Problem Builders

CalumFinnerty

Hi everyone,

We have hired a firm of builders to renovate our bathroom.

While they were stripping wallpaper away a large part of one wall came off and the ceiling collapsed.

The builders said we would need new plaster boards on the ceiling and the wall where the plaster came off.

Today, the plasterer finished plastering.

However, the quality of the plastering is substandard.

There are several large tear shaped blisters on one wall and occassional lumps of plaster stuck like chewing gum on other parts.

The surface generally is also not as smooth as it usually is after plasterwork.

There is also a slight bulge in the ceiling.

The plumbers are coming tomorrow to install the bath, toilet and handbasin. Then, they will have a tiler and painter in to complete the work.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

We plan to calmly explain the problems with the plasterwork and ask for it to be completed to a satisfactory standard.

If they do not accept this, are we within our rights to ask them to leave, pay only for the work they've done, and for them to take all the bathroom fixtures and tiles with them?

Finally, we have not been given a written contract despite promises that they would.

They are coming tomorrow.

Once again, thank you for any help.

Jeepers_Creepers

Asking them to leave seems a bit extreme? But, yes, you definitely withhold a sum to cover having anything substandard put right by someone else if they don't do so. Ie - you always pay them in arrears, and have a significant end payment held back until you are fully happy.

The bulge in the ceiling - was there one on the old ceiling? If not, just ask them calmly 'why?' They will probably try and give a 'reason', but unless it's obviously a valid one, then just repeat - 'the old ceiling was flat'. If they give the 'true' reason, then you ask them to sort it! Either way, if the ceiling was flat before, then it should be noticeably flat now (in theory, more flat if anything).

Obviously, I'm going by how you describe the situation.

As for the walls, any that will be painted should be very flat and smooth, nigh-on ready for painting. There will always be some cleaning up of plastered walls required first - a quick going-over with 180 grit paper, for example, and then a wipe-down with a damp cloth - but that is different from there being 'blisters', hollows or ridges. Hollows should be filled, and ridges sanded flat.

Blisters', tho', are worrying - are you saying that they are hollow, have movement? If so, then need cutting away and refilling.

Who will be painting the walls in the end? They might agree a discount so that the P&D does some extra work to get the wall perfect first.

Do you have other, more general, concerns about them?

CalumFinnerty

Thank you for your advice, JC. It is much appreciated.

The "blisters" are vertical narrow bulge lines that vary in length up to 1/2 of a metre and 1 cm width.

There are about 6 of them near the bathroom door.

Like this:

https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/187418/horizontal-lines-bulging-on-drywall

Also, the skirting has separated from the plaster in some places.

NSG666

If one company is doing the whole lot including the painting it's a bit easier. The decorators often have to do some prep work even to new plaster and them moan like heck about the quality of the plastering but as it's the builder who is organising the decorating they will have to bear the cost of additional prep work.

If they stripped the ceiling back to the timbers then the new board will just follow the line of the timbers which are rarely level in either direction. If they over-boarded then there is a possibility that in some sections there are two layers and in others there is just one where the new board has been screwed directly to the timbers and this would, in my opinion, be poor workmanship.

Mention your concerns to the guys that turn up today unless they are only employees in which case contact the gaffer of the building company. Flag this up to them nice and early as they can't fix what they don't know you are unhappy about.

Jeepers_Creepers

Ah! I think the other thread has the most likely answer - if the new boards were laid horizontally (for some reason), then these could be the taped joints. For some reason they haven't been done properly - they haven't been filled and taped down properly - they are not adhered down.

(Any gap between the p'board sheets should be filled, the tape positioned and pressed firmly into pace, and a further skim laid over this. It has the look of a plasterboard gap that wasn't filled, so the tape is bridging the gap with no support underneath. The boards move, the gaps close, and the tape buckles in the middle - but that's a guess.)

Not a major issue to resolve - they need cutting out, refilling and retaping properly - and that should sort it permanently. I'd be astonished if they didn't suggest it needs doing themselves - it's pretty obvious, and they surely don't expect you to live with it?!

Could it be that the plasterer has finished and left the job and isn't aware? Even so, the main builder should be calling him back. Other than that, tho', the surfaces look good in the photos. 

I hope they don't suggest simply trying to sand it down - that would make it worse (if it's what it looks like).

How much of these affected areas will be tiled? I wonder if that was another plan - cover them? I wouldn't be entirely happy with this, as it does indicate that the skim isn't fully adhered along that line, but that may be too fussy of me. Probably is.

CalumFinnerty

Thank you NSG and JC.

The ripples and lumps of plaster are in areas that will be painted.

Jeepers_Creepers

Let us know what they say.

If the ceiling bulge is due to uneven joists, that's certainly a 'cause'. But if it's genuinely noticeable - so it would have been to them - then a pro would have taken steps to reduce the impact - adding packing strips, that sort of stuff.

If it's worse than the original, then that is pretty unforgivable in my opinion.

CalumFinnerty

One of the partners has said that the vertical bulges can be sanded away.

The vertical bulges are on the wall that did not have a new plasterboard attached.

stuart45

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Ah! I think the other thread has the most likely answer - if the new boards were laid horizontally (for some reason), 

A lot of Tackers, especially in the USA  fix the boards horizontally. Said to be stronger as the board is fixed to more studs, and the long edge is stronger. Some still prefer a vertical fix.

CalumFinnerty

Thanks, everyone.

The builders were good and have agreed to repair the plasterwork and make a deduction from the final bill.

Since the project has not been costed, they could make the figures up, but they are going to repair the plasterwork.

Also, they will never use that plasterer again.

Jeepers_Creepers

Good result, Calum.

Keep a note of all this communication - perhaps even back it up with an email or text that you can refer to in future as evidence should it be necessary, "Just to say 'thanks' for being so understanding over the plaster issues, and agreeing to sort out the ridges and the ceiling bulge. Really appreciated..."

That wall wasn't re-boarded? What type of wall is it - solid or with old p'boards?

IF that ridge is caused by an unfilled gap behind butting plasterboard sheets, resulting in the tape being ruffled outwards, then sanding it flat will almost certainly result in a worn-through tape, or next-to-zero filler over it. Both could lead to this line becoming obvious again later on. BUT, I don't want to suggest that this could happen, because I don't know the cause.