpaper in the corner - he couldn't have done a proper job otherwise If it were me I wouldn't have wanted to keep that paper anyway - I know that's only my opinion - as it looks very dated and if you're renovating/modernising I'd have thought that would be on the *to go* list

It certainly was, but since we have never papered before & there's some fiddly sections in the kitchen, we were going to paint it.

Not sure how it'd have taken to paint, but that's what we were going to do.

It can still be painted, but now the difference in layers is going to be very noticeable.

I don't mean to be rude, but dust and all the other associated mess caused by house renovations is really only a first world problem - if you want to make an omelette, eggs have to be broken!

And i don't mean to be rude when i say - i did say that i know that. Doesn't mean you can't have a little grumble about it though. I also did say i wouldn't contact over the dust as it's not the end of the world.

The door on the other hand has really Pd me off.

You may be chilled as you'll have experience. We don't. For example we had a minor leak with the radiator system at the weekend. Didn't know what to do & had to call a guy out. 20-30 mins work, £80 & all he did was saw a bit of pipe off. If i'd have known what to do then even i could've done that, but i didn't & i'm £80 lighter.

phoebe1989seb

lessonlearned wrote: »

Hey Phoebe - long time no see - still not finished that little job yet then!!! :rotfl::rotfl:

Hi Lesson, nice too see you No, still at it - two more bathrooms recently completed and *most* of the dirty work done inside, although still have five rooms with plastering to be done Sounds as though your projects are coming on well!

Saver - it will definitely get easier......assuming you go on to tackle further projects and are not totally put of by your current experiences. I totally appreciate it's harder if you cannot be on site 24/7 or even daily to check up in progress. Hope the worst of your issues are over and you can soon get settled into your new home, at which point all this aggro should fade into the background

lessonlearned

Right - re the torn wallpaper. I've studied the picture and I think you can rescue it.

The easiest way is to use pollyfilla to build up the level where the paper has been torn off. Then when that's dry and hardened off smooth another thin layer over it and continue that layer over the of the rest of the paper for a smooth finish. Do the whole section of wall, ceiling to floor. It should paint up well.

You might need to build up the layers. Two or three thin layers will be easier to work than one thick one. Just pretend you are icing a cake.

Polyfilla - especially if you get something like Wilkinson's or Wickes's own brand is as cheap as chips. The repair should cost you no more than a couple of £'s - it's just a bit time consuming.

Remember the old saying "A little bit of powder and a little bit of paint, can make a thing seem just what it aint".

If the finish is less than perfect then invest in some cheap art for the upper section of wall. A long narrow poster would be ideal. Failing that three smaller pictures spaced down the wall.

Then if necessary you could add a tall plant, or floor vase, or umbrella stand etc for the bottom section.

This will draw the eye away from any flaws and will be fine for a short term fix until such time you decide to remove all the wallpaper and do a proper job.

Re the plumber. Sorry but £80 is actually about right.

Funnily enough my plumber was telling me today how he recently played a similar situation.

He was called out by a very panic stricken lady who had a leaking pipe under the sink in her kitchen. He fixed it in a matter of minutes. She was an old lady so he drank the tea she gave him, ate the chocolate biscuits and didn't charge her for the job. She asked for his card.

Next thing he knew he was asked to install a new bathroom for her daughter, who then recommend him for a full central heating job for one of her in laws and then a new kitchen for one of her friends.

My plumber is wise enough to know that sometimes it's worth giving in order to receive. From his one simple kind gesture to a helpless old lady he got three large jobs which were worth a lot of money to him.

He makes a habit of not charging for small jobs, a lot of plumbers refuse the small jobs because they say it's not worth their time and effort.

My plumber is stacked with work and has never once paid for advertising. All his clients come by word of mouth and recommendation.

As you get a bit more experienced you will get more confident. You will learn as you go and you will surprise yourself with what you can do.

I bought my first reno in 1976. It took every last penny I had. I had nothing left for repairs and renos. I just managed to scape enough for a damp course and a bit of plastering. I did everything else myself. It took me over 3 years because I had to save up for materials and I could only work evenings and weekends.

The good news is when I sold the house I had doubled it's value.

Even if you never pick up a tool I suggest you buy yourself a couple of good diy manuals, so that at least you are familiar with the terminology and what is involved with a job. That way you will be better placed to understand what is involved in the process.

If you do fancy having a go at small jobs then the internet is your friend. There are thousands of tutorials out there in the either.

Just google…...

Good luck with your project. Try not to worry too much - it will all come right in the end. Enjoy the journey, make it fun.

Once you get the reno bug there will be no stopping you.

JustAnotherSaver

Hell fire LL - thanks a lot for the time you've put in in helping.

lessonlearned wrote: »

Right - re the torn wallpaper. I've studied the picture and I think you can rescue it.

The easiest way is to use pollyfilla to build up the level where the paper has been torn off. Then when that's dry and hardened off smooth another thin layer over it and continue that layer over the of the rest of the paper for a smooth finish. Do the whole section of wall, ceiling to floor. It should paint up well.

You might need to build up the layers. Two or three thin layers will be easier to work than one thick one. Just pretend you are icing a cake.

Sure makes sense now you mention it.

That's half (or even 3/4) the problem - when we have an issue, we're not too sure how to rectify it (hence shelling out £80 to the plumber for a nothing of a job).
I am, admittedly worse than the wife at this (you'll have to make do with that phrase i'm afraid, it's how people around here talk - outsiders just may not 'get' it). She can look at an issue & say, stop flapping, we just need to do this, it's not as hard as you think. I just look at it & say, i can't do that, let's give someone £1000 to put it right. :rotfl:Though with the paper we were both stumped.

I'm not too sure how well that paper will take paint anyway. & on the topic of which, why does all kitchen paper appear to be 'blocky'? Can't someone come up with a better design??

Polyfilla - especially if you get something like Wilkinson's or Wickes's own brand is as cheap as chips. The repair should cost you no more than a couple of £'s - it's just a bit time consuming.

I have plenty of time. It's money i'm short on

Remember the old saying "A little bit of powder and a little bit of paint, can make a thing seem just what it aint".

Never heard of that but every day's a school day

Re the plumber. Sorry but £80 is actually about right.

I'm not saying it wasn't. It was an 'emergency' call out, it was a Sunday so i wasn't shocked when he said £80. The other option was leave it & let the floorboards get soaking, so i was just happy the problem was solved.
My point was - through lack of knowledge i am £80 lighter. Now i've seen what he did, it was actually a basic fix i could've done myself. I just didn't know what to do to put it right.

So when everyone tells you - have a go, how hard can it be & the old classic ....... "you can't go wrong". Ahem!

Funnily enough my plumber was telling me today how he recently played a similar situation.

He was called out by a very panic stricken lady who had a leaking pipe under the sink in her kitchen. He fixed it in a matter of minutes. She was an old lady so he drank the tea she gave him, ate the chocolate biscuits and didn't charge her for the job. She asked for his card.

Next thing he knew he was asked to install a new bathroom for her daughter, who then recommend him for a full central heating job for one of her in laws and then a new kitchen for one of her friends.

My plumber is wise enough to know that sometimes it's worth giving in order to receive. From his one simple kind gesture to a helpless old lady he got three large jobs which were worth a lot of money to him.

Fair play & well done that man!

As you get a bit more experienced you will get more confident. You will learn as you go and you will surprise yourself with what you can do.

I'm sure we will.

We're starting late but at least we're starting. We're late because we wanted to buy our 'forever' home & not mess about moving here, there & everywhere.

Plus, they don't teach you this stuff in school do they & i've had no reason/opportunity to learn this stuff as i get on.
For i'd say 99% of the stuff i'm asking on MSE, i would've asked my dad as he was typical of the 'old school' - could lend his hand to any job. Plumbing, electrics, decorating, building etc etc etc. Unfortunately he died a couple of years ago which has left me with nobody i know in the position of knowledge. That's why i now turn to forums to source knowledge on the topics.

I know it seems like i'm asking a lot of Qs - because i am. It's because 1) I've nobody else to ask & 2) I want to learn.
Thankfully there's people like yourself who don't mind helping. Unfortunately there are a few who don't like you asking too many questions & think you should be able to pick something up at lightning speed.
It doesn't work like that.

I bought my first reno in 1976. It took every last penny I had. I had nothing left for repairs and renos. I just managed to scape enough for a damp course and a bit of plastering. I did everything else myself. It took me over 3 years because I had to save up for materials and I could only work evenings and weekends.

The good news is when I sold the house I had doubled it's value.

Impressive!! Good on you.

Once you get the reno bug there will be no stopping you.

Perhaps, but if all goes to plan, this is the first & last

lessonlearned

JustAnotherSaver wrote: »

Hell fire LL - thanks a lot for the time you've put in in helping.

No problem.

I see it as an investment in the Bank of Karma. :rotfl:

People help me, I help people.

What goes around comes around.;)

rustyboy21

OP


Option to get you over the wallpaper issue. Why not cut back the wallpaper to a bigger width and buy a roll end of tiled wallpaper from somewhere, with the similar size squares? You can then put it up, right into the corner and then paint over it. You might be lucky and find the same. Below is an example of what I mean.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beige-89132-Granite-Kitchen-Bathroom-Tiling-on-a-Roll-Holden-Decor-Wallpaper-/121234608912?pt=UK_Wallpaper&hash=item1c3a255310


The door, is an issue, but quite an easy fix. Just get some strong wood glue from the sheds, pour it into the cracks and get a clamp and some off cut wood, to hold it together for a few days, while it dries. I had similar problem as you and this sorted it. Get a clamp like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HILKA-F-Clamp-Cramp-300mm-x-50mm-Quick-Sliding-Grip-Gripper-Wood-/141085868731?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item20d95f82bb

JustAnotherSaver

The paper is wrapped right round the corner. If it was just to the edge we would've peeled it off but it's wrapped right round.
We thought of scoring it close to the edge & peeling but not convinced this is a good idea either.

We have the clamps for the door. My dad had all manner of tools. There's probably some glue in the shed too since he was always doing wood work, but still it's not the point. If they'd have said - sorry we broke your door, here's £50 then fine.

Anyway, all jobs sorted now so i'll be contacting them saying i'm not impressed.