Stonemason Snag Query

dfcelt

Hi lads,
Question is for boardsies who have used stonemasons.

Did your stonemason powerhose down the work upon completion?
A few people have asked me this.

This guys work is top class but dust/dirt/mortar on stone obviously takes away from finish at the moment. He'll be pretty much complete today & before snags/final payment I'm just wondering what state your stonemasons left your projects in, did they powerhose their work down?


I'm paying 90 sq/m based on him supllying scaffold & leaving scaffold on-site for plastering to rest of house.
I know he's not cheap but you get what you pay for & when I factored in scaffold/mixer etc. quality of workmanship etc. he got the job.

Thanks

BnA

dfcelt wrote: »

Hi lads,
Question is for boardsies who have used stonemasons.

Did your stonemason powerhose down the work upon completion?
A few people have asked me this.

This guys work is top class but dust/dirt/mortar on stone obviously takes away from finish at the moment. He'll be pretty much complete today & before snags/final payment I'm just wondering what state your stonemasons left your projects in, did they powerhose their work down?


I'm paying 90 sq/m based on him supllying scaffold & leaving scaffold on-site for plastering to rest of house.
I know he's not cheap but you get what you pay for & when I factored in scaffold/mixer etc. quality of workmanship etc. he got the job.

Thanks

I wouldn't be too quick to go powerhosing the stonework as soon as it is finished. I'd leave it for a few months for it to be well dried before I'd do something like that. (if at all)

RE what you paid for him, I'm paying the very same for a fella at the moment. It sounded expensive to me too, but I went with him because I know his work is top class. Now that he is at it, I have no qualms about the cost. There is going to be almost 3 full weeks work in it for himself and a fella he has working with him for €3,300. For the quality of work he is doing, I have no problem at all with that.

Maybe if I was doing a bit of a wall somewhere I might chance someone cheaper that I didn't know, but for stonework on the house, with a lot of corners, around windows and around an arch it's not worth the risk.

dfcelt

Cheers BnA,
Exactly what I wanted to hear.
I'll hold off on the powerhosing for a while so.

All sides of porch & sunroom on my house, plenty of corners & arches like yourself. Limestone, Manor stone supplier. Plenty of work in it for last 3/4 weeks.
Heres the most recent photo.

fuchia

Hi Dfcelt,

Did you put a scratch coat of plaster behind the stone to make it waterproof?

Regards,

David

Smcgie

When I was a stonie I always used a wire brush and an acid cleaner to remove any mortar stains from the stones. This is a must do as the stains will never go away and never look right. If its only dirt or dust it will weather off with no problems.. But mortar stains should be cleaned asap.

dfcelt

Fuchia:
Yep, plasterer gave it a quick going over before stone was delivered

SmcGie:
Thanks for that, its dust from the cuts & dirt from the quarry thats on the stone. Stonemasons always brushed down his work in the eve. & first thing every day. No mortat stains stand out tbh.

Smcgie

dfcelt wrote: »

Fuchia:
Yep, plasterer gave it a quick going over before stone was delivered

SmcGie:
Thanks for that, its dust from the cuts & dirt from the quarry thats on the stone. Stonemasons always brushed down his work in the eve. & first thing every day. No mortat stains stand out tbh.

Good stuff, I guarantee that his €90 p\m wasn't dear if he was a tidy worker. I would say at least half of stone masons out there don't take pride in there work. I don't build anymore but to anyone that asks I always say watch out for the €50 pm man.. He's gonna have to rush it to make money. Glad you found a good one, best of luck with the new house

Technophobe

Hey all,

Is it an absolute necessity to "put a scratch coat of plaster behind the stone to make it waterproof?"

Or is it just to be sure....Hadn't thought about doin that? Have standard cavity wall build of 320mm

thanks

Smcgie

Technophobe wrote: »

Hey all,

Is it an absolute necessity to "put a scratch coat of plaster behind the stone to make it waterproof?"

Or is it just to be sure....Hadn't thought about doin that? Have standard cavity wall build of 320mm

thanks

Total waste of money IMO... Absolutely no need for it.

Technophobe

thanks Smcgie...willl have a think about it so.....foreman mentioned yesterday that he will probbaly get it done but have to consider the costs....