Comment posted to Learning to Plaster by Plastering and Struggling with Drywall by fil.
Hi guys facinating thread
Wonder if anyone could drop me some advise
I have a 1930′s house, the existing plaster in places has blown and comes of in sheets as I found when trying to replace skirting after laying a lovely solid wood floor!!!!!
There is a plasterboard covering what was the former dining room doorway and the surronding area has brickwork with more of the old sand cemet crap covering it, which is resembling Weetabix all sand and no substance.
Reading much of the excellent advice Im thinking that it will need a sand cement mix for the exposed brick work , having been PVA’d and then that will be up to the level of the board?
Will I need then , 2 coats of skim ? on both surfaces?
Im not confident to do this but just want to get a handle on it when I get a plasterer in?
Also as there is a strong likelyhood that the rest of the house has a similar “cereal” finish 
can this kind of 1930′s reneder/ plaster be “Patch repaired” having been prepped properly? or is it a case of the whole wall needing to come off and be plastered? Sob sob!!
And finally
How does a Plasterer calculate a job? Is it Time / Size of job or a combo of both and whats the going rate please ?
Any advice gratefully recieved
Cheers
Fil
