Software
Houzz Logo Print
jeffc44

Confusion about wording in contract: meaning of "replace drywall"

7 years ago

So this was my first remodel project on a condo and admittedly this is not my area of expertise. Among other things my contractor worked on part of the work was fix the drywall around my windows that had some dampness and was worn down in parts (the windows were also replaced). In the contract it says "replace drywall under windows" and "insulate exposed walls". I'm not an expert but it appears that the drywall wasn't really replaced but was just patched up in the weak areas. From the outside I don't think can really tell the difference but I'm worried that the there's some risk the underlying problem wasn't completely fixed i.e. water could seep in, etc. So does it seem like my contractor did what he was supposed to or are any of my concerns justified? Thanks in advance.

Comments (15)

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    Any pictures?


    Most drywall/plaster issues are the result of older windows sweating and in that case, some joint compound is usually the prescriptive fix.

  • 7 years ago

    Your concerns are absolutely justified. In order to prevent the damage from recurring you have to do some root/cause analysis, which, I’m afraid, most people just don’t “get.” Do you know what supplies were used in this repair?

  • 7 years ago

    "Patch" is not a synonym of "replace".

  • 7 years ago

    If the contract reads replace drywall then they should have replaced drywall. I would not accept anything else because if it was damp underneath windows you probably have mold growing in the sheetrock and it must be cut out and replaced. Drywall is a known food for mold.

  • 7 years ago


    So here are a couple pics. First pic is the work on he did in most of the spots. I should add that none of the areas of dampness appeared to be that large (pic below is a bit misleading as area of dampness was much smaller). 2nd pic is next to window where to me it looks like the drywall is actually replaced. I was actually billed extra for this area i think because contract reads "replace drywall under windows" and this is not under the window.





  • 7 years ago

    Didn't you ask the same question a few months ago?

  • 7 years ago

    Ed, I have been reading your posts for a while now. I think you do not have the best contractor, and he seems, to be a patch type guy. The only advice I can give you, is to hire an inspector (a good reputable one), and explain your concerns to him, and then have him check all the things out, that you have been worried about. We, here on the internet, just cannot see things first hand, and I really suspect, you may be spending all this money to correct issues, that are only fixed with the bandaid approach. Good luck to you.

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    ^Agree with cat_ky. In fact, is your contractor an actual contractor or is he a handyman? I suspect the person you hired is not skilled based on what you show and the questions you are asking. It is far better to get someone in that knows what they are doing now while you are in repair mode than to continue with someone that is sloppy and doesn't have the skillset you need. Will you need to pay more? Probably.

  • 7 years ago

    Thanks for the replies. I agree my contractor is not the best. He isn't a handyman. I hired him to remodel a bathroom and work on a few other things in my condo and am paying him a decent chunk of change. I may have posted this before, I honestly don't remember. This project was supposed to take 4-8 weeks and is approaching month #6.

  • 7 years ago

    Thanks, i have discussed my concerns. He did say he replaced and insulated the walls. I'm not home all day so I'm not able to see the step by step work being done. The only evidence I've seen is the compound put on the walls as in first pic above. And then the recent work in the small area in the 2nd pic. I was expecting the work done in the 2nd pic to be done in all the problem areas, as I would think that would be necessary to prevent dampness from returning. But I may be wrong in my expectations. He did replace the windows so maybe he put some insulation in then? I'm really not sure.

  • 7 years ago

    Let's be clear on something. Regardless of whether he patches or completely replaces the drywall, neither is a fix for a problem with moisture. Unless you understand what was causing the moisture damage and it definitely got fixed, the finest sheetrock work in the world is not going to help prevent the problem from recurring.

  • PRO
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Water does not "seep in" from properly installed windows. Which means if the windows require flashing/caulking repair on the exterior of this building, the new window attempt will fail. There is a HUGE difference between replacement windows, and new construction windows, the least of which is less glass on the replacement. If you have installed replacement windows into the ( pre existing) old and failing frames of an aging building, or WHO knows what, the wet/damp issue will not be solved. For all you know there is an issue with windows in the building that needs to be addressed at the exterior. Does anyone else in the building have a "wet" problem at the window area?

    You are asking us why the help doesn't show up, why a project that should have taken two month is taking six months. You're asking was the drywall patched or replaced, and how could we know?

    We still don't even know what the entire scope of the 8 week work was, was anything successfully completed. All we know is you still owe the GC ten k and he owes you the finish to completion .......and your satisfaction.

    You aren't home all day, you go to work so the one thing we DO know is you aren't suffering agoraphobia. You ARE suffering a fear of asking the only people who can answer the questions and that would be the still way behind GC and whoever patched or replaced windows and drywall, be that the GC or one of his subs. Also....might be time to talk to some neighbors.

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    This is a "rerun". Same question was posted weeks (months?) ago. I think this thread will end up with the same conclusions as more information surfaces. The real concern should be what was/is the source of moisture and what is the appropriate fix.

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    I don't think that I was on the previous thread, but I should add a qualifier to my above commentary, which is that my assumption would be that the new window installation has addressed any potential source of leakage via that opening, leaving only potential condensation as a possibility to damage drywall going forward. While I would disagree with the statement that a "replacement" install could not address previous leakage (it is not imminent, but certainly can if done properly), I would say that if that hasn't been eliminated as a possibility at this point, that should be of primary concern. There should be no water "seeping in" regardless of whether or not drywall was replaced. Those are two very different questions/concerns. Drywall repair should not even be a thought until any leakage is conclusively addressed first.

    Ed thanked HomeSealed Exteriors, LLC