I have hung dry wall several times and thought I understood a little about it. This is off topic,but the members here have a vast resource of knowledge on many things. Hired a contractor to do some repair work that need to be done. Busy time of year for me . Any way l was looking at his dry wall job and it was installed with roofing roofing nails with gaps of half an inch to an inch between to an inch wide. I lost it. He claims it is installed to industry standards. I have never seen roofing nails used for dry wall. All the panels were cut free hand with out the use of a straight edge. Had the industry deteriorated this far or is it just a poor contractor? I know I should have just fixed it my self. It would have taken less time than to fix this mess.
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Dry wall installation questions
- Thread starter Nutfarmer
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2013
- Messages
- 10,087
I have seen drywall that was installed in the 1940s nailed with roofing nails, and I have seen it installed with ring shank nails with small heads, but is certainly not good practice, especially the roofing nails, nowadays, screws are the rule, and no professional would cut drywall freehand with resulting gaps.
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2013
- Messages
- 3,627
$400 fee and a ridiculously deficient certification test will make you a contractor in our state.
there is no proof of knowing what you are doing necessary, nope not here!
industry standard is whatever they can get away with and not get called on it.
you can always...
Yelp him down a peg or 2,
Facebook the fraud,
Twitter the Turd, ETC... you have the power to voice an opinion on social media!
unfortunately, that really doesn't solve your problem.
i have resigned myself to do everything i possibly can before enlisting the aid of a contractor.
i have worked in the building trades, i wonder how structures stand for very long.
i always did my best work even when not inspected- others were not so inclined to do their job to the best of their abilities
and it often showed. i was a better as an apprentice than most Journeyman were.
bottom line in life in general -
some care, some don't
there is no proof of knowing what you are doing necessary, nope not here!
industry standard is whatever they can get away with and not get called on it.
you can always...
Yelp him down a peg or 2,
Facebook the fraud,
Twitter the Turd, ETC... you have the power to voice an opinion on social media!
unfortunately, that really doesn't solve your problem.
i have resigned myself to do everything i possibly can before enlisting the aid of a contractor.
i have worked in the building trades, i wonder how structures stand for very long.
i always did my best work even when not inspected- others were not so inclined to do their job to the best of their abilities
and it often showed. i was a better as an apprentice than most Journeyman were.
bottom line in life in general -
some care, some don't
I ran him off the job before he could do more damage. Now I will finish the job. He thinks he should still be played for what I have to take out . After removing the sheet rock there were two studs that were 1/2 short of the top plate. My farm help would have done better.
- Joined
- May 14, 2018
- Messages
- 335
Take pictures of all his garbage work before ripping it out. May need them if he takes you to court to try and make you pay him. My drywall installers used ring shank nails at the corners of sheets to get them up fast and filed in the field with screws. They also glued every stud. They said with the glue between the panels and the studs the nails would be fine. About one new one still pops every year. Those roofing nails will be problematic.
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2017
- Messages
- 2,138
Having worked with an uncle that was a "union certified" finisher up north, I hold myself to a higher standard than most craftsmen today. It seems that there are so many younger(<45) installers around that the only certification required is that they know which end of a hammer to use to drive nails. I will concede that much of my work is for myself, where time and money are not a consideration. A good install crew can do an entire house in a day, maybe two for a "McMansion". The finisher takes three days. fixed. Time for the mud to dry. . . With good timing, a week from stud walls to ready for paint.
There are "sheetrock" nails, specific to the application. Rarely used now, most installers use screws. Roofing nails will not hold up more than a year or two. About long enough for any warranty to expire. I had a fellow working for me that used "felt tacks" to hang sheetrock. The small nails that have a plastic washer so they could hold down roofing felt. I didn't remove them, I sank them as deep as I could, after using screws to hold everything in place. I ran him off, at half pay. I paid for the rock, but he and his crew transported it for me. I felt he deserved a little for the work of transporting, sheetrock is heavy and I'm not 25 any more.
Today, finishing is considered a separate craft from hanging. Mudding joints takes me half a day, per room, for three days. That's working dead slow, as a "DIYer". The most recent job, I could not reach above my head. Old age had caught up with me. So I mudded up to my shoulders, and hired the ceiling and upper walls out. One room, half walls and ceiling. The finisher worked the whole week(6 days) and still didn't finish the job. I paid him for what he did and sent him packing.
It seems that there are the "old geezers" who were taught a work ethic in most any craft. Then there are the younger people that "git by, good enough". The phrase "to the code" means it meets a minimum standard for workmanship. It does not indicate "good work", only that it will pass an inspection. And the current crop of inspectors can be "bought" with a good talk line, it isn't necessary to even provide a bottle any more.
There are young men that care about good work, but they are a rarity indeed. If you find one, hang on to him. Or do the work yourself with a licensed whatever taking out the permit and standing by for an inspection. He won't charge near as much, but still isn't cheap.
Learning to be a machinist means one is capable of learning any craft short of aviation or nuclear physics. All that is necessary is to acquire a good library, preferably older books from the '50s back. I have "Audel's" books dating back to the '30s. And a couple of relatives that, while the were alive, worked in several crafts. And were willing to show me some of the basics.
That's one of the reasons I hang out here, on this board. The other members are not afraid to help a beginner, showing him the error of his ways. And suggesting a simpler way. The craftsmen here have no axe to grind, no position to protect, no "union brothers" to take them to task. They do the work because it is pleasurable. And want others to enjoy that pleasure.
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There are "sheetrock" nails, specific to the application. Rarely used now, most installers use screws. Roofing nails will not hold up more than a year or two. About long enough for any warranty to expire. I had a fellow working for me that used "felt tacks" to hang sheetrock. The small nails that have a plastic washer so they could hold down roofing felt. I didn't remove them, I sank them as deep as I could, after using screws to hold everything in place. I ran him off, at half pay. I paid for the rock, but he and his crew transported it for me. I felt he deserved a little for the work of transporting, sheetrock is heavy and I'm not 25 any more.
Today, finishing is considered a separate craft from hanging. Mudding joints takes me half a day, per room, for three days. That's working dead slow, as a "DIYer". The most recent job, I could not reach above my head. Old age had caught up with me. So I mudded up to my shoulders, and hired the ceiling and upper walls out. One room, half walls and ceiling. The finisher worked the whole week(6 days) and still didn't finish the job. I paid him for what he did and sent him packing.
It seems that there are the "old geezers" who were taught a work ethic in most any craft. Then there are the younger people that "git by, good enough". The phrase "to the code" means it meets a minimum standard for workmanship. It does not indicate "good work", only that it will pass an inspection. And the current crop of inspectors can be "bought" with a good talk line, it isn't necessary to even provide a bottle any more.
There are young men that care about good work, but they are a rarity indeed. If you find one, hang on to him. Or do the work yourself with a licensed whatever taking out the permit and standing by for an inspection. He won't charge near as much, but still isn't cheap.
Learning to be a machinist means one is capable of learning any craft short of aviation or nuclear physics. All that is necessary is to acquire a good library, preferably older books from the '50s back. I have "Audel's" books dating back to the '30s. And a couple of relatives that, while the were alive, worked in several crafts. And were willing to show me some of the basics.
That's one of the reasons I hang out here, on this board. The other members are not afraid to help a beginner, showing him the error of his ways. And suggesting a simpler way. The craftsmen here have no axe to grind, no position to protect, no "union brothers" to take them to task. They do the work because it is pleasurable. And want others to enjoy that pleasure.
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- Joined
- Oct 31, 2016
- Messages
- 2,645
How much money is involved? Is he a licensed drywall contractor? If not what type of license does he have? He can only do drywall if he has a C9 drywall contractor license or a general building contractor licence. If not properly licensed file a complaint with the contractor's license board. Even if he is licensed file a complaint. https://www.cslb.ca.gov/Consumers/Filing_A_Complaint/ In these cases the contractor is entitled to the contract price less whatever it costs you to fix his shoddy work and complete the job. If he is not licensed he is not entitled to anything. How do I know this. I spent the last 13 years before retirement dealing with construction claims in California. If you need legal advice I can refer you to some attorneys who know their stuff in construction claims.
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2011
- Messages
- 591
This is the reason I try to do all work myself--most don't seem to care to do a good job, but at 73 some things I just can't seem to do anymore
. My mind says sure and my body says heck no.
We just had our roof replaced from hail and wind damage and have two dormers that needed painting (stain), with a 9/12 pitch roof I just couldn't do them and had to hire a painter. He actually did a fine job.
I hate hanging drywall and mudding, I can do it okay (slowly) just hate doing it.
. My mind says sure and my body says heck no.We just had our roof replaced from hail and wind damage and have two dormers that needed painting (stain), with a 9/12 pitch roof I just couldn't do them and had to hire a painter. He actually did a fine job.
I hate hanging drywall and mudding, I can do it okay (slowly) just hate doing it.
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