Below is a list of common questions that we receive. If you don’t find the specific answer that you are looking for, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Question: What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept a wide variety of payment types, the most common being a personal or business check. However, we also accept Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, Cash, Money Order and most Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, etc.
Question: Your official hours are 6:00am to 6:00pm weekdays, 6:00am to 2:00pm Saturdays. Are you willing to work other hours if necessary?
Yes, of course. Our posted hours are when we are always available by phone, however, we often work nights, as well as Sundays. We will work 7 days a week, 24/7, if that is what your job requires.
Question: The past couple years have been very busy for all the trades people in Maine, and as such, sometimes some subcontractors cannot meet previously set schedules. Do you ever cause delays like this?
Rest assured, the answer has always been (and will always be!) NO! When we tell you that we will be at your job on “X” day at “Y” time, we will be there exactly as promised. No exceptions! That’s just the way we do business. In all honesty, repeat customers are our mainstay. The builders we work for know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they can count on the schedules that are agreed upon. That’s one of the many reasons they use our drywall services over and over again. If there is only one company in the entire construction industry that you can count on, it is us. If we say we will start your job Sunday morning at 5:00am, come heat or high water, we will be there at 5:00am on Sunday. If we tell you the job will be complete next Tuesday, THE JOB WILL BE COMPLETE NEXT TUESDAY!
Question: Do you ever prime or paint any of your drywall jobs?
New drywall absolutely must be sealed for best results. Some painting companies will not properly seal new drywall, and use a primer that does not also have a sealer included. This causes what is called “photographing.” In most instances, primers and sealers are blended together in one mixture. One of our favorites is Sherwin Williams PVA primer/sealer. Sealers are specifically formulated to equalize the texture and porosity differences between joint compound and drywall, thus helping to eliminate the possibility of photographing. Paint primers that do not have sealers added do not address this issue. In order for you to get the best possible finished product, we will often prime & seal the drywall jobs that we do.
If I hang the wallboard myself to save money, will you mud, tape & finish it?
Yes, we are willing to do that. However, depending upon how good of a job you do hanging the gypsum board, you may not be saving as much money as you think. We hang as large of a sheet as possible to eliminate as many butt joints – and thus labor – as possible. We routinely use sheets up to 16′ long. If the room size is 16′ x 16′ or smaller, there will be no butt joints on either the ceiling or walls. This saves a great deal of taping, mudding and sanding.
If we hang the drywall, there might be 5 hours worth of finishing needed. If you hang the drywall and use all 8 foot long sheets, there might be 12 hours worth of finishing needed. If so, you’ve greatly increased the amount of our labor necessary to properly finish your project, which will offset the amount you’re hoping to save. Be aware that an amateur hanging job can significantly increase the hours of labor needed for the taping, mudding & sanding.
If gypsum board gets wet, does that mean it is ruined?
The short answer is: it depends. Gypsum is a mineral found abundantly in nature. As such, water does not harm it. The same can be said for the paper facing on gypsum board, it is made from trees which get wet in their natural habitat. The problem comes from exposure an excessive amount of much water on gypsum board for an extended period of time.
We actually wet down sheetrock to make it more flexible when installing it on round walls or ceilings. We do this according to manufacturer instructions. So clearly, drywall getting wet does not mean an immediate problem. Problems arise from too much water over a long period of time, which can cause mold and rot. Each circumstance is different, and a professional should be consulted to determine if the wallboard is ruined or not.
What is Level 5 Drywall?
Level 5 is a term used to specify the amount of joint compound that is applied to gypsum board in order to finish it. We explained it in detail on our page What is Level 5 Drywall? There is also a company that provides tools to wallboard contractors named Level 5 Tools.
What Is “Chinese Drywall”, and do you ever use it?
“Chinese drywall” refers to an issue involving defective drywall manufactured in China and imported to the United States. This defective drywall was used in residential construction between the years 2001 and 2009. Nearly all of this problem drywall was used in the Southeast United States. Our company did not ever use any. The issue was (and still is) significant, and we wrote a definitive guide on the subject. For complete details, please visit our page What Is Chinese Drywall.
Can You Be 100% Sure That You Never Used Defective Chinese Drywall?
Yes, we can. There were only 2 cases of defective gypsum wallboard reported in Maine, and we were not involved in either of those projects.
Is it Permissible to Tile Over Drywall?
The most accurate answer is, “It depends.” In many situations the answer is yes, but in some the answer is no. We’ve written a guide to help you determine the answer for your specific situation. You can read it by going to Can You Tile Over Drywall?
I’ve been reading about the health dangers of breathing silica dust. Is there any silica in gypsum board?
Yes, there is. We’ve written a research paper to answer this specific question. You’ll be interested to read Does Drywall Contain Silica?
I want to repair a hole in my wall. A neighbor gave me some leftover joint compound. He said it is a couple months old. My question: does it go bad, and how can I tell if it is?
Yes, it goes bad. Once opened, the shelf life is mere weeks, IF stored in a cool dry place. For a thorough answer, see our page Does drywall mud go bad?