“I Could Probably Do That” Isn’t the Same as “This is what we do”. Why experience matters…

Why choosing the right artisan matters for Venetian plaster, limewash, Tadelakt and other specialty finishes

Decorative finishes are becoming more popular—and we’re glad to see it.

Venetian plaster, limewash, Tadelakt, microcement and other mineral finishes are finally getting the attention they deserve. Homeowners, designers and builders are looking beyond conventional paint and tile for surfaces with depth, movement, texture and character.

But their growing popularity has created another problem.

Knowing the finish you want doesn't necessarily mean you know who should install it.

Increasingly, we hear from clients after a project has already gone wrong. A shower has failed. A limewash application doesn't look anything like the inspiration photos. A plaster wall is looks like a bear clawed at it and is poorly detailed or simply underwhelming.

Often, the person who installed it wasn't trying to do bad work. They were already on the project—a painter, drywall contractor, general contractor or another trade—and when asked whether they could apply the finish, the answer was something along the lines of:

“Sure, I could do that.”

And technically, they could.

The more important question is whether they should. Are they going to use authentic materials or DIY cheaper alternatives?
If they’re not competent, then how many thousands of dollars will it cost to fix it? We hear it all the time, “I’m unhappy with the results.” “It’s a hot mess.” “The finish is failing and creating other issues”. “They said they could fit it in and rushed it”.

Specialty Finishes Are a Trade of Their Own

A beautiful finished wall can make these materials look deceptively simple.

What you don't see is everything underneath it.

Substrate evaluation. Moisture considerations. Primers and bonding agents. Reinforcement where necessary. Base coats. Drying times. Material compatibility. Trowel pressure. Thickness. Timing. Compression. Burnishing. Sealing. Transitions. Corners. Penetrations. And knowing when something doesn't look or behave correctly before it becomes a much larger problem.

Those details become even more critical with systems such as Tadelakt and microcement in wet areas.

A finish can look beautiful on the day the project is completed and still be improperly installed.

That's why we don't approach these materials as decorative coatings alone. We approach them as complete finish systems.

Experience Is More Than Knowing How to Hold a Trowel

It costs what it costs. When going to a mechanic for a repair or going to the dentist, it pays to have a trained expert that can deliver expert results, right?

Our experience has been built over years of working with these materials, attending specialized workshops and training, studying different systems and manufacturers, testing products, solving unusual substrate conditions and—most importantly—installing them in real homes and commercial spaces.

That experience changes the decisions we make before the first finish coat ever touches the wall.

It tells us when a substrate needs additional preparation.

It tells us when reinforcement is appropriate.

It tells us when a manufacturer's standard procedure needs to be adapted to the conditions in front of us—and when it absolutely should not be.

It tells us when something isn't right.

And sometimes, experience means telling a client, builder or designer no rather than experimenting with their project.

Your home shouldn't be anyone’s practice piece.

You're Paying for More Than the Finish

We understand that specialty plaster work can be expensive. But with everything these days, you get what you pay for.

There is no reason to pretend otherwise.

But when you hire an experienced decorative finish contractor, you're not simply paying someone to put an expensive material on a wall.

You're paying for the preparation beneath it.

You're paying for years of accumulated knowledge.

You're paying for the training and workshops that came before your project.

You're paying for someone who understands the products being used and how the individual layers work together.

You're paying for careful masking, clean transitions and thoughtful detailing.

You're paying for punctuality.

You're paying for respectful communication before, during and after the project.

You're paying for someone who treats your home like a home rather than another construction site.

And you're paying for the countless small decisions made throughout an installation that you may never notice—because when they're made correctly, you shouldn't have to.

That is part of the price.

The Cheapest Installation Can Become the Most Expensive One

Repairing specialty finishes is rarely as simple as putting another coat over the problem.

Depending on what failed, correcting an installation can mean removing material, repairing or replacing the substrate, rebuilding base coats and reinforcement, and then installing the decorative system again.

In wet areas, the consequences can be considerably more serious.

Case in point: A home owner recently had us redo their walk-in shower in their brand new BEAUTIFUL custom lake home up north. What happened? They wanted a seamless shower and the GC and painters said “we can do that”. The preparation was probably good, but they ended up using an off the shelf heavy duty trim paint for the shower with a steam head…. Of course the paint failed. With other moisture issues concerning our client, the GC was forced to tear everything out, install proper backer board/membrane, pay us to come and install a beautiful microcement system and then has to pay a plumber to reinstall all the fixtures. In the end, a 10min google search would have saved him tens of thousands of dollars.

At that point, the GC isn’t paying the difference between an inexpensive installer and an experienced one.

They paid for the project more than twice.

This is why we would rather have a candid conversation about cost at the beginning than receive a phone call months later asking whether someone else's installation can be saved.

What Should You Ask Before Hiring Someone?

If you're considering Venetian plaster, Tadelakt, microcement, limewash or another specialty finish, don't be afraid to ask specific questions.

Ask how often they actually install that material.

Ask to see completed work.

Ask how they prepare the substrate.

For wet areas, ask them to explain the complete system beneath the visible finish—not just the decorative material on top.

Ask what products they use and why.

And pay attention to the questions they ask you.

A knowledgeable artisan should want to know what they're applying over, how the space will be used, what conditions the material will encounter and what you expect the finished surface to look like.

If the entire technical discussion amounts to “I've painted for years; I'm sure I can figure it out,” you may want to keep looking.

We Obsess Over the Details for a Reason

At Elevated Interior Finishes, we probably spend more time thinking about the details than our clients will ever know.

That's intentional.

We want the substrate right. We want the materials right. We want the transitions right. We want the color, movement and texture right. We want to arrive when we say we will, communicate clearly throughout the project and leave behind work we're comfortable putting our name on.

We'd rather agonize over those details during the installation than have our client agonize over them afterward.

The goal isn't simply to create a beautiful finish. It's to create a beautiful finish that was done correctly.

There will almost always be someone willing to say, “Sure, I could do that.”

When you're investing in a specialty finish for your home or business, consider looking for the person who can say something different:

“This is what we do.”