Platerboard versus render

I posted here a lil while ago about an owner builder reno we are doing, well as it turns out we can't get a plasterer until after chrissy to do rendering..But talking to a couple of people after getting some advice from here, some also suggested using the plasterboard. As I already posted over here in W.Australia we (as in my circle of friends and most show homes we had seen) didn't think it was used in double brick homes, we thought it was more for wooden frames..To our suprise it is coming in more over here in recent years.

So to venture this avenue, can I ask is it stronger/ weaker than render etc?? Can you give me some pro's and cons to help us make a decision??

Thanks again

Hello Mahaylea,Plasterboard over brick is sometimes used over this way (Riverina area)but that is because of the lack of good renderers and econnomic reasons.I think (been a bricklayer)that solid brick is a great way to go and it is the traditional method over your way,therefore everyone is set up to do it fairly economically.In my opinion if you get your job cement rendered and finished off with "whiteset"by a good tradesman you'll be much better served as it is a great finish when done well.On the other hand plasterboard goes over brick with no great problems but as I said I"d be using cement render and plaster if you can afford to wait.Regards Terry

Thank you for your input Terry1. This is hubby's way of thinking too. We have a plasterer in the family but he won't do rendering/white set (too much messing around for him), so he couldn't help us out. But he did get on to his boss's who gave us the max./ min. costs to render a domestic home.

I am not sure what the going rate is over there for render/ white setting over plaster board but when I rang some of the plasteres they gave me their quote, and when asked what they charge per sqr mtr there was a huge difference in between the price quoted and their renovation square metre rates even...I was told they'd need to be here like approx 4days and they were quoting me the same price as doing 350 square mtr house +..:eek: and I had to supply the materials..

I didn't expect any favours, but reasonable pricing would have been nice..I even asked one of them did you even measure up cause I have and I know you are charging me double the maximum going rates. And I have a materials hoist here for them to use so its not like they need buckets and pull ropes..

So even though we'd like render/ white set, we just can't get one at til after chrissy, and quoting those prices also led me on to other alternatives..

Thanks again

Just for interests sake how much did it work out if you converted it to a sq mtr rate Mahaylea?The going rate for cement rendering over here is from $35 to $40 per sq mtr.As for the whiteset plaster ,they want at least the same again.So the total can end up around $70 or $80 per sq mtr in some cases.We finished a job on a farm recently and there was approximately 1200 sq mtrs area to be rendered and whiteset but they ended up gyrocking (plasterboard)the entire area as the cost was just too much even though the owners were very wealthy.Regards Terry

W O W..

From the family members information, $10-$15 a sq mtr finished for domestic houses which worked out nearly $3300 for 4 days work I think just 2 blokes..The plasterers I had quotes from said inbetween $14-20 a sq mtr finished with around $20 a sq mtr for like renos, upstairs type situation..But a couple of quotes were $30 + finished but I had to supply all the materials with all the plasterers, and 1 charged me extra because he had to walk from the front of the house with the mixed mud to the hoist out the back..So from what I am informed about here obviously people are very busy, or know I need it done quickly so will pay alot..

Interesting, I might make a few phone calls Monday to confirm the sq mtr rate was both coats inclusive, cause there is a big difference between what you pay over your way to here...I did tell them I wanted it rendered and white set..Hmm..Might be because there is so many homes plastered here instead of plasterboards...

Thanks for the thought, I will update

You might try to ask a good plasterer what he wants per day maybe the rates are about $300 per day as this is a boom time and the prices are high.
Try that option if you are with the tradesperson to mix cement and help with the set you can see the problems the tradepesron will face and maybe this will be a good option.

Hello again Mahaylea,I think WA is the last stronghold for solid brick construction in domestic situations.They say around 94% are solid brick there.When I worked in Perth for a few weeks earlier this year and a hard wall plasterer was working on our site we talked casually about prices etc and he said that they were getting appox $18 for cement rendering and (I think from memory)$15 for the float and set(whiteset)That fellow was working for a big project home company so maybe his rates were fairly competive compared to others.You are talking about all internal work on your project aren't you Mahaylea (of course you don't whiteset on exterior walls)Looks like the timing of the project is hurting you a bit price wise as they say Perth is just starting to show signs of slowing now.Apparently there is twice the stock (houses)for sale now as there was in the last quarter so there must be some downward pressure on trade prices soon,although there would still a fair bit of work in the pipeline.Anyway,all you can do is keep on with what you are doing,finding out the going rate etc, and get a fair price for your project.Alot of time can be wasted if you decide that you don't want to pay the going rate and that is what you pay anyway weeks or months down the track though.Regards Terry

Hmm ok interesting, thanks for the info. I spoke to hubby who agrees maybe the family members info was wrong, now I feel silly LOL...I will ask some more though :)