Plastering inside a conservatory?

[PrickleHead]

We've had a new conservatory installed, and so far have been pleased. We have paid what I imagine is a premium rate for the plastering to be done by a sub-contractor of the company, so the work will be covered by the guarantee.
Yesterday, the plasterer arrived and was immediately irritated by the 'complexity' of the job, having apparently not been forewarned by the company. Whilst I'm sure that he isn't wrong about that, I pointed out the potential issues before we even chose the company and was assured that it wouldn't be a problem.
The issue is that the existing house wall (was external, now obviously internal to the conservatory) isn't all one level. There are three 'depths' to it, almost in a step shape, due to rendering, etc. There is also an archway above the doors between the house and the conservatory.
The plasterer yesterday had a bad attitude throughout, including ranting phonecalls within my (& DS's) earshot -I'm not sure if to the conservatory company, or friends! - about the difficulty of the work, etc. I can see that it is a bit inconvenient, but am surprised that it's so unusual!

Anyway, he boarded the dwarf wall, which was obviously straightforward enough. I know nothing about plastering, but that looks okay so far as I can tell. Then he started to tackle the 'difficult' wall. He has got half way through and left at lunchtime, saying that I would need to refer back to the company to see where to go from there. He couldn't get away fast enough.

What he has done is stick small pieces of plasterboard to the wall, and seems to then be putting full boards over the top, so as to create enough depth to cover the unevenness of the existing wall.

I want to know if this is okay? It obviously looks untidy whilst half-finished, but I'm sure when completed it will look okay. What I am mostly worried about is creating a cavity between the plasterboard and the wall, because of damp. Is this a valid concern? I would be less worried if he'd behaved in a more professional manner, but the way he was so unhappy to even be here, then ran away gives me cause for concern.

Before I agree what I want to do with the company, I want to know if this is an acceptable method. Any advice would be helpful, thank you! :)

Sorry, that's long!

Abbreviated question:

Is it going to be a problem (with damp, or anything else) to create a gap between the existing (previously external) house wall and the new plasterboard in the conservatory?

Thanks!

Bump :)

Sorry Prickle I am no help, but will bump for you.

Thanks for the bump :)

I think that what he is doing is equivalent to the dot and dab method of fixing plasterboard to a wall. This leaves a gap between the brickwork and the plasterboard and is quite normal in modern houses (though not as good as the more traditional method of applying plaster to the walls) and I am not aware of it causing any problems with damp. It is more difficult to screw things to the wall though.

You say he has packed out with pieces of plasterboard which is unusual; if he had known what the job was going to be in advance, he would probably have brought battens or lathing.

IANAP

Thank you for that - that's helpful. I actually spoke to the electrician on the phone earlier (he was supposed to be coming today to finish off after the plastering had been done, so we've had to postpone) & he mentioned in passing about how he'd seen that it was a tricky wall & that he assumed that the plasterer was having to lath it. Obviously he is an electrician, not a plasterer, & I didn't push him on it at all, but I am a bit worried that the plasterer has tried to do a bodge job with what he had in his van rather than what should have been done.

I phoned the company yesterday & told them the situation in the loosest terms (I still haven't settled on what action to push for, if any, yet!) and they have asked the plasterer to phone me. More than 24 hours later, he hasn't. It doesn't fill me with confidence in him, after how he ran away!

Thanks for what you've said anyway - it is a starting point to look into this more deeply, & a bit reassuring that it probably isn't a disaster either way.

If your contract is with the conservatory firm raise it with them now. Point out the rudeness moaning and how you have no confidence. I did the same with our conservatory after listening to the brick layers complaining about the lack of plans.

if I were you I'd ask for someone else to either assess or complete the job. the man's manner coupled with effort to date doesn't seem conducive to a good job.

I speculate that the plasterer was paid by the conservatory company to do a half-day "plaster the wall" job and has found that there is three times as much work as he was contracted for.

yes, have a go at the conservatory company. Maybe they incorrectly estimated the job, or maybe they charged you for a thorough job and pocketed the difference, maybe I am completely wrong.

Either way, it's the conservatory company you have your contract with, and will pay, if and when it is completed to a satisfactory standard

and not before