Six Rooms of Ceilings and Walls After a Roof Leak: Northwest Baltimore Bungalow

The situation

This one-story bungalow in Northwest Baltimore had roof damage. By the time we were called, the roof itself had already been repaired. That is the right order, because there is no point rebuilding plaster that will get wet again. What was left was the damage inside: ceilings and walls in about six rooms.

A bungalow takes roof leaks harder than a two-story house. With only one floor, every ceiling sits directly under the attic and the roof, so water that gets past the roofing has nowhere to go but down into living space. Damage tends to be spread across several rooms, not concentrated in one.

What we did

• Went room by room and removed the plaster that the water had softened or loosened, back to solid material.
• Secured the remaining ceiling plaster so the edges of each repair were sound.
• Rebuilt the ceilings and walls to a flush, smooth surface.
• Primed every repaired surface so the house was ready for paint.

The work was booked as one continuous block of about a week, so the house went from damaged to paint-ready in a single stretch. It was not spread over weeks of single-room visits.

Advice if you are in the same spot

• Fix the roof first, then wait. Plaster and lath need time to dry once the leak is stopped. Rebuilding over wet lath traps the moisture.
• Get all the rooms looked at together. Water travels along joists and rafters. A stain in one room often means hidden damage in the next.
• Ask whether primer is included. New plaster needs primer before paint. If your contractor stops at "patched," your painter has to add that step.

Our guide to spotting water-damaged plaster explains what to look for before the ceiling starts to sag.

Have a similar problem?

Call or text (443) 806-8077 for a written estimate. We will look at the job, explain what is going on and give you a clear price before any work starts.

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