1940 house, cracks on plaster. Keep cracks, fix or replace with sheet rock? (flooring, vinyl)
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Some of the rooms have a lot of hairline cracks on the walls and ceiling. I hear that's normal and happens when house sets and plaster cracks.
How many rooms? Sealing off areas to keep dust down, removing plaster, cleaning up before drywall?
You left out many of the details.
The price of $8,500 would not be high at all if the contractor is removing the old plaster walls(which includes all trim, and door frames). No doubt the job was priced by the sq. ft.
Fix the cracks and get on with the foundation. You will have a few more after that.
Guys, thanks for all messages so far. I went to the house and got pictures of the walls that have the most cracks. I also got some feedback from the tenant that used to live there. I asked if when the walls where painted they had fixed the cracks. She said the previous owner paid to paint, but didn't want to pay to fix all the cracks. Tenants says he tried to fix some stuff but didn't do a thorough job. I actually think I can spot some bad fixes from the painter. In one picture you will see an exposed crack, it wasn't open like that, I did that.
If your want to keep the existing look then plaster ;of course. But to me I won't do anything until I got the foundation done as that can mean other cracks and even more if remodeled other than that.Plaster remodelig can be expensive compared to sheetrock and float ;so I say keep the money to use later.
I lived/rented in San Francisco for 35 years, I'm now [unfortunately, for me] living near where I grew up in Colorado.
Because of the difficulty in finding a decent apartment, that doesn't charge ridiculous amounts for pets, (deposits, PLUS monthly rent, per pet) I purchased an OLD mobile home on Private property (so I wouldn't be subject to the constant rent increases on the lot rent at a trailer park or Mobile home 'community' )
a year and a half later ... I am having to move, because of the constant presence of plaster in the air.
It took me, and my new vet that only makes house calls, a while to figure out why we were coughing, and having trouble breathing more often than having colds or UTI's would suggest.
Between seismic activity, unstable land, and proposed foundation work, the real possibility of chronic dust inhalation should be considered.
I see some traditional crown molding plus, some real decorative stuff. Do you know if the decorative stuff is wood or formed plaster?
Yeah you have a lot of work there if you want smooth walls. Myself I prefer the old look, over just a slick wall.
Oh, and do I now anything? Well sort of. I was a remodeling contractor for a long time,(35 years) now retired. I retired because people just didn't want to pay for top quality work.
Don't have any clue what part of the country you live in. That will also determine how much it will cost.
It took me, and my new vet that only makes house calls, a while to figure out why we were coughing, and having trouble breathing more often than having colds or UTI's would suggest.
So from your mobile home you were breathing plaster dust from the house in the same property?
I am not sure if those cracks release much dust. Not sure if it's a concern.
If your want to keep the existing look then plaster ;of course. But to me I won't do anything until I got the foundation done as that can mean other cracks and even more if remodeled other than that.Plaster remodelig can be expensive compared to sheetrock and float ;so I say keep the money to use later.
So not even fix the cracks as we paint the room? We are only going to do the foundation work if we decide there is a need for a 3rd bedroom and we are committed to staying in that house. It could be 1 year from now, 2 years, or never.
So from your mobile home you were breathing plaster dust from the house in the same property?
I am not sure if those cracks release much dust. Not sure if it's a concern.
Mobile home, House on a foundation that will move, and be worked on (moved) by you, same thing.
If the paint is chipping, the plaster is 'dusting' How much and how often, I wouldn't know. It took me a year to realize that chipping plaster would be a breathing issue.
You will lose significant charm and therefore value by ripping out your period-appropriate plaster and replacing it with sheet rock.
Would you rip out your hard wood floors and put in wood laminate?
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