Petts Wood is about as consistent as housing stock gets: laid out and built through the late twenties and thirties as a planned estate, mostly semi detached, mostly with bay windows, and mostly to a handful of repeating plans. Solid or early cavity walls, lath and plaster ceilings in the original rooms, boarded ceilings in every extension since.
That consistency is genuinely useful. Having plastered one of these houses you know roughly what the next one is doing, which room heights to expect and where the ceiling is likely to be tired, and an estimate can be given with more confidence than in a street where every house is different.
Bay windows and the ceilings over them
Almost every house here has a bay, and the ceiling over a bay is the awkward bit. It is a short span with angles or a curve, it usually has coving following the shape round, and the bay sits on its own foundation so it moves independently of the rest of the house.
That is why cracking shows up there first. Getting the ceiling flat while keeping the coving run continuous around the angles is the fiddly part of the room and most of the labour in it, and it is what separates a proper job from a filled one.
Extensions and loft conversions
These houses have been extended and converted heavily, and the loft conversions in particular generate work: new stud walls to board and finish, a stairwell to plaster that is tall and awkward, and a junction where the new work meets a ninety year old ceiling.
Boarding out a loft is usually tape and jointed or skimmed depending on how the light falls in the room. A dormer with a window down one side wants a skim, because raking light across a taped joint shows the feathered band every afternoon.
“Good honest business, we called SMB after we had a bad experience with previous contractors. ... The work is immaculate (we had our house skimmed), the detail, care and attention is spot on.”
“Frank and Steve did a fantastic job on my hallway! Really professional team and their work is seamless. I was really impressed, and they even fixed my skirting board and put it back on for me, a very appreciated extra! Would highly recommend.”
“They did a great job. I had an awkward hallway area and a large ceiling to skim. I thought they'd finished earlier in the day as it looked great to me then, but they went over the whole area to make sure that the finish was perfect.”
“Excellent work! Scott plastered our living room including some tricky details around fireplace and bay window. Great finish looks really good, all the work was tidy and well communicated all done on time. Would highly recommend.”
“Frank completed a wall for me that needed plastering, he was on time, very polite and nothing seemed an issue. ... Although only a small job, kept my house tidy, even outside the house, cleaned up after he finished and done a perfect job, highly recommended from myself.”
“Hi, Had the team in plastering for a week. What a joy. There were no problems they turned up on time everyday and very polite. Would recommend them to anyone. Thanks very much guys.”
“I don't often leave reviews, but Frank was so helpful and pleasant to work with that he deserves 5 stars. Very responsive and professional. He did a great job and left our place clean and tidy. Thanks again Frank!”
“Frank very kindly stopped by to plaster a chipped wall. Perfectly done and really helpful and kind guy. 100% calling if I ever need any more plastering done!”
“Although we didn't require any work, Frank was extremely helpful and knowledgable on his visit to inspect our issue. He was prompt and on time and responded quickly.”
“Very, very happy with Franks work finishing off kitchen walls after having been let down by a builder. It was a tricky job as the granite worktops ect had already been installed but I couldn't be happier with the result.”
“Really happy with the work. Great finish and very professional. Turned up on time, kept things tidy, and did a top-quality job. Would definitely recommend.”
“very pleasant experience in communication and the level of service provided. tradesman was very polite. He came around for a diagnosis before outlining the job in details with cost and what needs doing.”
“Just had Scott round, Arrived on time started straight away and just got on with the job. Pleasant at all times clean & tidy worker will definitely use again. Work looks good and he stuck to his price. Thanks Scott was was good to meet you.”
“Very professional, was very clear on what exactly will be done. Agreed a price and kept me update all the way through. Happy with the work completed and after care as well. Very helpful and highly recommended.”
“Scott called me before booking a date to come and do work. He reasured me about somethings i was worried about. He come in time he said he would and helped me with another job as well. Very helpful and happy with service”
“Great job by Scott plastering the small room, he managed to sort out the uneven ceiling and walls. Will be using Scott again to sort out a couple of other rooms.”
