Currently got painter around but walls aren't in a great state - advice please!

MrCheeseman

EDIT: I should mention, they're not going to paint on top of the walls like this, this is what they're like when they've been stripped. They've already said they're going to sand and fill etc the walls before painting. 

Hi,

I'd appreciate some advice, preferably in the next couple of hours because the painter is here now!

Basically, I was having the house repainted but having had the paper taken off it's clear the walls aren't in a great state. They're doing two coats, the decorator has advised me some bits are going to show through. I've attached some pictures of the most noticeable bits. He's fine going ahead with the painting but advised some bits will show through. He's quoted me £2,500 but advised me he can textured paper and paint it for an extra £1,500 on top of that but it'd be new year. So my options are:

1) Go ahead with the painting as is, and do nothing. Okay, it won't look great but maybe I can live with that in the short term. 

2) Go ahead with the painting, but get plain or patterned non-textured paper put over it at a later date. He's said some will still be visible through paper, but after two coats of paint and paper surely it won't be that visible.

3) Postpone the painting, get it textured wallpapered and painted in January. Thing is, I don't really like textured paper, or at least the stuff he's shown me and he can only get those two papers. 

4) Get the house skimmed, but this will be very expensive and, presumably, there's painting on top of that.


I'm not moving any time soon but I had a vision of smooth (non-textured) walls. I'm leaning towards option 2, get plain or patterned paper added later. 

Can anyone offer any advice? Thanks. 

carly

Postpone the painting. You're never going to be happy with it . The wall needs proper prepping, holes filled and dinks levelled. Maybe even use a good lining paper before painting.   It will be a waste of money to paint that wall now. 

rob7475

Don't get that painted - it'll look a mess and you won't be happy with the end result.

Maybe something like a 2000 grade lining paper could hide a lot of it. Personally, if you are staying in the property, I'd recommend saving up for a skim.

I'm in a lucky position that I can plaster myself and I wouldn't have dreamed of painting any walls in my old house without skimming them first. 

rob7475

Forgot to mention - ask your decorator if he knows any plasterers he can recommend

Bendy_House

I third what's said above. These walls need serious preparation before they'll look anywhere close to acceptable.

It is surely pointless paying £2+k for a finish you'll both hate and need to redo before too long?

If you want this 'tidied up' for Christmas, then just paint it yourself - it'll cost you £50... Yes, it won't look good on close inspection, but neither will the £2.5k job.

(Just how much preparation was included in this £2.5k?)

Bendy_House

Once you have postponed the painter, we can guide you on how to quite possibly get a perfectly 'acceptable' finish on these walls at very little cost, but with a good few hours of tedious work! Are you up for some DIY, if given guidance?

You may not even require a plasterer, but - of course - that's the best and quickest way to get a 'perfect' finish - tho' also likely to be pretty costly.

SaverRate

Get the walls skimmed - will be worth it in the long run!

MrCheeseman

Bendy_House said:

Once you have postponed the painter, we can guide you on how to quite possibly get a perfectly 'acceptable' finish on these walls at very little cost, but with a good few hours of tedious work! Are you up for some DIY, if given guidance?

You may not even require a plasterer, but - of course - that's the best and quickest way to get a 'perfect' finish - tho' also likely to be pretty costly.

I'm not a great DIYer but I can see myself giving it a go for smaller jobs. The one good thing is that they're at least painting the kitchen (which was skimmed when it was fitted) and skirting boards for now so I have more thinking time as it turns out. 

Bendy_House

HarryDavies01 said:

Get the walls skimmed - will be worth it in the long run!

Yes, usually the best option.

And if MrCheese was going to pay £2.5k for just painting that room, then it will almost certainly be a better use of his money to put that towards the reskim, and the subsequent painting job 'should' be a lot less - ie very little prep required, so surely nothing like £2.5k?!

Jumblebumble

MrCheeseman said:

EDIT: I should mention, they're not going to paint on top of the walls like this, this is what they're like when they've been stripped. They've already said they're going to sand and fill etc the walls before painting. 

Hi,

I'd appreciate some advice, preferably in the next couple of hours because the painter is here now!

Basically, I was having the house repainted but having had the paper taken off it's clear the walls aren't in a great state. They're doing two coats, the decorator has advised me some bits are going to show through. I've attached some pictures of the most noticeable bits. He's fine going ahead with the painting but advised some bits will show through. He's quoted me £2,500 but advised me he can textured paper and paint it for an extra £1,500 on top of that but it'd be new year. So my options are:

1) Go ahead with the painting as is, and do nothing. Okay, it won't look great but maybe I can live with that in the short term. 

2) Go ahead with the painting, but get plain or patterned non-textured paper put over it at a later date. He's said some will still be visible through paper, but after two coats of paint and paper surely it won't be that visible.

3) Postpone the painting, get it textured wallpapered and painted in January. Thing is, I don't really like textured paper, or at least the stuff he's shown me and he can only get those two papers. 

4) Get the house skimmed, but this will be very expensive and, presumably, there's painting on top of that.


I'm not moving any time soon but I had a vision of smooth (non-textured) walls. I'm leaning towards option 2, get plain or patterned paper added later. 

Can anyone offer any advice? Thanks. 

Some decorators use a product called easyfill 60 which is easy to apply and quite soft so easy to sand
combined with good quality sandpaper in a roll it is not hard to DIY
I think £4000 is very expensive
Is the £2500 just for painting?

MrCheeseman

Jumblebumble said:

Is the £2500 just for painting?

Basically, yes - sanding, filling then painting etc, but stopping short of plastering.