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A digression: somewhere I read years ago about how to remove lath and plaster: you knock a hole in the plaster at the top of each stud bay and another at the bottom; drop a weighted rope through the upper hole and pay it in until you can grab it at the lower end; fasten it off to something (I think it was a length of 2×4 long enough to span the studs); then grab the end sticking out of the upper hole and pull like mad. Obviously, a respirator and safety glasses sort of job.
Never tried it, always wondered…
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I'm bidding a two story whole house renovation in one of our historic districts but we're not limited to putting it back like it was with the same material mentality. Where do you draw the line between repairing the plaster or tearing it all out for replacement with drywall? The base is wood lath, all the walls and ceilings are cracked and in many areas the top coat has lifted from the base. Around window and exterior door casings especially, the base is crumbling and the keying is shot. K & T and cloth insulated wiring as well as exposed add-on romex will definitely have to be replaced. Should I bite the bullet, get the biggest dumpster in the world and bring it all down to the lath or take a chance that all will turn out right with repair of the best and patchwork replacement of the worst? I ask because I have not had to deal with this much bad plaster before. Thanks for any advice.
Ralph
*Well , Ralph, if you're bidding it , you're basically screwed. Seems like the specs are too sloppy. If you want to do it right, you're going to open up a lot of walls and ceilings replacing wiring, and while you're at it some of the plumbing should be done too, right ?So, I would try to negotiate a Contract .If you're bidding on price, you've got to go to the lowest common denominator, and someone gets screwed on a whole house renovation. Seems they always start out hiring the low bidder, and then the extras begin, and if the budget can stand it, they either do an overlay, or take it down to the studs and start fresh.But, before I wasted too much time on this one, I would negotiate stronger specs.If there were no wiring, I would probably patch the walls and overlay the ceiling, and skim-coat plaster.
*Ralph: I do this all the time, (it seems like) but I am sure not sharp enough to do it on a bid. T+M for rich people, or buy the house and work for myself have been my experiences. I don't think it would be much of a "renovation" unless you chuck all that old stuff out the window. Wiring, plumbing, insulation all got to be done. Fireblocking in the balloon framing, air sealing- it goes on and on. Then you have to finish and trim it all and have it look good. At all times you'll wish that old stuff wasn't in your way. Good luck.
*Thanks Guys - I'll be scheduling my favorite electrician and plumber to have a look at this job, too. Then I'll sit down with the owners for a real nuts and bolts before I decide whether or not to stick my neck out. I know of one owner who has already spent 100 Grand on his own renovation, is in hock up to his neck and still has a ways to go before he can move in. (And this is with a lot of his own sweat equity, too). I just wanted to know about the plaster because if it has to go then all the trim has to come down and go back up (assuming it doesn't break into little pieces during dismantling)Ralph
*A digression: somewhere I read years ago about how to remove lath and plaster: you knock a hole in the plaster at the top of each stud bay and another at the bottom; drop a weighted rope through the upper hole and pay it in until you can grab it at the lower end; fasten it off to something (I think it was a length of 2x4 long enough to span the studs); then grab the end sticking out of the upper hole and pull like mad. Obviously, a respirator and safety glasses sort of job.Never tried it, always wondered...