Treating the wall, not building one.
For interior wall treatment without constructing a new partition, register the work as finishes applied to an existing brick, block, concrete or completed drywall substrate.
CIDB also separates paint, tiling, waterproof protective coatings, concrete repair and interior decoration into different competency areas, so these should not be combined under one generic “wall contractor.” CIDB contractor competency modules
“Cost” is a relative direction band (Low … High), not a price — no SKUs or RM figures; “brand” and “colour code” are fields to record.
Ten wall treatments, distinct competencies
Approved repair mortar, skim coat or corner profiles
Moisture diagnosis, hacking, crack treatment, levelling and curing
Trap — Covering active cracks or dampness
Primer, selected paint, colour code and sheen
Surface preparation, moisture checking, coats and touch-up
Trap — Premium paint applied over a poor skim coat
Complete approved coating system and colour
Mock-up, texture control, batch consistency, sealing and protection
Trap — No approved sample panel
Selected wall covering and matching batch rolls
Wall preparation, adhesive selection, pattern matching and seam alignment
Trap — Applying over damp or uneven walls
Panels, aluminium profiles, trims and approved accessories
Subframe, ventilation gap, expansion allowance, alignment and fixing
Trap — Sealing moisture behind panels, or using unsuitable panels near heat
Tiles, grout colour, aluminium trims and feature profiles
Setting-out, adhesive selection, cutting, lippage and joint consistency
Trap — Bad joint alignment with cabinets, sockets and sanitary fittings
Natural stone, sintered stone, quartz slab and profiles
Templating, substrate capacity, cutting, anchoring, vein matching and installation
Trap — Relying only on adhesive for heavy slabs
Specified mirror / glass, colour, thickness and aluminium profiles
Site measurement, backing, safety treatment, fixing and sealant
Trap — Mirror-edge blackening and inaccessible concealed adhesive failures
Selected acoustic panel, fabric and aluminium edge profiles
Substrate, fixing system, joint layout and evidence of acoustic / fire performance where required
Trap — Buying decorative “acoustic-looking” panels without tested performance
Approved waterproofing system, tapes and collars
Substrate preparation, corner reinforcement, pipe penetrations, coat thickness, curing and water testing
Trap — Treating waterproofing as an optional paint layer
What to prefer, what to control
| Location | Prefer | Avoid or control |
|---|---|---|
| Living / dining | Paint, decorative coating, panels, stone, mirror | Too many feature materials on one wall |
| Bedroom | Low-VOC paint, wallpaper, upholstered or acoustic panels | Moisture-trapping panels against damp external walls |
| Kitchen backsplash | Porcelain tile, glass, sintered slab or a suitable metal panel | Ordinary WPC / PVC, combustible panels or materials with unsealed joints near the hob |
| Bathroom wet zone | Waterproofing plus tile, slab or an approved wet-area coating | Wallpaper, untreated timber and standard gypsum-based finishes |
| Bathroom dry zone | Moisture-resistant paint, tile, panel or mirror | Unventilated cavities behind panels |
| Staircase | Washable paint, wall panel, stone or an impact-resistant finish | Sharp protruding profiles and fragile finishes at hand level |
| TV feature wall | Wall panels, stone, acoustic treatment, paint | Permanently covering cables, sockets and equipment access |
| Utility / store | Washable paint, tile or protective coating | Expensive finishes that are difficult to repair |
| Commercial / high traffic | Impact-resistant paint, tile, compact laminate or panels | Light-coloured porous finishes at contact zones |
Ten required configurator fields
- 01Wall location and wall ID
- 02Existing substrate
- 03Wall condition — flatness, cracks, moisture, hollow plaster
- 04Dry, humid, splash or direct-wet zone
- 05Selected treatment and complete layer build-up
- 06Colour, sheen, pattern, texture and panel direction
- 07Joint, aluminium profile and corner treatment
- 08Sockets, switches, doors, cabinets and service penetrations
- 09ALUMAX-supplied versus specialist-supplied materials
- 10Mock-up, inspection, testing and warranty requirements
Who owns what
ALUMAX is responsible for the specified key materials, the approved colour / finish and the delivered quantity.
- Inspecting and accepting the existing wall.
- Moisture, crack and flatness assessment.
- Surface preparation and levelling.
- Compatibility of primers, adhesives and ancillary products.
- Setting-out, application, fixing and curing.
- Protection from other trades.
- Workmanship testing and the installation warranty.
The most important hold point is a signed wall-substrate acceptance record before materials are installed. Finished-wall quality should be inspected systematically rather than judged only from a distance — CIDB’s QLASSIC framework similarly uses objective workmanship-inspection principles. CIDB QLASSIC