A house is more than a simple collection of furniture, walls, supporting beams, and a roof. It’s a financial investment, probably the largest that most people will make in their life – and it is also a place where one can retreat from the worries of an ever more frenetic world, and destress in the company of friends and family.
Given the central role that property plays in our lives, it is no wonder that the average homeowner will want to protect their investment. Most will do so by performing both essential maintenance, and increasing the aesthetic appeal and comfort of the home.
One of the most effective ways of achieving these objectives is to ensure that the finishes of internal walls in the home are of the highest quality.
According to Damien Babington Sons Ltd, there are two factors that will influence the quality of the wall finishes in a home. The first is choosing the right material for finishing internal walls – and the second is to identifying a reliable, professional company to apply the finish – or manage any residential wall-related project.
When it comes to choosing the finish for residential walls the choice is usually between plastering and dry lining. In order to decide which is better for your home it’s necessary to look a little deeper into what each of these finishes has to offer.
Firstly, it’s important to understand that plastering has been around for hundreds, if not thousands of years. It is a wall finish that has stood the test of time. However, as with most things that touch on our everyday lives there has been an evolution in wall finishes. Yes, plaster has evolved, but, in the early 1900s there was a disruptive invention that took the evolution of residential wall finishes in a different direction. This was Dry Lining.
Dry lining (dry lining is the process that is undertaken to attach plasterboard to the wall) has become an incredibly popular option for homeowners for a variety of reasons. The ease and speed of the process are two of the reasons that homeowners have turned to dry lining in record numbers. The drying lining process allows the homeowner and their family to continue with life as normal as soon as the dry lining has been erected. There is no waiting period for drying, as is the case with plaster (and dry lining isn’t subject to cracking while drying). The homeowner and their family can leap straight into the process of decorating – transforming a house into a home.
The speed with which dry lining can be applied allows the homeowner significant savings when it comes to expenditure on labour. Your dry lining provider will be out of your hair before you notice that they are underfoot. Today time is your greatest and most valuable asset – having that fitment team finish the job quickly and efficiently means that you have more time to enjoy your home (and those within it) without being inconvenienced for an extended period.
Receiving utility bills is never what one would describe as a pleasant experience – but with ever-increasing power costs that bill is now even less welcome. Homeowners can significantly soften the blow of their utility bills when choosing dry lining. The approach increases the insulation of the home, reducing the need for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer – and making the entire home more energy efficient. That can have many welcome benefits for the homeowner in terms of their bank balance.
Plasterboard is also completely non-toxic which makes it the perfect walling solution for homes with children or pets. It is also incredibly easy to clean. In the unlikely event that dry lining should develop a fault replacement is quick and easy – and just like fitting dry lining that replacement will not create the levels of mess that would be the result of a similar plaster-based repair.
Homeowners will enjoy a significant number of advantages over plaster when opting for dry lining. However, choosing the right company to fit dry lining is as important as the choice of wall finish. Ensure that the company you choose has an impeccable reputation for getting the job done quickly, efficiently, and on budget. Ask family and friends for recommendations – or even reach out to work colleagues for advice on companies they may have used in the past.
Once you have drawn up your shortlist, reach out to the companies and ask for images of work that they have done in the past – and if the quote they will supply is all-inclusive, as well as making sure that they have all the required paperwork (such as insurance) to ensure that the job is done to the highest professional standards.
Some research now will pay enormous dividends in the years to come – both in terms of the financial value of your home – and the enjoyment you receive from sharing it with those nearest and dearest.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
