'Hollow sounding' plaster on walls-repairs needed

[Carol]

We lost a small chunk of plaster on our stairs (old lime with lumpy gypsum skim) recently and asked a builder to quote for patching or possible replacement. Quote for complete job was (as expected) astronomic and so patching is the next option, but builder has recommended complete renewal of lime as old stuff is 'hollow and no longer attached to sub-structure'. Am wondering if I can find a means of getting old stuff to be re-attached to wall, where we are not patching, even if this punctures the gypsum. Unfortunately the gypsum is so irregular I can't get it off without risking the old lime. Can the sort of washers you use on ceilings be adapted or could we just screw back the plaster at intervals? Am reluctant to lose the whole of the old stuff on aesthetic as well as financial grounds, not to mention I would probably need LBC. Any suggestions gratefully received.
The current hole is approx. 25 x 40 cms and will stay reproaching me for my carelessness, until I can decide what to do. I must make sure I come downstairs more carefully carrying the vacuum cleaner and not bang it on the walls.

 

[Lime]

Without seeing the condition of the plaster it is difficult to give a specific opinion.
however IME most hollow sounding plaster does not need replacement nor does it need screwing back to the wall.
In every house until you inspect every inch of the walls you will never ever know what is hollw-sounding and what isn't.
how often does plaster fall off a wall unless it is disturbed?...not often.
Unless the plaster has been damaged by water or has fallen off the wall I'd leave it.
Don't listen to a modern builder trying to turn your home into a Barratt box.

 

[Pennine Builder]

Don't listen to a modern builder trying to turn your home into a Barratt box.

And don't listen to self appointed experts.

This isn't a forum, just a sounding off site for the blind leading the blind (with four or five exceptions).

 

[Moo]

Ooer - that's fighting talk!

Come on, Pennine Builder. Put your money where your mouth is, and name some names.

 

[Lime]

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Ooer - that's fighting talk!

Come on, Pennine Builder. Put your money where your mouth is, and name some names.

Better still, PB, let's have your name, and your qualifications and experience.

 

[Nemesis]

Can we assume this person is claiming he or she built the Pennines, therefore must be God?

That's if you believe that sort of theory of course.

So come on then Pennine Builder - how would you deal with the problem of hollow sounding lime plaster?

We tend to ignore it unless we need to hang a picture, otherwise we would spent half our lives in anguish.

However, various methods of re-attaching have been discussed here in the past.

 

[Penners]

I really like the idea that God has joined this forum under a pseudonym. I wonder whether he knows any good religious jokes.



For the sake of my personal safety, I'd better add a rider that the masculine pronoun should be taken to include the feminine where/if appropriate.

 

[Nemesis]

Well, I spotted PB browsing the forum just now and I presume he/she has read this, but no putting cash where gob is... or, indeed, any response to the query.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

I really like the idea that God has joined this forum under a pseudonym. I wonder whether he knows any good religious jokes.

Yes, I do.

 

[Penners]

Typical CO.....

 

[Gareth Hughes]

I really like the idea that God has joined this forum under a pseudonym. I wonder whether he knows any good religious jokes.

Yes, I do.

The Bishop of Southwark is perhaps the best one doing the rounds at the moment:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/dec/10/religion.world

 

[Penners]

I remember that story.

I'm the Bishop of Southwark. It's what I do.

Great line.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

I remember that story.

I'm the Bishop of Southwark. It's what I do.

Great line.

And my attention has just been drawn to this, if you'll accept "Jedi" as a religion:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/7360871.stm

Hughes, who was drunk and dressed in a black bin bag, shouted "Darth Vader!"...had drunk the best part of a 10 litre box of wine.

In my experience, the "best part" of a 10 litre wine box is the nutritious cardboard packaging.

 

[Penners]

In my experience, the "best part" of a 10 litre wine box is the nutritious cardboard packaging.

Well, there's no accounting for taste. However, next time I need a 10-litre bag-in-box, we can go halves on it. I'll drink the wine, you can nosh on the box.

 

[Nemesis]

I suspect that Gareth has had to drink the contents before he embarks on sucking the goodness from the packaging though.

 

[Penners]

That explains why you were calling him a sucker, the other day.

 

[Nemesis]

Who me?

But ...

 

[Carol]

Well, I came in from work and looked at my thread and thought "Whoopee, 17 answers to my problem!" But no! Just a bit of banter and builder baiting. (Thank you Lime, anyway)

Still not sure of next move, do I try knocking back to the base to patch and risk the whole lot collapsing?
Or patch a somewhat mobile render as a temporary measure?
Or pay my builder who is a trad. man and is generally right if pricey and let him patch with lime? (He did suggest this but was worried about stability)
And do I need to tell our new CO if I am only patching, if its a repair not a change. OH's disaster scenario has me patching and bringing down the lot on my head to be joined by wrath of CO who we don't yet know.

 

[DaveBrigg]

We have a simialr problem, although having removed patches of cement render the holes are a little bigger. The remaining plaster is as detached as some of the 5 bed 'exec' properties that are falling in value down the road, but held firmly together by the hair in the base coat. If you can see hair around the edges of your hole, the chances are that although the plaster may be detached in places, it is unlikely to drop off in chunks the moment it is touched.
If the builder is suggesting removal of the plaster anyway, what is to stop you having a go yourself first? There is plenty of good advice on how to do it from some of the builders on this forum, and in a very worst case scenario, you'll only be at the stage that was suggested in the first place.
In the meantime, you have given a very good reason not to hoover upstairs.