Is my drywaller trying to pull a fast one?
I recently hired a plasterer/drywaller to do some work on an old house I just bought. This company has done work for me in the past and did a fantasic job. My new house has lath and plaster walls, many of which were crumbling. I asked for him to hang 1/4″ board and plaster over it. I received my quote which listed out the different rooms he would be working in. It additionally said, “…overlay 1/4″ sheetrock, apply a tape coat, top coat, and a skim coat of drywall compound (smooth finish).” He said that it would take 7 working days. On the 12th working day, he said that they were finished. When I went to inspect the house, they had hung the sheetrock and taped/mudded the joints. There was no skim coat. When I reminded him that the quote included a skim coat, he said that the skim coat was for the joints only and not the entire wall. Am I reading the quote incorrectly or is he trying to cut corners since the job took much longer than he estimated? Any opinions would be helpful.
Replies
Call the state licensing board
Unfortunately, if you make him fix it he will spit in your food like a cook whose work was sent back.
I hope you haven't paid him yet. I've never heard of a skim coat for the joints. It's by definition for the entire wall. Sounds like he grossly underestimated his time and is trying to cut his losses. Neither is very professional. (Did you get a reach around?)
I agree with others that the skim coat would apply to the entire wall. But, since this job took so long and since the guy seems to be a pr•••, I'd pay him off and get him out of my house IF the walls are smooth without the skim coat. Because if you force him at this point, he'll simply slap some on and then dispute his idea of smoothe vs. yours. No one can win that argument.
Thank you for your responses. The work is good, it's just not what I was quoted for. It's good to know that I'm not just another irrational homeowner!
We didn't say that.
No so fast
Drywall joints are typically taped, blocked, and then skimmed. "Skimming" doesn't necessarily mean the whole wall. In fact, that is rarely done. Most drywall that is considered paint ready is considered a level 4 finish. The highest level (Level 5) requires whole wall skimming which should be specifically discussed in advance and called out in the contract.
Have to agree
I have to agree with deadnuts, at least in my neck of the woods, when a sheetrocker tells me a price for hanging rock and finishing it I never would expect the entire wall to be skimmed regardless of his choice of words.
Again, in this part of the US alot of people opt to not repair plaster walls (cost to high in comparison to sheet rocking over them) and simply cover them up. I would be shocked if anyone would hear this situation out and seriously advise you to go after this cat.
In my experience sheetrockers that call themselves Sheetrock/plaster guys do sheetrock work and some plaster repair. The few plaster guys I know are PROUD of it and view sheetrock the way i view vinyl siding...(in most cases a cheap cover up).
I would chalk it up to a lesson learned, if you have a contract make sure that if you have a specific requirement like this that it is CLEARLY spelled out so that there is no room for interpretation.
Careful, Mark. Deadnut loves plastic. You are insulting the guy.
thick skin
Well hope he doesnt take one persons opinion to personally...