Huge crack appears in wall - builders to blame?

bpk101

The work is guaranteed for a year which I've come to understand is reasonable? I will check the details of his insurance backed warranty... I have it in writing somewhere.

We did have building insurance that covered unoccupancy and renovation leading up to us moving in, it's now been switched to an occupied policy... again I'll check the small print.

Back to the plastering, I have since read elsewhere that it is always better to repair original plaster wherever possible (with fibre mesh as my builder's doing) than to hack it all off and replace with plasterboard. Plenty of supporting advice if you google 'repair or replace plaster'

To be fair this same mesh went on the walls upstairs and they feel a lot stronger now than before.

Doozergirl

16 years in the trade with a full team around me, most with more experience than me and working with everyone from labourers to surveyors and conservation architects. No one has ever told me that patching Victorian plaster that is literally falling of the walls in sheets with repair mesh is better than replacing it before.

manda1205

Have to disagree too. I'd never patch up already dodgy 150 year old plaster. Our cottage is over 100 years old and we've been gradually re-doing rooms. IMO the best way is to hack off any loose plaster (knock on wall for hollow sound), back to brick, then hardwall and skim on top. (In my experience, once you start hacking off old it will all just come away easily anyway). As for ceilings, you have to get rid of all that horrible lath and plaster to be able to get a nice new straight finish with plasterboard. Boarding on top is just a lazy bodge.
The hacking off old plaster will disrupt all the other rooms' plaster too. Unfortunately when you do other rooms up before others, this means your lovely new plaster can get some nice cracks in it.

brightontraveller

Either you builder clueless, has no pride in there work, has no other work to go to or has taken on cowboys and is just there for the paycheck?

You simply wouldn’t carry on working for any other reason… You builder is milking it pure and simple he knows you don’t have the budget to finish it properly so offers alternatives that are cheaper but basically just bodges...

Although some would see it as oh there helping out reality is there not as you’ll have the cost of removing all they have done and redoing… Different if your just doing up to sell gold plating (not that I condone that) id seriously stop stand back from the pictures you've posted I would have sacked them all...

bpk101

manda1205 wrote: »

IMO the best way is to hack off any loose plaster (knock on wall for hollow sound), back to brick, then hardwall and skim on top.

They have done this in many many parts of the house, on areas where plaster was 'literally falling of the wall in sheets'... huge areas were taken back to brick and filled with hardwall.

On other areas fibre mesh was used ... i can only assume they have treated each area on a case by case basis, but i'm pained to say some areas across that chimney breast still sound hollow to the knock

But yes, it doesn't change the fact that I'm now worried sick about them continuing if indeed their work is sub–standard (dangerous even?!) and i'm more than happy to sack them immediately but with all respect can't base that decision purely on comments about a few photos i posted (although the advice has been received with thanks!)

So... how can i get their work to date verified professionally and in context whilst i have the opportunity to have it corrected and final monies have yet to be paid to the building company? I'm worried if i have another build team come in they will of course just say how it all need re-doing and how they would have done it so much better??

Should i go to the FMB for advice? Get an independent surveyor round asap to inspect the work whilst i still have the chance to get builders to correct it? Who do i turn to for professional impartial advice on the quality of work being carried out by someone who doesn't have a vested interest in making money off the back of it?

Officially at my wits end now :mad:

Doozergirl

I don't think there's a need for panic, but you need to make it clear that you are happy to do things properly and that what must take priority is quality over only doing what is quoted for. Surprises are inevitable but they need to be dealt with properly.

I don't think they are doing anything particularly dangerous, but we don't want cheap fixes that will result in more work at some point anon. You are complicit in that as well. Your expectations need to be managed, not skirted around.

A RICS surveyor is the person who will be impartial and recommend a particular fix.