34 weeks and FREAKING OUT about DIY!

[BettyButterknife]

We've lived in our house for 4 years and have slowly been doing it up as we've gone along.

DS was born 3 years ago and we didn't get round to doing our bedroom. I found the first couple of weeks with DS as a newborn very depressing in that bedroom - so gloomy and miserable - so we moved into DS's nursery with him! We were in there for 9 months before moving back into our bedroom.

I'm now 34 weeks, DH has spent the whole of the past two weekends stripping wallpaper, redoing electrics, removing the carpet - basically taking our bedroom back to basics in readiness for the plasterer to come in on Tuesday 1 June.

Plasterer called on Monday night to say he's put his back out and wouldn't be able to start until Wednesday or Thursday (today).

Haven't heard from him since. DH has called each day, left messages for him to ring back with an update - nothing.

What should we do? Do we have enough time to get someone else in to do it? I'm totally freaking out at the prospect of having the baby (please god not early) and then having to exist with a newborn during messy building work (the ceiling needs taking down and completely re-doing - apparently v dirty ). I don't think I'll be able to cope!

I finish work this time next week and was worrying about being on maternity leave with builders in the house - that now seems like the ideal solution.

I don't really know what I'm asking, other than for someone to tell me it'll all be ok...

I would get your DH to call again saying that if he doesn't get back within 24 hours with an update of when he'll be coming, you'll have to go elsewhere. Your DH could say that as you're expecting a new baby, you're not prepared to wait indefinitely. Either he'll get back to you or you'll have to find someone else, but at least you won't be in limbo.

I'd ring the plasterer's wife, explain the situation and agree a deadline, ie the latest date at which the plasterer can come and do the work.

Taking down a ceiling is very dusty, can they not put a plasterboard ceiling just below the existing ceiling, which causes much less mess and is brilliant for extra insulation.

Once it's done, you need to leave it anywhere between three days and two weeks to dry before you can paint it so count back from your due date and work out the deadline.

If the bad backed plasterer (!) can't guarantee to do it, hit the phones. You do still have enough time. Good luck.

No advice to give you just wanted to say hope it all goes well. We had a load of plastering done and a new kitchen put in when I was 30 weeks it drove me to distraction and made me depressed (the dust - where does it come from????).

So good luck, I would say if it is going to make you happier get someone in ASAP to do it. Like Kathy siad - hit the phones!

Agree with Kathyjelly.
We had a couple of dodgy ceilings in our Victorian house, the plasterer was able to plasterboard over the existing ceiling (screwing the new boards into the joists). this was MUCH preferable and quicker to taking the old ceilings down which is incredibly dusty.
Dont wait for this guy to call you back, start phoning around to find someone else.

Thanks all for your posts. DH has said he won't call Bad Back Plasterer again - he made it pretty clear he expected BBP to call back in his last message.

He called another today who is coming round tomorrow to give us a quote, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed he'll be a good 'un and that he can start soon. I'm so hoping our luck will change