DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hello. I am new to DIYDoctor forum. I love DIY, but I am leaving bathroom refurb to the 'experts'... However.... The firm have removed the old tiles (1930s, with 1960s tiles on top!) from floor level to 4'. Wall above is riddled with some uneven-ness, old screw holes etc, (but no damp as far as I can ascertain). Room is small and I want it kept as large as possible - every inch crucial. Firm say they intend to put plasterboard over the old wall surface on 3 sides of the room, rather than remove the plaster above the tile-level. However, my instinct is that I would prefer them to remove all the plaster and re-plaster .. I don't like the idea of new covering up old, and feel it will reduce the room-size, albeit by a small amount, and am worried about the long-term problems of decorating - board-edges becoming visible etc Please advise! thanks Julia

you will not successfully remove old plaster cheaply, so let them get on with it, but ask them if they can use 9mm plasterboard.
Afterall, they have done this before, you probably haven't.

[quote="bd3cc"]you will not successfully remove old plaster cheaply, so let them get on with it, but ask them if they can use 9mm plasterboard.
Afterall, they have done this before, you probably haven't.[/quote]

thanks for your reply. I take the point, but I guess builders will usually do whats quickest/easiest for them and not necessarily whats ideal for the set-up!? We have reached a good British compromise. They are putting (waterproof) plasterboard on the internal walls and have removed all plaster from the outside walls - didn't seem to take long so I guess it was fairly loose anyway...was quite a thickness, so there is room to put insulated plasterboard, which will be an environmental plus I hope. They are going to use kingspan K17 42.5mm - if they can get it quite quickly...

Contrary to popular belief, most good builders will accomodate their customers as far as possible, as i think you have just proved.
They will tell you what is or is not possible according to your requirements,as most work on repeat business/recommendation.
Also it is difficult on the forum with terminology: for instance on your original post you had not mentioned that one of your walls, was an exterior wall and therefore not plasterboard, and presumably the other 3 are internal stud walls.
Anyway hope it goes well from here on in.

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