cowboy decorator, please HELP!

[TryC]

Hello All,

 

I wondered if anyone could offer some advice.

 

I have hired a professional to do the decorating - to paint and wallpaper. They claimed to have over 10 years experience and they had good reviews on facebook and yell. But now I am wondering if the reviews are even real or all his friends because his workmanship and work ethic is absolutely disgusting. We started off very well...they turned up, and on time, but after the first day, I was left wondering if I should just tell them not to come back.

 

They lined the walls and some areas where just cut out a shape and patch it in the wall. I could of done a better job and I am an amatuer! I asked about it and they assured me that after they had caulked it, I would not be able to see it. I was all the time thinking, if you had done it right, you wouldn't need to caulk it. But what do I know, I am not a professional with over 10 years exp...but hey, I am not sure this person is either.

 

They proceeded to paint over it and i can still see the rips and cuts. Is this normal to have decorators caulk over the lining paper? and for them to cut shapes and patch in the lining paper? It is like he is playing paper tetris on my walls.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Thanks.

Edited August 15, 2021 by TryC

[recoveringbuilder]

Short answer-No

[TryC]

5 minutes ago, recoveringbuilder said:

Short answer-No

sighhh. ?

[epsilonGreedy]

Your complaint about their work is subjective, why not upload some photos into this thread to illustrate the state of your walls before they started and then another showing the job in progress.

 

Is it possible the walls are in a bad state of repair and your expectation about what decoration can cover up is unrealistic?

 

Your request for advice would be helped if you used less emotive English, if they turned up on time and worked a full day then I do not how their work ethic could be described as "absolutely  disgusting".

[Big Jimbo]

Unfortunately, decorating seems to be one of those trades that if you own a paint brush, you can call yourself One. I have seen some shocking work from people who i know have been doing it for years. Post some pics, lets have a look.

[Stewpot]

No. But with some qualification. There is a good technique of tearing and patching wallpaper - the idea is that the tear feathers the edge, and while the patch won't disappear under close examination, used discreetly it can be an appropriate way to get around awkward situations. A good tear is less obvious that a bad cut. Lining paper will probably make the best of this, and it won't work at all on heavily embossed of blown vinyl papers. Caulking the gaps is a sign of desperation (though there are situations where things do get tricky for even the best decorator). Most caulks shrink a little as they dry, so a second application can be necessary. Some people make the mistake of thinking that the paint itself will act as a filler for small gaps - it won't.

 

Also, many people would say that if proper wallpaper is to be applied over the lining paper, the lining paper should be hung perpendicularly to the proper wall paper - ie. the lining paper is hung horizontally.

 

But why are the walls being lined? Are there defects, or variable surfaces on the walls? If it is simply going to be painted over, then to my mind it will always look like painted wallpaper - I'd rather have a poor wall with a good paint job. If the walls are in poor condition, lining may be the best thing to do, but you will see the joins. But if possible, just paint the walls. If it's new plaster, give it time to dry, then apply a thinned coat of paint to prime it, followed by a couple of normal coats.

[TryC]

here is one.

40 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

Unfortunately, decorating seems to be one of those trades that if you own a paint brush, you can call yourself One. I have seen some shocking work from people who i know have been doing it for years. Post some pics, lets have a look.

 

25 minutes ago, Stewpot said:

No. But with some qualification. There is a good technique of tearing and patching wallpaper - the idea is that the tear feathers the edge, and while the patch won't disappear under close examination, used discreetly it can be an appropriate way to get around awkward situations. A good tear is less obvious that a bad cut. Lining paper will probably make the best of this, and it won't work at all on heavily embossed of blown vinyl papers. Caulking the gaps is a sign of desperation (though there are situations where things do get tricky for even the best decorator). Most caulks shrink a little as they dry, so a second application can be necessary. Some people make the mistake of thinking that the paint itself will act as a filler for small gaps - it won't.

 

Also, many people would say that if proper wallpaper is to be applied over the lining paper, the lining paper should be hung perpendicularly to the proper wall paper - ie. the lining paper is hung horizontally.

 

But why are the walls being lined? Are there defects, or variable surfaces on the walls? If it is simply going to be painted over, then to my mind it will always look like painted wallpaper - I'd rather have a poor wall with a good paint job. If the walls are in poor condition, lining may be the best thing to do, but you will see the joins. But if possible, just paint the walls. If it's new plaster, give it time to dry, then apply a thinned coat of paint to prime it, followed by a couple of normal coats.

it was lined as I was told that you should always line walls before painting.

[TryC]

56 minutes ago, epsilonGreedy said:

Your complaint about their work is subjective, why not upload some photos into this thread to illustrate the state of your walls before they started and then another showing the job in progress.

 

Is it possible the walls are in a bad state of repair and your expectation about what decoration can cover up is unrealistic?

 

Your request for advice would be helped if you used less emotive English, if they turned up on time and worked a full day then I do not how their work ethic could be described as "absolutely  disgusting".

it started off well. yes, they turned up on time the first day. and just because they did a full day doesn't mean it was done well.

 

I didn't see it until they had finished.

 

Other days, they turned up lately or not at all = hence the comment about the work ethic.

[MikeSharp01]

10 minutes ago, TryC said:

here is one.

 

it was lined as I was told that you should always line walls before painting.

Looks like poor workpersonship to me. 

[TryC]

12 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Looks like poor workpersonship to me. 

I was beginning to think I was being pedantic or...my standards are too high?! glad I'm not the only one who thinks it is a poor effort.

[markc]

Lined and then painted? That’s just as bad as painting over wall paper ?

[epsilonGreedy]

22 minutes ago, TryC said:

here is one

 

it was lined as I was told that you should always line walls before painting.

 

 

Is this an old property? I ask because the wood frame to the right looks as though it might be a feature of an old cottage.

[SteamyTea]

1 hour ago, Big Jimbo said:

Unfortunately, decorating seems to be one of those trades that if you own a paint brush, you can call yourself One

Yes. Why I did it for a couple of years when I needed extra cash. Small capital outlay, very cheap insurance, and everything fitted in the boot of a mid 90s Corsa.

Could earn 3 times the money in Harrow compared to Hemel Hempstead.

Only got thrown off one job, but that was nothing to do with the decorating.

[Big Jimbo]

Must have been the posher part of Harrow, perhaps Harrow on the Hill ?

[SteamyTea]

3 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

Must have been the posher part of Harrow, perhaps Harrow on the Hill ?

More a reflection in the borrowing and earning potential between I side and outside the M25.

And people from Treacle Bumstead are tossers.

[MikeSharp01]

2 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

Only got thrown off one job, but that was nothing to do with the decorating.

Dare we ask what caused it? I expect it was the colour of your eyes. 

[SteamyTea]

1 minute ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Dare we ask what caused it? I expect it was the colour of your eyes. 

I had them screwed shut when her husband came in.

[Stewpot]

3 hours ago, TryC said:

 

That's horrible. At the very least you would be justified in asking him to do that section again. It looks to be in an obvious place, where it is clearly on view, and no amount of caulking is going to hide it. If that's typical of the whole job, you may want to reconsider your options.

 

Edited August 15, 2021 by Stewpot

[Onoff]

3 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

Only got thrown off one job, but that was nothing to do with the decorating.

 

Still performance related though? ?

[SteamyTea]

Just now, Onoff said:

 

Still performance related though? ?

Half the customers on that job were happy.  So that made 2 our of three of us there.

If it had been a vote for BREXIT, I would still be in.

[TonyT]

It’s very rough, and he shouldn’t have left it like that.

 

ask to redo and don’t pay until it meets your standards. 

[Temp]

Lining and painting is a cheap alternative to replastering/skimming. It's never as good though.

[TryC]

On 15/08/2021 at 21:30, Temp said:

Lining and painting is a cheap alternative to replastering/skimming. It's never as good though.

I have some walls that have been skimmed - I don't need to line do i? or can i seal then pop on the final paint on it right away?

[Temp]

If the plaster skim is good and flat without and defects then yes just treat like normal new plaster. Guide here..

 

https://www.dulux.co.uk/en/expert-help/dr-dulux-painting-on-new-plaster

 

I recommend inspecting the plaster first to check for tiny lumps and bumps as painting can show them up. Easier to knock them off with a scraper or sanding block before you start painting.