Advice on poor ceiling finish

quad_red · 26-09-2015 1:18pm #1

Hi folks,

We are at the end of a pretty drawn out extension/new kitchen. Happy with almost everything. Except one. The ceiling finish over the kitchen. Now - this is an existing ceiling and it did have some marking. But to my mind, the current finish is very poor. Thing is - that's the builders second go at it. And his take it this is as good as it's going to get for an existing ceiling and it's too late to redo it.

Pics attached. How much work is involved making this right. The painter is pretty non committal saying he's done all he can re sanding.

Grateful for advice here - what is required to make this good?

Cheers
Quad

Gumbo · 26-09-2015 8:31pm

That's shocking!

Bonzo Delaney · 26-09-2015 8:57pm

On such an extension how come the orignal wasn't taken down and re done and brought in line with the new ceiling wouldn't of been that much extra on a job like that.

quad_red · 26-09-2015 9:01pm

Trying not to completely go nuclear. The builders take is that replacing the existing ceilings wasn't priced in the job and we were aware as the job was progressing that the ceiling was being retained. And now the kitchen is in, the extractor fan in over the island etc redoing the ceiling isn't an option.

Could a professional plasterer salvage this without redoing the roof?

All along I noted the ceiling had taken a battering from all the lights etc going in but I assumed it would all be made good. But only after painting and with the lights actually on do I realise how bad it is.

Bonzo Delaney · 26-09-2015 10:52pm

But surely in the price and contract it had "all plaster work and patching to be made good and blended in to existing finishings". That's neither good or blended.
Hopefully you are holding back payment on that because even in the new parts around the lights it looks like it was put on with a shovel from the hall door!!!
I think your only hope now is to find a good recommended plasterer who would key and thistle bond the ceiling and re skim in the whole ceiling as one.
It's not as much work as it sounds.
Take the lights out. A good domestic plasterer would come in one day cover everything down key the ceiling , take off any high spots and all the snots on the ceiling. Thistle bond it , it's like poly bond but has a grit in it for the skim to grip to. Leave that to set for at least 24 hrs to harden
Then come back a day or two later and skim in the ceiling. Then when it's dry repaint and a sparks to put your lights back in.
With reguards to price, it's depending on exactly how bad it is and the area to be covered but a pro plasterer would be looking for 170-220€ a day+ materials
I know it sound like a messy and awkward job but the following week after its all done you'll feel a lot better when ever you look at it It's hard to tell from the pictures but looking at the ceiling line over the window/door head it looks as if there's humps and hollows a plenty there.
Sorry for the rant it just really gets my goat to see lads calling themselves tradesmen while they're not fit to wash out a bucket, and giving the rest of the genuine, honest tradespeople who take great pride and interest in their work, a bad name.
Hope you get it sorted to you're satisfaction.

Strolling Bones · 27-09-2015 8:28pm

quad_red wrote: »

] The builders take is that replacing the existing ceilings wasn't priced in the job and we were aware as the job was progressing that the ceiling was being retained.

If he advised that the ceiling should be replaced and you refused the extra cost my sympathy with you would be limited. But if he went in low to get the job and assured you all along that the ceiling would turn out fine - well that's another matter entirely.

There is only one fix now in my opinion - do what should have been done in the first place - removeand replace the ceiling. Anything else is just messing which is what landed you in this situation in the first place.

quad_red · 27-09-2015 8:53pm

Strolling Bones wrote: »

If he advised that the ceiling should be replaced and you refused the extra cost my sympathy with you would be limited. But if he went in low to get the job and assured you all along that the ceiling would turn out fine - well that's another matter entirely.

There is only one fix now in my opinion - do what should have been done in the first place - removeand replace the ceiling. Anything else is just messing which is what landed you in this situation in the first place.

He advised no such thing.

Meeting to discuss tomorrow.

DublinDilbert · 27-09-2015 9:03pm

quad_red wrote: »

He advised no such thing.

Meeting to discuss tomorrow.

If the area isn't too big, re-board the ceiling over the existing, then re-plaster. Will give you a perfect finish.

No point having a nice job spoiled cause of a crap finish.

If I wasn't agreed in advance I'd look at splitting the cost.

quad_red · 27-09-2015 9:10pm

A new kitchen has just gone in (with much of it to the ceiling) as well as a big extractor thing over the island, never mind the lights.

Can part of the ceiling be reboarded? Is it possible to blend new bits into old?

The kitchen was installed separately so ripping bits of the kitchen back out just isn't a runner.

The writing with the builder says all plastering is included. It doesn't specifically give a standard but I presumed it was a given it meant to a good standard. Basically, the plaster job is neither smooth or blended. And he's trying to ride out of town leaving them because of the scale of the job to correct it.

We still owe him allot of money so I don't want to start going down the road of threats.

893bet · 27-09-2015 10:44pm

Is the problem here what was included or what wasn't? What's the finish like in the extention, the newly build part? If those lights are in the new part....

The finish around the lights is shocking. Do you even want them to fix it?

quad_red · 28-09-2015 1:08pm

893bet wrote: »

Is the problem here what was included or what wasn't? What's the finish like in the extention, the newly build part? If those lights are in the new part....

The finish around the lights is shocking. Do you even want them to fix it?

The new extension and the everything outside the immediate kitchen was done by professional plasterer. The direct kitchen was done by the builder.

All plastering for the entire area was part of the quote. Builder ha always acknowledged this.

Kinda dismayed now. Have just gotten the house back into some sort of order and the thought of reskimming or sanding the room down..

Goldengirl · 28-09-2015 6:23pm

This post has been deleted.

Bullocks · 01-10-2015 8:01am

There's something wrong with your builder if he is willing to leave a ceiling like that as part of a finished job , even if he didn't include it in his price .
I think bonzo's advice is the best to go with to get the ceiling right even if you have to organise it yourself and stop some of it from the builders payment .
How rough was the original ceiling before any work was done to it ? Did he ever say that maybe it would be best to reslab and skim it ?

quad_red · 01-10-2015 8:53am

Builder reskimmed some of it yesterday evening (I was working). It look marginally better this morning but gonna review it again tonight.

Some of the marks are from the original ceiling and some are new. The pics attached are edited to bring them up but genuinely, in day light they aren't noticeable at all.

It's only with the new lights fitted they all come up. And it's not helped by the fact the builder's sight isn't the best. I don't think he's bull****ting me here - he is having trouble seeing them genuinely.

But when up close to it he conceded that if he knew the ceiling had been this bad he would have had the entire thing reskimmed at the start like the other ceilings.

Going to give him a chance to improve it and then see where we stand.

Honestly, the thought of attempting a full reskin with brand new kitchen insitu (which is to the ceiling) fills me with horror. The plastering crew that did the rest of the extension (a considerable space) left a lovely surface but by christ they were messy

little_monty · 06-10-2015 3:31pm

I had similar issue with my own kitchen ceiling during refurb work.

Replacement of the ceiling wasn't included in my builders quote so otpions were
1) patch damaged parts of ceiling (I don't think its possible to a perfect job .. cracks will always reappear) (free)
2) replace ceiling plasterboard and reskim (about e600)
3) use the 'thistle bond' and undercoat and reskim (referred to by Bonzo above) (about e200)

I choose 3) .. its 1/3 the price of 2) and a perfect job

quad_red · 06-10-2015 3:58pm

little_monty wrote: »

I had similar issue with my own kitchen ceiling during refurb work.

Replacement of the ceiling wasn't included in my builders quote so otpions were
1) patch damaged parts of ceiling (I don't think its possible to a perfect job .. cracks will always reappear) (free)
2) replace ceiling plasterboard and reskim (about e600)
3) use the 'thistle bond' and undercoat and reskim (referred to by Bonzo above) (about e200)

I choose 3) .. its 1/3 the price of 2) and a perfect job

Hi little monty,

Don't suppose you'd have before and after pics by any chance?

Cheers,
Quad

little_monty · 07-10-2015 1:00pm

Sorry Quad I don't have any handy.

But I could put my hand up into the attic where walls were removed..
After patching the holes, bonding and skimming whole ceiling I now have perfect finish

quad_red · 25-11-2015 5:35pm

Hi guys,

Anyway, to put an end to this thread.

Builder got plasterer in and he took down the lights and we've ended with a finish that's immeasurably better than what we had. It's not quite new ceiling billard table but it's not far off.

So, all's well that ends well. For this at least - but that's another thread.

Cheers for all the advice.

Quad

Advice on poor ceiling finish

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