Judging by recent enquiries it would seem some people are encountering problems when they start decorating their new-build homes, usually a couple of years after moving in.
The most common issue is with paint bubbling and coming off the wall when they redecorate. This may seem an unusual and unexpected problem but, from what I’ve witnessed in the past, it’s surprising to me that it doesn’t happen more often?
Why is the quality of work on new build homes so poor?
The business model of a typical volume house builder is quite simple and goes a long way to explaining why the standard of work is often so shoddy.
First, they buy a plot of land, then they borrow money to build houses on it. This creates an incentive to get the houses finished and sold as quickly as possible so they can pay the least amount of interest and make a greater profit.
This model doesn’t exactly lend itself to quality, especially as skilled tradesmen who take a pride in their work are so thin on the ground. Works, like painting & decorating, are often carried out by sub-contractors on a price per room or per home basis. They do the work in a hurry and inspection by the site foreman is often casual with a blind-eye turned towards a lot of poor practice
And, unlike with some trades, poor preparation doesn’t always become apparent until years later. By which time, everyone has been paid and has moved on, leaving you, the hapless homebuyer, to sort out the mess.
Plastered Walls
With traditional plaster finish walls, the biggest issue is decorating before the walls before they have had sufficient time to dry out.
Contract matt emulsion, the most common type of paint used on new-builds, is microporous, which means moisture in the wall can dry without causing the paint to bubble (as would be the case with the vinyl-based paints you’ll be more familiar with.
However, because the surface of the wall was damp when the work was done, the paint hasn’t properly adhered in the first place so it’s not going to take much for the bond to fail.
Although it’s hard to anticipate when you apply new paint to the wall you’re adding extra weight, coupled with the fact that wet paint is naturally sticky. So you’ll see the old paint actually lift off as you go over it with a roller.
It’s possible to mitigate this by using a large brush instead but, for large walls, it’s not really practical and only leads to more problems at a later date.
Dry-Lining
A more recent problem is when walls are dry-lined and paint is applied directly to the plasterboard which hasn’t been properly sealed. The boards and the fillers used to level the joints are very absorbent and need to sealed before paint is applied.
Dry-wall sealer is colourless, expensive and takes time to apply, so, obviously, this is a process that’s often by-passed altogether!
As a result, the resins in the paint are absorbed beneath the surface of the board and this means the paint loses a lot of its adhesion properties.
Again, everything looks OK at first but, again, when you try and paint over the walls the original coating bubbles and lifts off the surface.
As you can imagine, this can be quite frustrating and makes it very difficult to redecorate to an acceptable standard. At best, you’ll need to do a lot of filling or, in extreme situations, have to use a thick lining paper to provide a decent surface finish.
Obviously, when you bought your new house you never envisaged having to deal with this problem and the cost and time required is likely to be double or triple what you expected.
Do you have a claim against the builders?
Some building defects are easy to diagnose and photographic evidence is usually quite damning. With painted surfaces though, evidence of poor workmanship is more tricky to prove.
However, if you have experienced the problems outlined above it may be worth making a claim regardless. Mainly because there isn’t any other reason why paint should fail in this manner; it is a defect for which there is simply no technical explanation other than poor workmanship.
You could claim for the extra expense involved in making good the defect and finishing to an acceptable standard.
If you do all the work yourself, any extra time you took off work should be included in your calculations.
Also, it’s unlikely the problem will be isolated to just one room – so take this into account too.
Comments
We have recently purchased a turn key new build, we are experiencing numerous issues one of which is the painting of all internal rooms. READ MORE…
Every corner of the rooms and above the skirting boards has what appears to look like silicone, although the builder is saying he believes it to be caulking.
The corners of the room and above skirtings appears to look damp, where someone has applied the product.
The builders decorator painted over one of these corners and it has still come through, how can we determine what it is I.e. silicone, caulking etc. as the builder and developer are stating that they will not rectify the issue for us, I have photos.
We would be so grateful for any help or advice thank you. Aruna
It’s likely to be decorator’s caulk, an acrylic water-based sealant that is similar in appearance to silicone but with the advantage that it can be overpainted.
In theory, there is nothing wrong with using this product, in moderation, but there is a tendency for excessive usage because it is cheap, easy to apply and covers a multitude of sins (otherwise known as poor workmanship).
Whether you have a valid claim against your builder will depend on what degree this product has been over-used and this may be difficult to argue. As a broad ‘rule of thumb’ though, I would say any instance where caulking is obvious amounts to over-use because it’s formulated to be used to only fill very minor gaps (say less than 1mm) and should not be apparent to the casual observer.
Anything more than this will lead to problems later on – such as cracking of any paint film applied to it and the seal itself becoming unsightly subsequent to differential movement of materials (ie, wooden skirting boards and plastered walls) where it will eventually break-away and expose large gaps.
Skirting boards should fit flush to the surface of a wall with no gaps at corners or abuttals to door architraves. If there is excessive caulking here, your builder will not be able to give a valid explanation because there simply isn’t one.
As for caulking of the wall corners, I can only assume this has been used to disguise a poor finish to the plastering or dry-lining, which ever may the case. Again, simply, poor workmanship.
With regards the damp, I suspect this is a case of painting before the wall surface has properly dried-out. The fact that this is most evident in the corners confirms this as these are the areas that tend to dry-out last.
It is common for decorating firms to be pressured to complete painting projects within unrealistic timescales and, as a consequence, it is not unusual for walls to be painted whilst they are still wet for the simple reason that it is something they can get away with – as everything will look fine at the time of sign off only for the issue to become apparent long after the home buyer has moved in.
Any evidence of damp is going to difficult to mitigate on the part of the builder and I would, therefore, ensure your photographs show this as clearly as possible.
Faced with clear photographic evidence, and a determination not to back down, I’m certain that your builder will agree to a compensation package, eventually, although he may insist his own firm is given the opportunity to put the matters right first . Regrettably, your case against him will be weakened if you decline this offer despite the obvious likelihood that the work will not be satisfactory.
Rectifying these issues properly may involve much more work and disruption than you may envisage and could, potentially, expose further defects. Please bear this in mind if agreeing to any settlement prior to remedial works commencing.
We employed an architect to supervise works, three years later we have damp patches, peeling paintwork and cracking paint on window frames. Do we blame architect or the builder? READ MORE…
Retirees, not in the best of health, we bought what we expect will be our last home; a Victorian end of terrace. Reading your very informative site it seems poor preparation, poor workmanship and work done by people who don/t know what they are doing is rife.
So knowing nothing about building and decorating ourselves, we employed a professional architect to specify and supervise works. A six figure sum and 9 months later work was completed.
But now, three years later we have more damp patches or salts ruining the new decorations in several rooms, peeling paintwork on external masonry, cracking paint on woodwork on window frames!
Do we blame our architect or the builder he recommended and what should we expect – if anything- in recompense or rectification? Thank you for listening, Derek
If the architect was supposed to be supervising the works then, yes, he/she would be liable. If he/she is a member of RIBA you may contact them for further guidance.
https://www.architecture.com/knowledge-and-resources/resources-landing-page/dispute-resolution
Otherwise it would come down to the specification of works and, if the spec was right, did the builder follow it to the letter? If you had a direct contract with the builder then the liability would be with him.
I would contact the architect in the first instance and get a copy of the specification. Also check the wording of the contract regarding his/her supervision.
It’s likely the works were correctly specified and the builder has cut corners, applying paint finishes before the fabric of the building has fully dried-out.
Using cheaper materials than were specified is another trick that’s often employed. Supervising builders on site is a bit like being a night club bouncer at times and it’s not unusual for an architect to turn a blind eye in order to avoid any conflict.
Also, check your home insurance policy as sometimes there is cover for legal expenses included.
I’m currently repainting the downstairs of my house but I’m having issues with the paint developing tiny blisters everywhere as it dries. Read more…
It’s definitely not damp, and so far I’ve tried switching between different types of rollers and a paint brush, painting slower, switching primer and switching paint – nothing seems to stop the blisters forming. If I try and pop them they just start peeling and it peels off the entire paint that was there before I started painting – it’s driving mad!! Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Darren – The original coating has not adhered to the surface which is a common problem nowadays. Likely the paint was applied directly to plasterboard/dry-lining or onto a damp plaster surface.
All you can do is make a claim against the builder which they will deny despite offering no plausible explanation.
Just checked our new build house. White emulsion to all walls but on some walls when I touched them I got a white powder /dust only hands…Read more…
Just checked our new build house. White emulsion to all walls but on some walls when I touched them I got a white powder /dust only hands. I checked other walls n got nothing on my hands. Site manager said you always get white dust with matt ! I have used matt (diy) over 30 yrs and never had this. Mark
On new build it’s normal to use contract matt which has almost no vinyl content (unlike most DIY paints) and this can explain why you are getting a bit of powdery residue. To say it always happens is a bit of a stretch but it could be a plausible explanation, particularly if they’ve used a very cheap brand or over done the watering-down.
I have recently moved into a rental property… concerned as all of the walls and ceilings have ‘chalking’… READ MORE…
I have recently moved into a rental property. Disappointingly we have found it not to be in the best cosmetic order. But I am concerned as all of the walls and ceilings have ‘chalking’. Even when just touched with a dry finger to test. And wiping definitely makes the problem worse. Other than complete redecoration, is there a solution? Is it safe? Vicky
Hard to say without seeing the problem but it could be down to natural drying-out (assuming it’s a new building)? Could also be they used contract matt paint that has virtually no resin content?
I would get in touch with the building owner before doing any work yourself. It is going to be an expensive undertaking to redecorate and may not solve the problem. Regards safety, it’s not going to have any adverse effects on your health that I can think of?
Luxury New build painting and decorating of a poor standard in my property. Builder says the decorating standard is fine. This I dispute… READ MORE…
Luxury New build painting and decorating of a poor standard in my property. I have requested a spec for the work carried out and how it was measured. Builder says the decorating standard is fine. And has ignored my request. This I dispute. Can you please advise? Siobhan
You’ll need to gather evidence to back-up your claims of poor workmanship and supervision. Clear photographs and, if possible, written evidence from neighbours and/or anyone involved in putting the work ‘right’.
You will also need to itemise any costs incurred, including your own time (maybe based on your usual hourly wage) plus any other expenses. Write to the chief executive of the company setting out your complaints and your intention to claim for damages in the county court. It will help your case if you give them an opportunity to rectify the works, if not done so already.
Ultimately, you may have to follow through with your threat but once you have made it clear you’re not bluffing the builder will probably want to settle.
We have a 5 year old house built by Bellway Homes in Andover. Our decorator is insisting on sanding down all the walls filling the house with copious amounts of fine powdery dust. Is it necessary to prepare the walls in such an extreme way…? READ MORE…
We have a 5 year old house built by Bellway Homes in Andover. The internal plasterboard walls have been painted directly with trade matt emulsion. The walls are in good condition with only a few minor blemishes.
Our decorator is insisting on sanding down all the walls filling the house with copious amounts of fine powdery dust. When he started to paint the walls with a good quality scrubbable matt emulsion a number of patches appeared where the paint formed bubbles and lifted off the surface. He scraped these out, filled with plaster and repainted.
Is it necessary to prepare the walls in such an extreme way and could this have caused the problem with the paint lifting? Is there a simpler cleaner way of preparing the surfaces? David
It’s possible the original paint has not properly adhered to the plasterboard and the pressure of additional paint is causing this failure.
The trend for builders to dry-line internal walls rather than traditional plastering them has resulted in many similar problems because the painting is often rushed and the boards are not properly sealed before hand.
I sympathise with your current issue but there isn’t a simple solution.
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