Plasterer 1 and Plasterer 2 seemed quite happy to plaster onto Celcon blocks - but never followed through to actually do the work.

Plasterer 3 advised to dry-line over the Celcon blocks, to avoid the emergence of "inevitable cracks". It is true, that there are a few hairline cracks across multiple courses already. The blocks were laid two years ago.
( I thought that the cracks were partially due to inadequate curing time between their manufacture and their laying. )

Plasterer 3 will put my job in the queue and expect to do it in January.

I gradually realised that I could have a go at dry-lining with fermacell boards. i.e. save on labour and put the money into the increased cost of the Fermacell boards.

After all Fermacell boast that a DIYer can do it and make a reasonable job.

Upon reading the Fermacell info I read that - for the dot & dab method :-
" .. expect to place two mechanical fixings on each board."

methinks : I've never read about anyone placing extra mechanical fixings on plasterboard. Why for Fermacell ?

"For dot & dab . . .use tapered boards." OK but what about all the offcuts used in the door/window reveals - which will inevitably have cut edges ?

Both edging techniques therefore necessary ??

Wet plaster is far superior from an airtightness point of view. Drylining doesn't seal the face of the block, leaves gaps in mortar perpends unfilled and provides a cavity for air circulation. We get a lot of cold air coming out of our mains sockets as a result.

The recommended approach is to at least parge a wall with plaster or sand/cement before drylining.

David

Posted By: malakoffee

I gradually realised that I could have a go at dry-lining with fermacell boards. i.e. save on labour and put the money into the increased cost of the Fermacell boards.

Vivalda had the best value boards when I was looking - one man 1200x1200 were 4.50 each

That said, of all the things I've done at my build myself, I think the boarding and skimming is the thing I've saved the least on. I cannot board fast enough to beat the cost of a team of monkeys doing it (if I assign my time a reasonable value that can be better spent doing other things like plumbing, electrics, second fix fittings and other high cost trades)
The only thing that boarding my place out helped me do was catch all the places where I'd forgotten to do a bit of air tightness/insulating, or prevent wires getting buried etc.

When I was talking to my father in laws plasterer about the difficulty of finding someone that would come from time to time and skim on a casual basis, I said all I wanted was to be able to ring someone up and say "right, I've got another 3 rooms ready, 4 quid a metre, come whenever you can and do a bit" he said "really? You couldn't get anyone to do that? Those are the jobs I dream of getting, perfect infill around the bread and butter ones"

Got the impression he gets screwed for 2.50 a metre on big site.. it's only that he can get through 120 to 150 metres a day with a partner and a labourer that means he gets the 120-150 quid a day he's hoping for.. and when you think about it, ultimately he's working for a quid a metre by the time he's finished paying his lads

So how does fermacell compare to regular board? If you can get em for 3 quid a metre you're possibly onto a winner.. normal plasterboard are about 1.30 a metre, board finish about 50p a metre so 2 quid covers your materials, 4 may cover your skimming so 6 quid done (screws are a penny each or less). I forget the cost of the joint filler, glue, special screws and fine surface finish but here's a chance Fermacell is still cheaper until you start throwing in the cost of havi to pay someone to do what you now don't have time for (sparky, plumber, tiler, decorator) because you're busy with the heavy physical job of boarding it out.

Examine the two closely. I couldn't make fermacell work out for me

I don't really know but ... lime can move a bit more without cracking, so maybe using lime plaster would work?

Hopefully somebody who does know will correct my suggestion?!