Drywaller Career Guide and Counseling

Question: How many visits should a professional drywaller make to finish a taping job? Is 2 plus 1 to sand OK, or 3 then 1 to sand? This is a small job, 8 sheets of 4x8 I had heard something once that 3 layers of drywall would need to dry, followed by sanding = 4 trips. I want quality work!! Is this just an ideal?

Answer: If we're not including the time to hang the sheets then 2 trips and a final for sanding should be sufficient. Since only 8 sheets are being used I can only assume that the new drywall is being tied into old plaster and/or drywall and this is always a bit trickier and might require an addditional trip. In any event you should not pay in accordance with the number of trips but instead per sq. ft or flat rate.

Question: Looking for a good drywaller in Vancouver, BC? Can someone recommend a good company to put a new drywall ceiling in our bathroom?

Answer: Vancouver is a long ways away for myself. If communicated in the right way you may help out the drywaller you find if you give him this Drywall check list however. Drywall Check List http://www.brandsconstruction.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=60

Question: My drywaller left some mud on my wood floors. What is the best way to remove the mud and clean the floor?

Answer: First, let it dry until it's just dirt, then sweep up the most of it. Use a plastic spatula to gently scrape off any lumps of dirt stuck to the wood flooring, then damp mop to remove any fine remaining dirt. If (as Prof suggests) it is drywall "mud" or the plaster compound used in "mudding" drywall, then you should be able use a plastic scraper to get the majority of the stuff up, then damp mop the rest. We had drywall mud on our wood floor too, and it was real wood, not a Pergo type flooring. It was relatively simple to get it off, though there was quite a bit of plaster dust to deal with also. That's rather insidious stuff.

Question: How do you challenge your drywaller journeyman ticket?

Answer: In regards to what? are they not honoring it?

Question: Is it proper to change the price mid stream if a drywaller quoted me prior to job and I bought all the mat.? 1000 sq ft in an old farmhouse. Nothing in writing. priced me at 700, then said after first day he measured wrong. Then bought material needed himself, after I agreed to pay for all materials- and did for original purchase.

Answer: is his name Dennis by any chance? I had a guy do this to me- he was a con man. He took things back that I bought and kept the money, then told me I needed other things, and over charged me. I took all his receipts and he charged me for things he returned, like a shower, and then charged me again for a new one- I found him off by 1000 dollars, and told him the price just got re adjusted- he left town with no forwarding address.

Question: Drywaller in Indianapolis, Indiana? Does anyone know a good drywaller in the Indianapolis, Indiana area? I need someone skilled and reasonable for my remodeling project. Thanks in advance What I am looking for is anyone who has had a good experience with a particular drywaller.

Answer: Other Drywall Contractors In Indianapolis, Indiana A & L Drywall (317) 870-1850 5717 W 85th St Indianapolis, IN C I Drywall Co (317) 542-0083 2511 E 46th St # J6 Indianapolis, IN C S White Drywall Inc (317) 293-6392 8081 Crawfordsville Rd Indianapolis, IN Craftsman Drywall (317) 848-7807 10655 Jessup Blvd Indianapolis, IN Donald Collins Drywall & Supply (317) 546-4251 5326 E 30th St Indianapolis, IN Hughes Drywall Co (317) 784-6228 4115 Shelby St Indianapolis, IN Indy Walls & Ceilings (317) 352-9215 1901 N Sherman Dr # 100 Indianapolis, IN Kovacs Painting (317) 834-4711 23311 Carol Lane Mooresville, IN M & M Drywall Inc (317) 897-8950 5462 Barker Ln Indianapolis, IN Mikosz Drywall (317) 251-0166 5424 N Washington Blvd Indianapolis, IN Norris Drywall (317) 423-2336 1806 S Belmont Ave Indianapolis, IN Precision Dry Wall (317) 542-0141 7921 E 46th St Indianapolis, IN Rickey's Plastering & Drywall (317) 891-7618 556 Ironbrook Ct Indianapolis, IN Robertson Drywall Co (317) 788-6340 5715 Churchman Ave #N Indianapolis, IN Service Dry Wall Co (317) 784-4041 5520 S Harding St Indianapolis, IN Showline Drywall (317) 209-0322 1031 Country Club Rd Indianapolis, IN

Question: Hiring a drywaller to re-do a room...Guess at cost? Just curious what people would think this would cost? I know it's pretty vague but any guesses? Reasonable? 1. Demolish existing sheetrock and replace w/ new. Average size room. 2. Tape all seams and mud 3. Tape and mud ceiling (new sheetrock on that is already up). 4. smooth out all areas to get ready for painting (which we will do ourselves). TIA I was given a price by the guy that is in the process of doing over (well partly) my son's new room. We replaced 1/2 the sheetrock (other walls were ok) and my husband tried to tape/mud the walls and it didn't go so well. The taper I hired had to re-do the tape. He also skim coated the ceiling smooth (charged me $400 for that room and has given me a price for the room I'm asking about). yes...I insisted he write down the current room he's doing. That way I can say...you wrote this! I told him I can't redo the other room right now $ wise so I will also have him write that down and sign it since some time will pass until we can do it. the $$ amt. I was given was $650!

Answer: We just bought a house and did all that ourselves, we spent about 500 on the sheetrock and maybe 100 on misc stuff. But that was for livingroom, kitchen and hallway and thats including the ceiling too. I think you guys a tight on money and have a weekend to spare, do it yourself, it was interesting and it came out great. GOOD LUCK!!!

Question: is drywaller a word?

Answer: Yes it is. "Drywall (also called wallboard, gypsum board, GWB, plasterboard, SHEETROCK® and Gyproc®) is a building material consisting of gypsum formed into a flat sheet and sandwiched between two pieces of heavy paper. As of 2005, it is the most common material globally for the construction of interior walls and ceilings. Drywall is typically found in four-foot wide sheets of various lengths, commonly 8 feet, 10 feet, or 12 feet. "

Question: What can I put on my walls to cover up a bad drywalling job? My drywaller (husband) did a sloppy job drywalling and I can see seams and cracks, is there something besides wallpaper I can put on the walls? I was thinking ragging (paint) might look all right, any input helpful.

Answer: Get your self a 5 gal bucket of topping joint compound (light blue cap) mix with a little water and then get a texturing brush and stomp it out. While its drying you can knock off the points with a wide drywall knife or knock it down with a pole sander. Paint it self will not cover this up effectively.

Question: what is the job title of a person who works with drywall for a living? I want to offer my drywall services online, but I dont know what I would call myself. Drywaller?

Answer: shetrocker/ drywall installer

Question: How do you bid drywall jobs? Experienced taper needs to learn that part of the business? My husband has over 20 years experience as a drywaller, but has always worked for someone else. He would like to start his own business, but he doesn't have any experience on bidding a job. Can anyone tell us how you learn to do that or where he can go to find out? Thanks!!

Answer: 50 bucks a sheet, more for alot of cuts. that keeps me below the other guys and still make good money!

Question: Drywaller nails through pipe, any recourse? Our drywaller nailed through our reverse osmosis. It caused a leak that we noticed when we saw bulging wainscoting. We took out the sink, tore into the wall and found green mold. He sprayed it with bleach, and waited for us to dry it with a rented fan a dehumidifier. When he replaced the drywall and wainscoting, we woke to two inches water. This resulted from another nail he put through a main pipe. We tore it out again and hired a plummer to fix the pipe. What can we do now that this includes new floor damage too, to make him pay? We are tapped out.

Answer: My cousin ( the other Rob lol) is partly right .. Its both the previous plumber and the drywalls fault. The plumbing sounds like it wasn t run in the middle of the sill plate or the stud where a standard dry wall nail or screw won t reach it. PLUS its code( where I come from) striker plates must be put in to prevent a nail from being driven through a pipe. NOW also , any one w/ experience (dry waller) should be on the look out for this sort of thing when putting nails/ screws into a wall since I assume he /she saw the open wall and the plumbing .. They shouldve not nailed any where near a pipe(s) w/o mapping out and marking where pipes are that are not protected or have no striker plate to protect from their nails.. So you may be able to collect from both or all from the dry waller since they should ve seen where the pipes were.... GL

Question: How do you bid drywall jobs? Experienced taper wants to start business but needs to learn how to bid.? My husband has over 20 years experience as a drywaller, but has always worked for someone else. He would like to start his own business, but he doesn't have any experience on bidding a job. Can anyone tell us how you learn to do that or where he can go to find out? Thanks!!

Answer: I would suggest that you take a look at the publications put out by RS Means. They have several books that tell you how to prepare estimates, as well as guides that show costs for various building components, including drywall work. The books are real expensive but worth it. Also, after 20 years in the business, I assume that your husband has made friends with a few general contractors and project managers. I would suggest that he take these people out for a beer and casually ask what is the normal price range for drywall work in your part of the country.

Question: is there any home builders looking for a great drywaller or painter? company out of mi but looking to relocate

Answer: Consider the southern part of Georgia and all of Florida. The house construction is way up and materials have held steady for several years.

Question: who will be effected by this recession in canada? ok so in simple terms what is going on here?what is all this talk about a recession and job losses my fiance is a drywaller working in downtown toronto for a big company (oakdale) we just recently had a baby and i am terrafied about what is going to happen am i just being worried for nothing ... what are we looking at here what is predicted to happen?

Answer: There are going to be many changes in the Canadian economy and a lot have already started. Canada is part of the global economy and is not immune to the financial crisis that is taking place. It is like a domino effect. Spending power is reduced by the loss in investments and jobs losses. The auto industry and related manufacturing have already suffered and now the housing industry is feeling the effects. As jobs and investments are lost, purchasing or spending decreases in all areas. New housing starts come to a halt because there are few to no purchasers. The best thing you can do is prepare yourself for the change. Accept that changes are coming and work with them not against them. Your fiance may want to consider a job in the renovation and repair industry. As money tightens, people hold unto what they have and can more easily afford repairs rather than replacements.

Question: I'm going to have the walls skims coated but want to prep as much as I can myself - having trouble getting the wallpaper backing off - it's right on the drywall - any suggestions? It's coming off in 1/4" pieces and is taking forever! Sometimes I can't even be sure what's paper backing and what's drywall. Trying to reduce the time and therefore cost of the drywaller. Any help is appreciated.

Answer: There is a product available at Home Depot and most hardware stores called DIF, it is made for stripping wallpaper. Also get a "bear claw" (think that's what it is called), it has hundreds of tiny teeth and when you roll it over the paper it puts small holes in it. Mix the DIF with HOT HOT water, spray it on and allow it to soak in for 10-15 minutes. If an area starts drying out, respray to keep it moist. Gently start scraping it off, more than likely the top vinyl coat will come off leaving the paper backing, which comes off easier. If it's being super resistant and/or taking the top coat of the wallboard off stop. You've done your best so let it dry out and get some Kilz Sealer. Use the oil base, it will penetrate better. Paint two coats of the Kilz on the walls to prep them for the drywaller. He will then do two skim coats over the walls, floor to ceiling, sanding between coats and doing a final sanding after, or if you are having him texture the walls he will use a hopper to spray drywall mud on the walls then knock it down with a large trowel. When he's all done and the walls are completely dry, paint two coats of latex Kilz over the new skim coat. Now you can proceed to do whatever you want.