Sheetrock in breezeways...

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How often do you run into that?

I went to look at a some breezeways on some fairly new, rather nice apartments the other day and I just happened to notice that the ceilings of the breezeways are painted sheet rock.

From a short term standpoint I guess I see where the builder or designer or whoever was coming from considering the price of sheetrock VS drivit. Which is what the rest of the buildings are.

The dryvit isnt terribly dirty but the ceilings are covered with cobwebs.... I know they make green sheetrock that is supposed to be water resistant but I highly doubt its that resistant!

Ive thought of hiring an interior cleaning company to clean the ceilings. What do you think?
 
I've run into that washing apartments.
I told them they can't be washed. They kinda figured that. They were probably hoping that we would hose them down and my insurance would pay for new ceilings.

We washed everything but the sheet rock.
 
We never wash it. So stupid they use it

And you didn't have any trouble out of it?

I wouldve really thought water wouldve messed it up pretty quickly. You'd think that over just a few years the joints would all be cracked due to just the weather changes.
 
Ding, ding ding we have a winner.

Disclaimer or not, if tape comes down, ceilings get damaged you are still going to hear about it, HOA is going to blame you, there going to ask you to look at it, can you fix it etc etc. You can spell things out clear and BOLD, they are always going to come back at the washer, then you have to go back out and look at it, explain it over again, just a PITA. It may be better quality where you guys are washing, I just have seen damage way to many times, with or without washing. I always explain it in proposal and I can't remember one time where they insisted I do washing of drywall, If they did, like Kory & Guy I would definitely have a signed seperate disclaimer

I dont tell them I refuse not to wash it, but I make them aware of the possible, probable problems over time and they agree with me and we don't wash it

I saw some about 5 months ago in breezeways, a hack company real low price went in and destroyed 14 or 15 buildings worth with HIGH pressure, it was a mess
 
Kory i guess its a good thing then that i dont have a machine that puts out 3500 psi... lol

IF we were to attempt washing this it would be a low pressure wash. We dont even use a high pressure nozzel to stop soap when dsing. We just turn it off at the trailer.

I'm glad I posted this here... I wouldve never attempted washing sheetrock. I still cant see it turning out good for them in the long run but its there and they have to deal with it one way or another.

At least now I can present an option to them. Possibly wash one and go from there if they like.
 
Kory i guess its a good thing then that i dont have a machine that puts out 3500 psi... lol

IF we were to attempt washing this it would be a low pressure wash. We dont even use a high pressure nozzel to stop soap when dsing. We just turn it off at the trailer.

I'm glad I posted this here... I wouldve never attempted washing sheetrock. I still cant see it turning out good for them in the long run but its there and they have to deal with it one way or another.

At least now I can present an option to them. Possibly wash one and go from there if they like.

Chris if you are going to do it, get the disclaimer for sure. Pressure of course can do the damage, we use very low pressure on these types of areas, but my concern for not doing it is the water itself, one little seem of tape with a gap in it, bubble in the paint and you have more water sitting on a substrate that shouldnt even be in the elements and it can pull from the ceiling.You can do 100 buildings and probably have no problem but what if the next 10 you do all start having problems? No matter what get the disclaimer

Another reason we dont do them is maybe you have 20 buildings, maybe 15 you see no problems, then you get 5 with tape lines lifting or cracks that are there before you even wash, what do you do? You have 15 clean ceilings and then 5 dirty, then you have to hand wash....takes TIME & YOUR $$$$ to hand wash them. I've tried hand brushing them and washing them, you brush some of the crud and it makes a bigger mess sometimes, just a real PITA

I'm not arguing to argue here, I just have seen problems to many times and I like to avoid problems. I avoid the problems by telling them in proposal that we don't do them and why. On the job I could see the problem, try to get a hold of the manager and might not be able to get a hold of them, then what? To late, Stop the job, time & $$$ again

Now if the manager says wash baby wash in the bidding process and we get disclaimer, I would get the disclaimer and wash baby wash. I just have found most managers don't want the possible hassles and have them hand washed by janitorial company later

Good luck
 
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