rebuilding bathroom ceiling - is this really necessary??

[nottwins]

I'm kind of resigned to paying well over the odds for our bathroom to be redone as we want to use a recommended person, but I'm now wondering if the builder is being ridiculous about some things.

Other than the tiled areas, the room is painted wallpaper including on the ceiling. The builder says that the whole ceiling will need to be rebuilt because the plasterboard will be damaged by removing the wallpaper. If we're not fussed about him creating perfectly square corners (old, wonky house), his alternative was to put new plasterboard on top of the old.

I had assumed it would just be a 'strip the wallpaper and make good' job. Same on the walls - he's quoted to replaster-board the lot. it certainly needs replastering but I don't get why new plasterboard is necessary? Is this right or can he just not be arsed to strip wallpaper??

He's also quoted nearly a grand for the painting alone which I am planning to do myself as it's a day's work at best, but I suspect this indicates that the whole quote is vastly inflated...

Do you want it done properly or half done properly? Paper on a ceiling will not be easy to take off and yes it will prob be damaged.

Plasterboard is dirt cheap and it's probably quicker for him to overboard than to strip off the old paper and make good. So in theory the labour cost should be less for overboarding, and the materials neither here nor there.

Which is not to say that he isn't overcharging you...

Actually that's a really helpful way of looking at it, thank you. I really didn't like the idea of being charged for unnecessary work, but it sounds like the work isn't unnecessary per se, just that we'd be charged loads regardless!

Now I just need to choose the tiles and we're away!

My bathroom fitter installed a white poly ceiling over existing plasterboard ceiling which has being brilliant looks wise and is
totally mould proof it pays to fit a ceiling fan as well to remove excess moisture.

Plasterboard can be damaged by wallpaper, particularly if there was no plaster on top of the plasterboard then it just takes the paper layer off and you're left with a mess.

I'm always the type that doesn't believe in doing a job unless you're going to do it right. My last house was a very old house and while it leans itself to quirkiness I still did the jobs properly so it wouldn't need done again (other than redecoration).

As someone who has just stripped off bathroom ceiling paper to find gaping holes in plaster I'd say plasterboard!