Author Topic: Solid wall buildings part elebenty - alternatives to lath and plaster (Read 48809 times)

Canardly · « **Reply #250 on:** 31 August, 2016, 08:38:35 pm »

There seem to be a lot of non VAT registered builder types around atm. Could be that your quote does not attract VAT. (Turnover circa £83k to qualify mmmm).

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #251 on:** 31 August, 2016, 08:47:58 pm »

I'm sure they're bigger than that, not a very small outfit. They probably do it to look cheaper....

jsabine · « **Reply #252 on:** 31 August, 2016, 09:59:04 pm »

It probably isn't worth the argument¹, but I'm almost certain that any supplier quoting prices to a consumer is obliged to do so including VAT. The fact that certain business sectors habitually don't do so is neither here nor there.

1: That said, almost twelve hundred quid can buy you a lot of argument² down this neck of the woods
2: Not necessarily with roofers though

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #253 on:** 31 August, 2016, 10:14:01 pm »

Well if it does turn out to include VAT I shall be happy as it will be cheaper, but I'm not holding my breath in order to not be disappointed

jsabine · « **Reply #254 on:** 31 August, 2016, 10:29:13 pm »

The argument bit comes when they present an invoice for £5740+20%, and you pay them £5740.

There isn't any teeny-tiny print on the back of the quote stationery, saying all quotes are subject to their standard Ts&Cs is there? Because when you've found the Ts&Cs (behind the leopard or wherever), they probably do say quotes are ex VAT. I'd still view that as misleading though, if there's no mention of VAT on the face of the quote.

Aunt Maud · « **Reply #255 on:** 01 September, 2016, 11:42:25 am »

Are they quoting for a scaffolding or do they plan to do it off a ladder.

Plus will they be taking off the slates which abut the parapet wall and replacing them with new ones ?

If they say they will just slide the soakers up under the existing slates, you'd best walk away, as they need to be nailed onto the same batten as the slate they sit under and have a lap equal to the lap on the slates, otherwise they'll leak.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #256 on:** 01 September, 2016, 12:17:21 pm »

jasabine - the quote is not for £5740. That's the figure I got after adding 20%. There's no mention of VAT anywhere on the quote, but it was emailed so can't see the back of the stationery

.

Aunt Maud - this particular quote (the detailed one) states that slates will be stripped back and re laid on completion and allows for 30% slate wastage. It's using a scaffold tower rather than a full wall of scaffolding. They separated the quote into 2 parts, to just do the bit adjacent to the chimney or then to do the whole lot.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #257 on:** 02 September, 2016, 04:10:28 pm »

Saga update:
The above quote did not include VAT.

I got a new quote from the poor communicators:
Remove existing skews from both sides of gable, install code 3 lead soakers under each course of slates from gutter to ridge. New skews to be formed once lead & slates in situ.
£1560 + VAT.

No mention of putting anything up the length of the chimney, cutting a 'raggle' in it and putting lead up there

Think I should just admit defeat and go with the expensive but comprehensive one? (FTR they specified code 6 lead).

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #258 on:** 11 September, 2016, 03:39:24 pm »

I am watching the men on the roof of the flats across the street. Last month they replaced all the cement to the skews on their gable end. This weekend they had all the pointing out of the chimney stack and now they've replaced the the haunching (or some of it) round the chimney cans. I reckon they've got the same issues I have. Wonder if that'll work for them.

Never mind the fact I can see loads of loose slates, I'm surprised that roof isn't leaking like a sieve.

Meanwhile I'm waiting for the lead bunch to acknowledge me accepting their quote....

Aunt Maud · « **Reply #259 on:** 11 September, 2016, 06:46:49 pm »

On a Sunday ?? Anyway......

For soakers, code 3-4 is right. Code 6 is too thick and will lift the slates, which you don't want.

http://www.calderlead.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Calder-Guide-to-Good-Leadwork.pdf

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #260 on:** 14 September, 2016, 09:48:37 pm »

Next question, can I give the lime a light sanding now it's cured a bit? The corner under the roof was obviously done at the end of the day and is a bit less of a polished finish that the rest.

Aunt Maud · « **Reply #261 on:** 14 September, 2016, 09:56:01 pm »

As long as you don't breath in the dust or get it in your eyes (it hurts) you should be ok.

You will end up taking the thin smooth and hard layer off the top and exposing the aggregate, but if you lime wash it or go for a distemper it will cover it up again. Just don't go mad with the sandpaper, as it crumbles easily once you get under the hard top layer.

Jaded · « **Reply #262 on:** 14 September, 2016, 10:33:31 pm »

breathe

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #263 on:** 14 September, 2016, 10:52:00 pm »

Hmm OK. Being as that area will be mostly hidden by hi-fi shit when we eventually get back to normal (when ever that turns out to be) maybe I'll just not bother.
It's only bugging me just now because there's nothing there except a lamp on the floor, which is casting shadows and making the texture really obvious.

Speaking of sand, I got new specs last November. I noticed they were covered in scratches in spring and could barely see though the things if the light was just right so I took them back. I'm starting to think the cause might have been all the dust that's been kicking about for the last several months....

Aunt Maud · « **Reply #264 on:** 15 September, 2016, 06:20:55 am »

Quote from: Jaded on 14 September, 2016, 10:33:31 pm

breathe

ok

Aunt Maud · « **Reply #265 on:** 15 September, 2016, 06:30:40 am »

A plasterer who can avoid leaving bits in the corners is a rare thing.

What really gets me is when they don't finish around plug sockets properly. Light switches are another place where it seems they have a funny turn and are happy to leave the surface all uneven.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #266 on:** 15 September, 2016, 07:41:31 pm »

Yeah, when I say a corner, I mean up to 2 feet away from the actual corner...

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #267 on:** 16 September, 2016, 06:19:08 pm »

So I've been looking at this for the past 2 weeks since we got back from holiday, trying to decide if it was my imagination.
Today I received my moisture meter - 33% (the highest reading on masonry setting), so no, not my imagination.

Well, shit

2016-09-12_06-57-29 by The Pingus, on Flickr

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #268 on:** 16 September, 2016, 06:20:22 pm »

In other news it's been 2 weeks since I accepted the lead quote.
2 weeks of radio silence.

Tokenz, I haz dem.

Aunt Maud · « **Reply #269 on:** 16 September, 2016, 06:51:15 pm »

For a refresher, isn't that lime on lathed stud work with a monster cavity behind it ?

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #270 on:** 16 September, 2016, 06:58:42 pm »

Not quite sure what you're referring to with monster cavity. This is a pic of the same area during the investigations:

20160404_171505 by The Pingus, on Flickr

Aunt Maud · « **Reply #271 on:** 16 September, 2016, 07:02:16 pm »

The square in the first picture with the damp around it has a cavity behind it, non?

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #272 on:** 16 September, 2016, 07:03:07 pm »

So, here's my random thoughts....

In the pic above you can see how stained that same area is before the new coat. In the today picture you csn see a white box in the middle corresponding to the box with exposed lath in the 'before' picture.

Could that really stained area of old plaster be full of salts which are holding on to the moisture?
When I do a moisture reading the white box is still high at about 16% but much lower than the stained bits.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #273 on:** 16 September, 2016, 07:06:05 pm »

Quote from: Aunt Maud on 16 September, 2016, 07:02:16 pm

The square in the first picture with the damp around it has a cavity behind it, non?

There's a gap behind the whole wall between the lath and the masonry if that's what you mean? (I suspect its not so forgive me if it's not and I'm being a bit dense)

Aunt Maud · « **Reply #274 on:** 16 September, 2016, 07:10:29 pm »

Quote from: Mrs Pingu on 16 September, 2016, 07:03:07 pm

In the pic above you can see how stained that same area is before the new coat. In the today picture you csn see a white box in the middle corresponding to the box with exposed lath in the 'before' picture.

Could that really stained area of old plaster be full of salts which are holding on to the moisture?

No it should all be dry. The damp patches look like they're over a stud on either side of the light coloured square. If you follow the line of nails in the second picture down it hits the damp patches shown in the first photo.