Holes, Plaster & Paint

Will the Electrician make any holes in my walls?

Rewiring an old house will usually require at least some some small holes. It is best to not use a electric jig-saw or or even a sheet rock saw by hand in lath and plaster walls.  These tools usually shake the wall and the plaster may come loose from the wood laths. 

The best tool to use is either a electric drill and a hole saw or a "roto-zip" tool with a high speed bit that looks like a drill bit.  It is designed to cut sideways smoothly. These tools do not crack the surrounding plaster.   

By keeping the holes as small as you can you can easily patch the holes if they are not more than 4-6 inches in diameter.  If you have a can of left over paint you will not need to paint the whole wall.

Where can I find a good painter who knows how to patch plaster? 

Ask your contractor to send you a list of three or more painters.  Some painters will also patch the holes. To see if a painter knows how to do a good plaster job, ask what materials he will use to patch the holes. If he says he will use "fix-all" watch out!  It dries like cement and is very hard to sand. If he says he will do a "float coat" that is a good sign. A good plaster man can do a float coat that is so smooth that almost no sanding is required.

Why do I need to ask for "three or more" names?

You need to be a part of the selection process.  Otherwise the contractor giving you the reference would be acting as your agent and therefore he would be responsible for the results.  A contractor cannot always be sure what another contractor will do. Business and men come and go, so make it easy on the contractor and take three names and choose one yourself.