bonding? Consistency... am i close?

[Wazz]

Hi all,
Im after some advice please. I havent plastered before and I have just moved into my first house. I have a plaster starting next week, but in order to reduce the £2400 qoute the plasterer suggested that I buy some bonding (its great stuff he said) and do the bits where I have taken the skirting boards off which is down to bare brick.
So, today, I bought a bag on bonding and slapped it on.... supprisingly I wasnt completly covered in plaster and I left it happy with myself... but!
I did a small section just to get the feel of it, it was about a metre long and 20cm High. I mixed the plaster so it was like thick cream which felt right, but about an hour later, it was still quite damp and a crack had started to form. Please can someone tell me what the mix should be like, how smooth, consistency etc and is bonding right for the job or should I have bought browning plaster? Anyone have an pics I could see to help get a better idea?
Thanks in advance!

 

[joe-90]

If you are talking about the ground floor then you don't plaster behind the skirting at all due to bridging of the damp course.

Why would a few patches reduce the price anyway?

 

[Wazz]

erm.... ok.... it was plastered before. Loads of people said that I should plaster it and then stick the new skirting on with no nails glue... If I dontt plaster it, how do I attach the skirting? anyway, im also doing upstairs. Thanks for your reply.

 

[joe-90]

Use blocks of wood. If you bridge the damp course you will have damp walls.

Can't see how it would help the plasterer anyway. If it were me I'd tell you leave well alone.

 

[Nige F]

skirtings..remove 3inch.replace with 4 inch....etc.