Decorator / Bathrooms / Refurb - Gary Skinner - 07572 588222

Another recommendation for Gary.

First off, my mother in law has a flat that had been trashed by previous tenants and it needed to be redecorated asap, ready to be let out again. Gary pulled out all the stops, even working evenings and weekends to get it ready. It was all done in a matter of days and looks fantastic.

We then got him back to repaint the front of our house. This turned out to have some nasty unexpected surprises, with a lot of the plasterwork in the porch blown and damp brickwork underneath. He stripped it back to the brick, treated the damp, replastered and redecorated everything, all looking good as new. Cracking job.

I?d have no hesitation in recommending Gary- he?s has a ?can do? attitude and does great work at a very reasonable price.

Hi all,

I just wanted to echo all of the positive reviews here and say that I would wholeheartedly recommend Gary Skinner (07572 588222) for any refurb work you need doing. Gary and his team are that rare thing: reliable, communicative and great at what they do.

Much like Sam Joanna in the post earlier in this thread, we had experienced some cracking on the walls over the hot summer in 2018. We'd established that they weren't a sign of anything more serious but as they were larger than your average hairline cracks they were making the place look quite rundown. We tried a quick fix with some filler last winter but the cracks returned quickly - and so we knew if we were going to try doing it again we needed someone who would do a better, more professional job.

Following recommendations on this forum we contacted Gary who quickly came to assess the problem and managed to fit us in around other jobs. The job turned out to be bigger than expected, as Gary uncovered some substandard work done by previous owners which was making the cracks much worse/much more likely. Despite the increased scale of the job, Gary pushed on and finished the work promptly at a reasonable price. Alongside a high quality finish, Gary is great at keeping you updated on progress, which is not something I've often seen in a contractor.

I would highly recommend Gary to anyone looking for reliable, great quality refurb work - and will certainly use him again for any future work we need doing.

Another recommendation for Gary. I found his details on the forum when looking for someone who could fit in a short notice repair and repaint of our front door that we needed doing before the following weekend. The paint on the door had bubbled due to poor preparation when it was last painted. Gary advised us what he could do in the time and budget we had, and also advised us that the door ideally needed fully stripping back and re-priming at some point to avoid the reoccurring problem. As we needed the job done within 2 days we couldn't go with the full renovation of the door - but he managed to fit us in around his other jobs and came back to do touch ups after he had been paid. Gary was careful to leave everything clean and tidy, and wanted to be sure that we were 100% satisfied with the work before he left. We are happy with the finish given the time we gave him.

I would like to add my voice to the highest recommendation for Gary Skinner at First Choice Decorating/Refurbishments.

I approached Gary through recommendations on this forum to look at some cracked steps and repointing a boundary wall at our flat in Brixton. Gary started work and discovered every significant structural problems which meant the job was much bigger than we had both anticipated. We are grateful he spotted the problems as left in the state they were, could have been dangerous. The wall needed completely rebuilding and some joists replacing in the basement before he could fix the steps.

Gary has gone above and beyond in every respect throughout the work, including supervising others on a weekend. He is 100% trustworthy, reliable and his work has been simply excellent.

We read about so many unhappy experiences that I felt it important to share so that Gary gets the recognition he deserves. I would recommend him without reservation.

Another glowing recommendation for Gary. Having suffered considerable seasonable movement in our house in recent years it was time to get the cracks repaired. Gary was honest and knowledgeable in his recommendations, clearly explaining the risks/rewards in doing a ?quick fix? vs addressing the matter properly. He worked with respect to the house, covering all furniture Ahmed keeping the house as clean as possible despite the considerable amount of dust such a job creates. He raked out the cracks, sealed, bonded/rendered, repainted. Really happy with the work done and wouldn?t hesitate to use him again & thus recommend to others.

Hi,

Just had Gary come to fix a very wobbly Victorian bannister. Other builders/decorators said it couldn't be done, but Gary came in and figured out a way. Wobbles all gone. Kids safe. And a very tidy job. Really impressed and pleased. Plus very quick and efficient.

Many thanks

Hi all.

Just wanted to say a massive thank you to those who've taken the time to recommend me recently and previously, all my work is from word of mouth and this forum is brilliant for that. I have before and after pictures of all the jobs if any is interested in seeing what we do.

Many thanks Gary.

Gary skinner from first choice decorating/refurbishment?s,has recently finished renovating the exterior of my house, including a complete refurbishment and redecoration of all windows and doors, along with masonry restoration/redecoration and new roof. This is the third job he has done for me, and I have found his work to be of the highest standard, extremely thorough and always with attention to detail.

I wouldn?t hesitate in recommending Gary to anyone on this forum.

Please find His number below.

07572588222

Hi,

I'd like to add to this, as we've just used Gary Skinner and his team for the first time, and also found his details (07572 588222) through this forum. It was really helpful to have seen the recommendations and gave us the confidence to use someone completely new.

Gary has just renovated and decorated our loft stairwell - it's an unusual and challenging stairwell in that it is vaulted, so virtually double height, and very wide, and had suffered some significant settlement cracks along the wall where the staircase joins it (exacerbated by the fact we had done a large kitchen extention directly beneath it). Gary and his team did a great job of gouging out the old, very cracked filler, re-filling/painting and went the extra mile by installing invisible bolts to mninimise any further movement / future cracks. They also somehow managed to navigate their way around a glass balustrade and steeply winding staircase to paint the vaulted ceiling and walls (when it was first decorated the glass wasn't in situ) without a single drop of paint on the glass or the hanging chandelier lights (a huge concern of mine). And cleaned up all the inevitable dust from sanding and smoothing the new filler, and some woodwork, which was also part of the job. We felt that they respected our house as our home.

We both work full time but Gary kept in touch throughout the job, and was also able to fit us in to a partcularly short timeframe for when we needed the job done. We will be using Gary again in the not too distant future and would recommend!

First time posting here but have browsed for a while.

Wanted to just add my own thoughts to the above two reviews. I found Gary?s number (07572 588222)through this forum and he?s just completed a bathroom refit in our 2 bed flat in Peckham.

As you can see from the before picture the bathroom was in desperate need of an update and needed total gutting and renovating as it hadn?t been updated for at least 30 years.

After searching around for a fitter I came across Gary's reviews on this forum and he came over quickly to measure up and talk through the practicalities of the refit for such a small bathroom. He provided a practical solution of building a stud wall to squeeze a little bit of extra space in the bathroom (to include a larger bath) and was upfront about potential extra costs that may be incurred when the condition of the walls underneath the old tiles are revealed.

He provided a detailed written quote as requested, a timescale of 3-4 weeks and was able to fit us in quickly which suited us.

The whole bathroom was gutted with a new bath, shower, piping, towel radiator, floor and wall tiles and vanity unit installed.

Gary provided all the required tradesmen and their work was also to a high standard. Dave, who works with Gary, was also there throughout the fit and was diligent throughout.

Just as importantly for us the rest of the flat was kept as clean as possible and they always cleaned up at the end of the day, which disappointingly isn?t always the case with tradesmen.

We are pleased with the finish and outcome and would recommend him and his colleague Dave for any future renovations.

We have just completed 6 months of building works to our home in Dulwich. Having been untouched in over 20 years it was a huge challenge. Gary Skinner and his team came into the project after the structural work was complete. They undertook shaping and fitting new doors and architraves, fitting skirting boards, tiling the floors, fitting bathrooms, laying wooden floor and finally painting and decorating(and repairing)the entire house.

This was a big job and as with all old houses as we progressed more problems arose. Gary was very clear with what needed to be done as we encountered 'situations' behind 25 yr old wallpaper or old floor boards. His team worked steadily through until completion and were extremely friendly and polite. His work and finish are to a very high standard and we are very satisfied with how the house looks now.

Very pleased with the work conducted and the finished result.

Gary Skinner - 07572 588222

On he1enclare's recommendation we also hired Gary and his team at First Choice Decorating (07572588222) to undertake a complete renovation of our Victorian house. It was a big project - the house was in a pretty dilapidated state. Gary walked us through what would be required and helped us make choices around what could be saved/repaired and what needed replacing. He was happy for us to mix in our own trades (we used our own plumber) but could pull in electricians, plasterers, decorators and flooring specialists as and when we needed them. Many of the rooms ended up being stripped back to brick/lathes and the house has now been completely transformed. Gary was also flexible enough to be able to handle additional requests as the project progressed - fitting insulation, building new internal stud walls, fitting the bathroom from scratch. He can turn his hand to most things and has a network of professionals that he can call on so if you're looking for some advice or have a refurb you're planning, definitely give him a call!

See some pictures here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/NTDEh1YEdPbfFoSj9

Just had my house fully refurbished by Gary Skinner - who I found via ED forum - and promised him I'd give him a shout out on here.

I got a number of quotes and his was one of the most competitive - and he was very careful to help us not to stray too far from the budget when new things (inevitably) cropped up.

He project managed the whole refurbishment - from gutting, stripping wallpaper and scraping off years of grot, through to sanding floors, installing a new bathroom and kitchen and decorating throughout.

We were really impressed by Gary's team - all lovely guys who I was more than comfortable to be around with the kids.

We are happy with the end result and have recommended him to friends (he is now doing the same thing for some old neighbours of ours.)

Best to get him on his mobile: 07572 588222

 

Gary, Ray and the rest of the team have just carried out an extensive redecoration in our house over the last two months - we are pleased with the results. We have had living room, dining room, hallway and three bedrooms redecorated and new shelving and cabinets put in in the living room. Being an old Victorian house the walls weren't the easiest to work with at time, but they persevered and they look great now. Ray was there more or less full time for two months and was lovely to have around - pretty sure my other half missed him when he left! It did take slightly longer than anticipated but we are pleased with the results. thanks guys.

I just wanted to second this recommendation for Gary Skinner. First Choice Decorating have just finished work on our living room, dining room and the outside of our front bay window. We're really happy with the finish. The walls and coving were in a bad state and they've all been repaired and look as good as new. They did a great job on the woodwork which was all very chipped, repaired a broken floorboard and fitted beading to the top of the skirting in the dining room so it matched the skirting in the living room - all looks great. The sill of the front bay window was cracked & badly damaged and and again we're really pleased with how that's turned out.

They left everything tidy at the end of each day and did a great job clearing up at the end. We would definitely use First Choice Decorating again.

Builder/decorating recommendation for Gary Skinner First Choice Decorating (07572588222)

Gary and his team did an amazing job on our flat, it looks and feels completely new.

The bedroom and a few other walls were replastered.

Old shelves and cabinets were taken out and disposed of.

Walls and wood work thoroughly sanded down in preparation for paint.

The Walls, ceilings, doors and skirting were all painted.

Some of the electrical plugs had been badly installed by someone else and they rectified them.

Carpets were taken up and we now have beautiful floors, that were sanded, had the all gaps filled and lacquered. They really spent a lot of time getting the floor to a high standard and took on an extra room which we didn?t originally ask to be done.

There were some issues with the floors and pipes in the kitchen which Gary sorted out and made everything look neat and boxed up. He even helped us out with some plumbing issues we had.

We had to go away near the end of the job but they carried on with the work, even did a few extra bits out of the scope and left the house clean and clear of rubbish. They also kindly hung a blind for me.

And another recommendation for Gary Skinner of First Choice Decorating. We took on Gary after reading the many glowing references he received on the forum. With the many cowboys/rogue traders around, it was important to find someone trustworthy who could also deliver quality finishing. We found such qualities in Gary and his team of Ray, Ben & Lee. The interior decoration work included stripping woodchip wallpaper, skirting boards and dado rails, plastering, fitting new doors, painting of the porch, hallway, two large receptions and landing as well as fitting and painting new skirting boards. Throughout the job we found Gary and the team to be very accommodating and understanding; giving advice and suggestions where required and working around the schedule of the loft conversion builders. We also found Gary to be very personable and easy to get along with. Overall, the work was completed to a very high standard with an attention to detail in the finishing. We now look forward to phase two of the project which is redoing the bedrooms and will definitely be calling Gary back.

As with the other recommendations I have no hesitation recommending First Choice Decorators and sharing pictures and responding to direct messages.

Gary and his team have carried out an extensive redecoration in our house over the last three weeks and we have been extremely pleased with the results. The work required making good old plastering, stripping down and repairing walls, kitchen tiling and extensive painting throughout the house. His team has been courteous and helpful and the house kept tidy throughout. We have been very pleased and would happily recommend his services.

Thank you all for your kind reviews ,and Lorraine it must be years now wow ! Hope your all doing well and hope to see you again soon

Gary

Another recommendation for Gary - he did some tiling and replacement of a floor that had been damaged through water leaking. Very easy to communicate with, efficient and completed the job on time.

I would like to recommend Gary Skinner of First Choice Decorating for the brilliant job he and his team have just completed painting my sash windows, as well as restoring the bricks and painting the masonry in the front of my house. Gary did an excellent job getting the work done in a timely manner and with good quality. He provided helpful initial advice on what needed to be done to provide the restoration work and facelift required for the tired facade of my mid-terrace and put together a team that delivered everything under Gary's vigilant supervision. He also kept me appraised of progress on a daily basis. All-in-all a very positive experience.

Gary was able to fit a quite fiddly plaster skimming job for us at short notice at the end of February. He was easy to work with and good at keeping us updated. We would be happy to recommend him.

A.

A big thank you to all for the kind reviews and taking the time out to write them much appreciated. For anyone looking to have any work done possibly by myself I can supply pictures of all these jobs and more. I am currently taking bookings daily and have a small team, my contact details are above and I look forward to hearing from you. . .

Many thanks Gary

A further recommendation for Gary and First Choice Decorating.

Gary has spent the last three weeks in our period flat, carrying out a full decoration of our bedroom (including plastering a ceiling/wall line to make it straight), building a floating shelf, restoring and painting a damaged windowsill, painting ceilings, replacing a bath seal, redecorating our front door and fixing issues with exterior walls. The decoration of the bedroom has, in particular, been a full-on job, which required not only painting but also filling of holes and making good some pretty rubbish (and wet) walls.

Gary and team have been a pleasure to have around - they are friendly and responsive and we have always been kept fully up to date of progress. Everything has been left really clean. The final results are looking great and we are really pleased with the service that we have received.

Gillian