Help!: What do you have to do to find a plasterer who can straighten walls?

[jamesshoemark]

Twice recently I've had to call plasters back because they failed to straighten up a wall properly before I began tiling it. Once I had even gone to the trouble of removing all the plaster back to the brick. Do they think I'm a mug? Last week I stood watching the guy & his mate I'd called back huffing & puffing whilst they replastered the wall, I even told him where to check it with the straight edge and eventually paid him his £170. After he'd gone and I was checking it again I found a swell in a bottom corner that puts the vertical out by 10mm. I immediately deleted his number from my phone (perhaps that was a mistake) The worst ever was a plaster (he had a squinty eye....) hired by my customer to do other work in the house. As I was fitting a shower tray in a dodgy corner I asked him to square it up so there'd be no gaps. But when I came to fit the shower screen there was a 20mm gap at the top! Unbeliveable. I'm looking a bit odd to my new customers now as I've pulled all of the hair from the sides of my heads and need to know if I'm just a numpty or that there are just no decent plasters in Edinburgh (actually if you do know of one I'd be very grateful - I hate plastering myself). Ta, James

[whitebeam]

You could,ve lent him your level

[kilty55]

hiya james,,im in edinburgh mate and have had the same problem time and time again.i have a plasterer now who i can highly recommend hes based in east lothian ,i got his number as he re plastered my brothers entire house and his finishing is perfect,i have since used him on several skim finishing jobs in bathrooms/kitchens and i was very pleased with his work ill pass you his number via pm mate

[davy_G]

Problen is not too many plasterers use a straight edge to check their work. I only know of one. The rest use their eye then when i show then it isnt flat after a few days they rub their hand over the lovely polished surface and wonder what im on about.
I think if more of them had to tile with large format tiles there would be a vast improvement!

[batiling]

I think it depends on how much they are getting paid.I use a plasterer who is good and his work is great but on the odd occasion when its just a small skim over its as though he cant be bothered and just doesnt get the same finish.Ive pulled him up on it but he knows he is always in demand and just carries on

[redrex]

wow, Im not the only one then! fitted in a splashback last 3 days waiting for plumber to sort out pipes on another job, turned up to very wavy walls (see pics on my post 'should i have done anything different setting out and getting levels' ) plasterer said 'tiler will sort it out! well I did but suggested next time, bin the plasterer and let me use 4mm wedi board.

Ed

[lucius]

Better to do your own plastering Red trouble is most plasterers nowadays dont understand the concept of plumb and square they seem to think that as long as it is flat it is O.K. god knows what they teach them at college.
Lucius.

[paulmsd]

I must be the lucky one then can plaster myself but know a very good plasterer

[doug boardley]

I come from a plastering background myself.... I do all my own prepping if possible

[faithhealer]

wow, Im not the only one then! fitted in a splashback last 3 days waiting for plumber to sort out pipes on another job, turned up to very wavy walls (see pics on my post 'should i have done anything different setting out and getting levels' ) plasterer said 'tiler will sort it out! well I did but suggested next time, bin the plasterer and let me use 4mm wedi board.

Ed

don't you love it when they say that! It's up there with, 'just pack it with adhesive'!!

[whitebeam]

Thats why I use powdered adhesive all the time