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What’s your opinion? does it cost more to spend a little time ripping furring strips to take out the waves in an existing wall before the rock goes up, or leave it for the finish guy to deal with — shimming cabinets, scribing trim, etc, etc ad infinitum?
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Hello Bryan,
It really depends on what quality of final results you want to achieve. Furring is cheap compared to labor for the finishers. You will also keep them in a better frame of mind, and better spirits if they don't have to deal with a really wavy wall. The straighter everything is, the better the job will look when completely finished.
I NEVER bid drywall finishing, cabinet installation, trim installation, etc... until I have seen the jobsite. This will tell me how much shimming, shaving, sanding, etc... I am going to get myself into. All of this can add up to some extensive time and labor on the installer/finisher part, and this labor could cost you substantially.
The drywall does not have to be absolutely straight, plumb, and even, but the more level/plumb/straight it is, the better.
James DuHamel
*Take care of the problems you are aware of now. It almost always saves time and money by correcting anything you can in the framing. A good example is furring out bathroom walls around 1 piece tubs and showers with panneling stips so the drywall goes over the tub lip without rolling. It cost only a few dollars and a few minutes to get a good looking drywall job in a bathroom.