Surface layers in wooden houses, moment?

[Mr Gadget]

Hello,

We have hired 2 Polish construction workers on recommendation. They are working very hard, and it looks great when finished, so there's no problem. However, we think they have a lot of steps before a room is completed. Since we ourselves have very little knowledge, I thought I'd ask what those of you with a bit of knowledge think.

We live in a house with a wood frame, which seems to be their reason for the precision, since it moves.

First, they put drywall on the walls and ceiling (the ceiling is also lowered with a 45mm joist to fit spotlights), then they apply a fiber tape (I think it was?) in the joints between the drywall sheets. Then they not only fill the seams but the entire walls and ceiling first once, then sand and fill again and sand. After that, they apply microlit to both walls and ceiling before painting 3 coats.

As mentioned, they are working well, but since there are so many steps, it takes about 2 weeks for 2 rooms, including some other small things like installing moldings, sanding the fireplace, and tearing up the flooring.

Additionally, the material cost is quite high too. If it's important to do all these steps, then it is, but when I hear from others around me, they think it sounds like a lot. So that's why I'm asking you, knowledgeable ones

Ps. This is not a thread about Swedish vs. Polish craftsmen, so please keep those discussions out.

 

[Fredrik.engdahl]

Unless it is very uneven when they have plastered, it is not necessary to spackle the entire ceiling and walls, only the seams and screws.

Is it not possible to talk to them about why they want to spackle everything? Is it an ongoing or fixed price?

Those who recommended, have they had the same work done?

 

[Fredrik.engdahl]

Then I don't think it will take so long if they are going to tear up the floor, lower the ceiling, attach moldings, plaster, spackle, paint, etc.

 

[hantverkare1]

Hi,

We have hired 2 Polish construction workers on recommendation. They work like crazy and it looks nice when it's done, so that's not a problem. However, we think they have a lot of steps before a room is finished. Since we have very little knowledge ourselves, I wanted to ask what you, who have a bit more knowledge, think.

We live in a house with a wooden frame, which seems to be their reason for the meticulousness, as it moves.

First, they put drywall on the walls and ceiling (the ceiling is also lowered with a 45mm stud to fit spotlights), then they apply a fiber tape (I believe?) on the joints between the drywall sheets. Then they don't only spackle the joints but the entire walls and ceiling first once, then they sand and spackle once more and sand. After that, they put microlit on both walls and ceiling before painting 3 coats.

As mentioned, they work well, but since there are so many steps, it takes about 2 weeks for 2 rooms, including other small things like fitting moldings, sanding the fireplace, and tearing up the floor.

Additionally, the material cost is quite high as well. If it's important to do all these steps, so be it, but when I hear from others around me, they think it sounds like a lot. So that's why I'm asking you knowledgeable folks

Ps. This is not a thread about Swedish vs Polish craftsmen, so please keep those discussions out.

The only thing I react to is that they full-spackle the drywall.
If the wall is uneven, you solve it before screwing in the drywall.
Then you spackle the joints 2-4 times and the screw holes 2 times.

I don't understand how the material cost can be unusually high.

The only thing that would be used unnecessarily is spackle if they spackle excessively and spackle is cheap as heck.

 

[Pumba]

Nice to hear that there are indeed those who take the time to do a good job.
I am likely reacting mainly to the fact that they putty the entire drywall, isn't it just the screw heads they are puttying?

Normally, you should putty and sand several times, so that sounds normal there.
But doing 2 rooms in 2 weeks with 2 guys seems rather inefficient.

I had 1 painter from one of the bigger companies in town, he was here for 14 workdays and he puttied, applied wall covering, and painted my single-story house inside, and there was only bare drywall on the walls and 12,000 screw heads...

 

[hantverkare1]

Nice to hear that there are indeed those who take the time to do a good job.
I'm just reacting to the fact that they're plastering the entire drywall, is it not the screw heads they're plastering?

Usually, it should be spackled and sanded in several rounds, so that sounds normal there.
But to do 2 rooms in 2 weeks when it's 2 guys seems rather inefficient.

I had 1 painter from one of the larger firms in town, he was here for 14 workdays and then plastered, put up wallpaper, and painted the entire inside of my single-story house, then it was just raw drywall on the walls and 12,000 screw heads...

I don't think 2 men in 2 weeks need to be that much.
Ts writes that they also install moldings and trims, lower ceilings, sand fireplaces, tear up floors, etc.

There's a lot that can take time in old houses, maybe the walls needed to be straightened, new window recesses, etc.

 

[Stefan N]

Don't see either the time or the tasks as particularly strange, it's rare for the craftsman to be too meticulous, so take the opportunity to give them more work.

 

[Lutte]

First-world problems, I think it sounds like they are really thorough! The only thing that sounds strange is that they plaster the entire wall before microlit.

But otherwise, it sounds like the time spent is normal for two guys.

 

[Mr Gadget]

Sounds like everything is peachy, in other words

I mainly felt like checking in with knowledgeable people since folks around us (especially the in-laws) have pointed out that it seems to take a long time for what they do.

The result, as mentioned, is good, and we've already booked them for some additional work, so it was out of pure curiosity.

It feels like the time and cost for spackel are fairly minimal in this context, so they can simply continue as they are.

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[mariatherese]

If you had been on the west coast, I definitely would have asked for their number...