This week we are working on this beautiful home in Roxbury Park, East Amherst. The kitchen and bathroom was the most deceiving. The living room and first floor half bath both had minor damage. After making the repairs we will also will be doing the painting.


In the kitchen they got new kitchen cabinets recently, and had to move a light fixture. Due to plumbing and HVAC utilities in the ceiling they were limited to where they could put it. Also whoever moved the fixture “made it work” vs doing it correctly. No drywall on the truck? So they made “drywall” using cardboard and joint compound. It worked until it got wet. We wont mention the improper installation of the mesh tape. The idea of embedding the tape escapes a lot of people.


This took way longer than I anticipated. What made this even more difficult, is we couldn’t remove the light-fixture, and wire it back in after putting up the drywall, so we had to install the new piece of drywall, and line up the recessed light all at once. Ms Stacy working her magic again.
We always use green board, it does cost more, but in these situations, its better than normal drywall. Its moisture and mold resistant. If it leaked once..
Dust containment is important to us, so we erect these plastic boxes to contain almost all the dust and dirt during the repair.


Common Problem in East Amherst Homes
In the living room there was minor drywall damage to an exterior wall under a window. An increasingly common problem in older East Amherst and Clarence homes. (A minor window leak can lead to structural problems, so make sure you fix the leak quickly). The first floor bathroom ceiling also incurred minor damage. We are also removed the wallpaper and painted the walls in the bathroom.


It is important to note that this is all old damage, and the leaks have been long repaired.
Ahh wallpaper removal. If We never see wallpaper again, we will be very happy.



Plastering Technique Meets Drywall Repair
During ceiling repairs, we often will check the flatness of our work against the surrounding ceiling. We do this using a special tool called a darby. It allows us the ability to match the ceiling’s waviness and dips and hollows (all ceilings are wavy to some degree) for a better repair.


After everything is primed, we applied two coats of paint to the ceilings, walls and trim we were contracted to paint. The bathroom trim wasn’t originally included but the homeowner asked us if we could since were already there, so we went ahead and painted it all to match the color of the walls. Final photos are below.
All Done!








This project took 4.5 days to complete. Two main problem areas delayed the completion of this job with in the expected time frame for 3-4 days. 1) The wallpaper in the bathroom would not come off leading to moderate damage to the walls that then needed to be repaired. 2) the water damage around the light with the complications of dealing with the light fixture.
Even with these added problems, we finished the job with in the contracted price. We never ask for more money at the end of a job if it takes longer than we anticipated – company policy.

As the author of The Carrigan Archives, Dave shares expert insights on home improvement, ceiling restoration, and industry trends. He also personally manages Carrigan Painting’s website and YouTube channel, providing homeowners with valuable resources and a firsthand look at the company’s craftsmanship.
With over 25 years of experience in residential construction, Dave specializes in ceiling repairs and high-end interior painting, often exceeding contractual obligations to ensure the highest level of craftsmanship. His ability to maintain exceptional customer satisfaction in such a demanding field is a testament to his expertise, integrity, and dedication to quality.
For 15 consecutive years, Carrigan Painting has maintained an unprecedented 5-star reputation—an achievement nearly unmatched in the industry.
Almost all of the work we have completed since early 2024 has been posted to this Archive.
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