I've been in drywall for over 30+ years, and I've seen SO many instances of sloppy work passed off as quality work. I've seen some that was outright hideous, some that was just not done well, and some where the homeowner would have been seriously taken advantage of if they had paid.
Lets take this example below. Where they went wrong was in hiring a friend who swore he could fix their repairs just fine. He 'fixed' about 10 holes like this, including spraying the texture, then they called me and I fixed it right. Drywall is an art and is much harder to do than most people realize. BUT, if you watch my videos, I try to Teach you how to 'Do it Right', which is why that's my slogan. I don't just Show you how I do it, I teach you why I do it the way I do, so that you can understand the process, because each repair is a little different, and if you don't understand the principles behind the methods, you may come away disappointed.
I actually have a video out that details all the work required to repair a large hole in the ceiling. If you click the image below, you'll be taken there.
Sometimes it's because the person trying to do the repair is just not a pro, but sometimes a 'pro' in another trade will tell you they can fix the damage, and you might assume that because they are in construction, they probably are telling the truth. Think again. I've seen so many other tradesmen try and fix drywall, often due to them damaging it by accident, or as part of the work they are doing, and 99% will NOT get it right. Again, drywall repairs are an art, so choose someone with a lot of experience.
The Handyman Dilemma
Handymen fix drywall fairly often, and they will convince you they can do it and you'll be happy. But again, about 95% of handymen I've seen, can't do a good job. Even most of the ones on YouTube do it poorly. I would say about 90% of the YouTube videos showing how to repair drywall, show you a method that will look 'ok', but not great. I can show you how to do it great, so which do you prefer? It's really a matter of their lack of experience, and practice. The other problem is they are all teaching each other the same methods over and over, and they aren't really that good of a method. A HUGE problem most make is in coating a repair to narrow. For example, if you are going to fix a small hole that is say 4" wide, by the time you are done coating it, it should be about 16" wide, roughly. Most videos show them coating that same repair about 8" wide and that's just not wide enough to make the repair dissappear. Or, they suggest putting it on heavy and rough, and 'sanding it smooth', lol. While this sands logical, it's really a bad way to try and do it for several reasons I won't get into here.
Below is another example of a handyman type of repair. I've repaired this same thing hundreds of times, and mine blend in nearly perfectly.
Below is a job I completed years ago on the same type of texture. Once dry, you couldn't tell it had been repaired.
I have a video out about fixing a popcorn ceiling actually, so if you want to learn that, just click the image below.
The repair below really blows my mind. Another contractor damaged this persons wall and said they would fix it. This is the end result. This is one of the worst examples I've ever seen.
Another quick example is I just recently finished repairing a ceiling in a customers kitchen. They had. a small water leak requiring a small section to be replaced that was about 6 sq ft total. They actually hired a Drywaller, who even had a business card to verify it. He was there SIX times, and they still weren't happy with the work so they asked around and heard I do the best work and hired me. I fixed it complete, with masking, texture, cleanup, etc, in just 3 1/2 hours and they were amazed.
And a final example happened about a week ago where a customer hired me to fix damage in 2 bathrooms. They pointed out where they had another drywall contractor come in a fix a long wall about 2' high that had been cut out due to wall water damage. It wasn't terrible, but you could clearly see the line where he repaired it, and the texture didn't match well. Now note that I had done work for them before and she said she tried hiring someone cheaper to save money, and regretted it. Not only did he do the sub par work, he didn't mask off their chair rail, base trim, or furniture and got texture all over it. When she complained he told her, 'that's what you get when you want it done cheap'. So, she hired me to fix it right.
It happens ALL THE TIME, even on million dollar homes. So be careful when hiring someone to do your repairs or do it yourself. You can do better than most people you hire unless they specialize in it.
And if you are going to hire someone, be sure to download my FREE GUIDE to hiring contractors, and you'll learn how to make sure you get a reputable contractor.
For All your Home Improvement Tool needs, check out our Amazon Influencer Page where I help you choose the right tools, all in one spot. I have attached notes too many of the tools giving you my personal opinion and advice on them. And it doesn't cost you a penny more.
Thank You
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Guy Purcella
That Kilted Guy Video Productions LLC
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