# skim coating plaster walls



## vhcconstruction

Just wondering what the average sq. ft. price for skim coating plaster walls smooth. Minnesota area.


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## PrecisionTaping

vhcconstruction said:


> Just wondering what the average sq. ft. price for skim coating plaster walls smooth. Minnesota area.


*How many hours you think the job will take you *
times
*How much you'd like to make an hour*
divided by
*Total square ft
Squ/ft price = $!?*


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## silverstilts

vhcconstruction said:


> Just wondering what the average sq. ft. price for skim coating plaster walls smooth. Minnesota area.


When you take the cost of removal of plaster the mess and the disposal of it what do you would think it would cost the contractor? Plenty I will tell you that. No one likes to deal with the removal because of such a mess not to mention if it even had asbestos in it or not, then the cost would more than quad-triple. Most think that we as drywallers can just skim over rough plaster and make it look like a brand new wall or ceiling. It does never happen that way. I have skimmed and repaired over so many plastered walls I lost count years ago, but as far as pricing no less than $3.00 per sq. ft. If you find yourself in this line of work there is so many variables that can cause nothing but headaches of all sorts. If you would hire a plaster by trade if you can find one without going through a contractor rest assured the price will be far more than $3.00 per ft. Charge what you want I always make sure that my wages are gonna be higher than normal for myself.


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## PrecisionTaping

silverstilts said:


> Charge what you want I always make sure that my wages are gonna be higher than normal for myself.


Oh hell ya! Skimming full walls is allot of work!
Definitely make it worth your while.


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## vhcconstruction

I am not removing the plaster, just skim coating it to smooth walls, I feel between 50 cents to a buck should be right. I just wanted to see what you guys are doing. I do feel a buck a sq ft sound right but I am tired of being broke and having everyone telling me I am not charging enough.


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## PrecisionTaping

vhcconstruction said:


> I am not removing the plaster, just skim coating it to smooth walls, I feel between 50 cent and a buck should be right. I just wanted to see what you guys are doing. I do feel a buck a sq ft sound right but I am tired of being broke and having everyone telling me I am not charging enough.


Screw that noise!! 
Compare it to new construction.
Look at it this way.
A 8 x 8 Wall, 2 sheets of drywall = 64squ/ft
How much trowel work do you have to do on that one wall?
1 seem! 1 flat right down the middle.

Now, look at your plaster wall.....
Say on average everyone's finished joints on new drywall are aprox 12" wide.... 
Now look at your plaster wall again. Instead of having one 12" seem down the middle. You have 8 times the amount of work! 8ft wall!
See what im saying?....
Your time....Worth more than 1$ a squ/ft. I'll tell you that much.

Jobs like that, I don't even bill by the foot.
I look at it. I figure this will take me x amount of hours....I need this much money. Sucks to be the contractor if I happen to need a new golf club set that week. Take your square ft price and throw it out the window. Charge a lump sum. Tell the contractor there's not enough footage for it to be worth your while to charge by the foot. Just say it will cost this much. :yes:


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## vhcconstruction

trouble is that I am the contractor, I have always done my own drywall. I want to sub it out but the times I have I was not happy with the results. When I do a remodel with new walls I do three finish coats, prime and then detail. I know it sounds crazy, but I like the detailed finished. I have got allot of work from just that. I have tried at least ten different companies in the area and there was only one guy that was as detailed, sadly he has retired. Now don't get me wrong, for the most part the subs were great, but for a good portion of my clients, well, they want perfection I guess you could say. I just can't stand looking at someones wall and seeing air pockets or sand marks. The guy that retired was a old school taper and instilled in me to do it right. Sad thing is in todays market it is always just a job. I totally understand that. But I have even told subs that I will pay more per square foot or hourly to take that extra step. I hope you guys understand what I am saying and not trying to bash anyone. I just find it is very hard to find that detailed workmanship. The last guy I subbed out came with tape that he put in water and put it on the wall, and he was highly recommended. Well it all bubbled and I had to fix it. I knew I should have sent him home.


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## PrecisionTaping

vhcconstruction said:


> trouble is that I am the contractor, I have always done my own drywall. I want to sub it out but the times I have I was not happy with the results. When I do a remodel with new walls I do three finish coats, prime and then detail. I know it sounds crazy, but I like the detailed finished. I have got allot of work from just that. I have tried at least ten different companies in the area and there was only one guy that was as detailed, sadly he has retired. Now don't get me wrong, for the most part the subs were great, but for a good portion of my clients, well, they want perfection I guess you could say. I just can't stand looking at someones wall and seeing air pockets or sand marks. The guy that retired was a old school taper and instilled in me to do it right. Sad thing is in todays market it is always just a job. I totally understand that. But I have even told subs that I will pay more per square foot or hourly to take that extra step. I hope you guys understand what I am saying and not trying to bash anyone. I just find it is very hard to find that detailed workmanship. The last guy I subbed out came with tape that he put in water and put it on the wall, and he was highly recommended. Well it all bubbled and I had to fix it. I knew I should have sent him home.


Hahaha! ya.....wet taping? :no:
Should have trusted your gut on that one.
Just do this everywhere! Don't have to be picky about perfect detail and smooth walls everywhere :laughing:


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## moore

vhcconstruction said:


> trouble is that I am the contractor, I have always done my own drywall. I want to sub it out but the times I have I was not happy with the results. When I do a remodel with new walls I do three finish coats, prime and then detail. I know it sounds crazy, but I like the detailed finished. I have got allot of work from just that. I have tried at least ten different companies in the area and there was only one guy that was as detailed, sadly he has retired. Now don't get me wrong, for the most part the subs were great, but for a good portion of my clients, well, they want perfection I guess you could say. I just can't stand looking at someones wall and seeing air pockets or sand marks. The guy that retired was a old school taper and instilled in me to do it right. Sad thing is in todays market it is always just a job. I totally understand that. But I have even told subs that I will pay more per square foot or hourly to take that extra step. I hope you guys understand what I am saying and not trying to bash anyone. I just find it is very hard to find that detailed workmanship. The last guy I subbed out came with tape that he put in water and put it on the wall, and he was highly recommended. Well it all bubbled and I had to fix it. I knew I should have sent him home.


 Ya hear that boys ...The old school taper did it right!!! 
:yes:

Theres a good finisher in your area Vhc,,You just have to find him..


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## SlimPickins

I'll be odd man out here, but a $1/ft. is fine money, if all you're doing is skimming the walls. Hit em once, sand or scrape, tight skim again, light sand, touch-up, rock and roll. If it's gotta go smooth, add $.50/ft.

If a guy charges $.30/ft for a hand texture, he should be able to come out fine on a skim-out.

Now................if anything needs to be repaired, totally different ball of marshmallow.


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## PrecisionTaping

SlimPickins said:


> I'll be odd man out here, but a $1/ft. is fine money, if all you're doing is skimming the walls. Hit em once, sand or scrape, tight skim again, light sand, touch-up, rock and roll. If it's gotta go smooth, add $.50/ft.
> 
> If a guy charges $.30/ft for a hand texture, he should be able to come out fine on a skim-out.
> 
> Now................if anything needs to be repaired, totally different ball of marshmallow.


I love Marshmallows!!!


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## 2buckcanuck

PrecisionTaping said:


> I love Marshmallows!!!


MMMMMMMMMMM

Roasted marshmallows


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## PrecisionTaping

2buckcanuck said:


> mmmmmmmmmmm
> 
> roasted marshmallows


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## SlimPickins

2buckcanuck said:


> MMMMMMMMMMM
> 
> Roasted marshmallows


Do you just wait for an opportunity to use obscure smilies from the pile you have sitting on your computer desk?

Oh...and I AM a roasted marshmallow. Sometimes.


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## chris

SlimPickins said:


> I'll be odd man out here, but a $1/ft. is fine money, if all you're doing is skimming the walls. Hit em once, sand or scrape, tight skim again, light sand, touch-up, rock and roll. If it's gotta go smooth, add $.50/ft.
> 
> If a guy charges $.30/ft for a hand texture, he should be able to come out fine on a skim-out.
> 
> Now................if anything needs to be repaired, totally different ball of marshmallow.


 Agreed. If you cant make money skimmin at a buck a foot:blink:.... Id better not finish that line


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## silverstilts

vhcconstruction said:


> trouble is that I am the contractor, I have always done my own drywall. I want to sub it out but the times I have I was not happy with the results. When I do a remodel with new walls I do three finish coats, prime and then detail. I know it sounds crazy, but I like the detailed finished. I have got allot of work from just that. I have tried at least ten different companies in the area and there was only one guy that was as detailed, sadly he has retired. Now don't get me wrong, for the most part the subs were great, but for a good portion of my clients, well, they want perfection I guess you could say. I just can't stand looking at someones wall and seeing air pockets or sand marks. The guy that retired was a old school taper and instilled in me to do it right. Sad thing is in todays market it is always just a job. I totally understand that. But I have even told subs that I will pay more per square foot or hourly to take that extra step. I hope you guys understand what I am saying and not trying to bash anyone. I just find it is very hard to find that detailed workmanship. The last guy I subbed out came with tape that he put in water and put it on the wall, and he was highly recommended. Well it all bubbled and I had to fix it. I knew I should have sent him home.


That is another problem you are a general contractor, knowing full well what the cost in renovations should cost. Trust me when I tell you this I have worked years ago in the twin cities and I can just about tell what kind of a contractor you are. Looking for the lowest price available and by doing this hiring drywall finishers that probably couldn't let alone finish over new sheetrock let alone skimming out over old plaster, hire someone with experience and pay them what they are worth, don't use Drywall Talk as a price list for your own basis if you are doing the work yourself. I think I am going to ask some mechanics how much they charge to install a new alternator so I can use his price to charge the neighbor just a little less just so I can make a buck, might not be a perfect job done but hey, I got-r-done.....:furious:


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## vhcconstruction

well silverstilt I will tell you this for a fact.... I have never gone with the lowest bid, The last sub I paid $20/sheet which is 2.40/sq ft. All my jobs have posted the use of Goldbond or better sheeting, no Big box store rock allowed. Cheap rock = cheap look. I did work with a guy from the Grand Rapids area and he was really good, but hard to justify getting him down here for small jobs. All contractors are not the same. I do all my own work except electrical, plumbing and heating. Don't judge every contractor as being the same. I have done work for other contractors that do as you say, lowest everything and you can surly see it when the job is done.


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## vhcconstruction

I thought that drywall talk was for asking each other questions? I wanted to see what a price fellow finishers were using. I don't think that I am trying to screw anyone out of work, a big portion of my job is drywall, for my jobs and others. I think you were a bit out of line silverstilts.


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## silverstilts

vhcconstruction said:


> I thought that drywall talk was for asking each other questions? I wanted to see what a price fellow finishers were using. I don't think that I am trying to screw anyone out of work, a big portion of my job is drywall, for my jobs and others. I think you were a bit out of line silverstilts.


 Yes, It is a forum for fellow drywall finishers and contractors Drywall Contractors that is, still not sure on how sincere you really are and why post such a question on pricing, but that is my opinion....As far as thinking that i am out of line ,think what you want I don't need or have to ask for your permission on my opinions..


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## aschnit

i'm with silver on this one. vhconstruction really comes off as an amateur.... weekend warrior... DIYer throughout this thread ini my opinion. I personally feel $2 per ft is generally a good ballpark price to start


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## moore

YEP...Talking money is not good here. I am guilty of throwing #s out there ,,but not very often..I try to refrain..check this out..http://www.contractortalk.com/f16/pricing-estimating-success-27899/out..I Love this post. 

Silver is right ..This is a forum ..Just cause he's a mod makes no difference.. He or we can say what ever we please .... Well...:whistling2: almost anything...:blink:

I have a job coming up that im a little iffy about the bid..But I would never come to DWT ,and ask what should i do ...It's rude.. And I would quess ..makes others feel uncomfortable To know I make sooo much moore money than they do! LOL!!!!!!.......not


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## vhcconstruction

Sorry guys, I will never bring up pricing again. As far as your opinions of me being a weekend warrior, well so be it. I have been in the drywall business for 12 years on my own. I started out as a drywall company and over the years became a contractor. I do drywall for many other contractors and my own jobs. I estimate between 250 to 350 drywall jobs since I started. If that makes me a weekend warrior so be it. I made the mistake of asking a pricing to make sure that I was not over charging or under charging. Again sorry to all about talking money.


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## PrecisionTaping

vhcconstruction said:


> Sorry guys, I will never bring up pricing again. As far as your opinions of me being a weekend warrior, well so be it. I have been in the drywall business for 12 years on my own. I started out as a drywall company and over the years became a contractor. I do drywall for many other contractors and my own jobs. I estimate between 250 to 350 drywall jobs since I started. If that makes me a weekend warrior so be it. I made the mistake of asking a pricing to make sure that I was not over charging or under charging. Again sorry to all about talking money.


Don't worry about it man.
It was silverstilts time of the month :whistling2:
Personally I don't care if people ask about prices.
I guess it can be a touchy subject for some. 
No worries bro.


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## Mudslinger

Depends on the size of the job, and your gut feeling. Your always better off charging more up front, and coming in on budget in my opinion.:yes: There's going to be cracks you didn't see when bidding, and then you might run into walls that take 5 coats to get rid of bubbles. Sheetrock walls $2-$3, plaster $3 minimum sometimes a lot more. Go for T&M if you can, and don't forget to charge profit on top of everything. If your the remodeling contractor and drywaller you need to pay yourself for doing drywall, and then make your cut as the contractor as well.


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## carpentaper

for all the stuff i skim out i would be wanting i think three per foot minimum. usually i'm just doing a couple of walls or ceilings though. if it was a job big enough to make money on a lower footage price i don't think i would want it. i'm not crazy about massive amounts of skimming. too hard on the body.


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## PrecisionTaping

carpentaper said:


> for all the stuff i skim out i would be wanting i think three per foot minimum. usually i'm just doing a couple of walls or ceilings though. if it was a job big enough to make money on a lower footage price i don't think i would want it. i'm not crazy about massive amounts of skimming. too hard on the body.


AGREED! Your shoulders are dead after a job like that!
Last summer I had to skim an entire 2 bedroom apartment.
2 bedrooms/kitchen/living room, bathroom, 2 closets.
Everything! Ceilings and walls. Everywhere!
The old plaster walls were painted like a hot pink, by the time I was done everything was completely white...
A week straight of skimming entire walls....yuck..


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## carpentaper

that sounds pretty brutal. must have cost them a pretty penny. whats your method for skimming. i do two coats. both with light all purpose. first coat thick and heavy to create a nice base for a skim. i also find the stiffer my loading coat is the less problems i have with pinhole bubbles. i will usually then leave the job for at least couple of days because it can take a long while to really dry. next i sand with 120 and get rid of all lift of marks and really try and level it out. then a tight skim with runny mud and it is usually perfect. light sand next day.


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## PrecisionTaping

carpentaper said:


> that sounds pretty brutal. must have cost them a pretty penny. whats your method for skimming. i do two coats. both with light all purpose. first coat thick and heavy to create a nice base for a skim. i also find the stiffer my loading coat is the less problems i have with pinhole bubbles. i will usually then leave the job for at least couple of days because it can take a long while to really dry. next i sand with 120 and get rid of all lift of marks and really try and level it out. then a tight skim with runny mud and it is usually perfect. light sand next day.


That's more or less what I do too.
I never pre-sand in between coats though. I just scrape the lines with my putty knife. I hate extra sanding. But my 2nd pass probably isn't as tight as yours. I leave my mud pretty stiff for both. 
Almost like bead mud. Not as thick as right out of the bucket, maybe one or two coffee cups of water.
I build out a little more on my first like you do and go a little tighter on my 2nd. Not quite a tight skim though. Still a little build out.


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## SlimPickins

carpentaper said:


> that sounds pretty brutal. must have cost them a pretty penny. whats your method for skimming. i do two coats. both with light all purpose. first coat thick and heavy to create a nice base for a skim. i also find the stiffer my loading coat is the less problems i have with pinhole bubbles. i will usually then leave the job for at least couple of days because it can take a long while to really dry. next i sand with 120 and get rid of all lift of marks and really try and level it out. then a tight skim with runny mud and it is usually perfect. light sand next day.


You should try using 90 minute, as it starts to go off you can burnish it, no sanding needed :yes:


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## carpentaper

i have never had good luck trying to polish quickset on painted walls. i also find that it always bubbles like crazy over paint. especially old oil base paint that is commonly found in old houses. all the times that i have tried to load and skim a wall in the same day by loading with 90 have ended up with me needing to third coat again when dry. usually due to bubbles thus defeating the purpose and actually creating more work. if you have a way around this i would love to know. i often don't get quite a good enough product to stamp my name on without another pass.
also, i don't actually mind pole sanding at all. hours of detail sanding is another story.


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## PrecisionTaping

carpentaper said:


> i have never had good luck trying to polish quickset on painted walls. i also find that it always bubbles like crazy over paint. especially old oil base paint that is commonly found in old houses. all the times that i have tried to load and skim a wall in the same day by loading with 90 have ended up with me needing to third coat again when dry. usually due to bubbles thus defeating the purpose and actually creating more work. if you have a way around this i would love to know. i often don't get quite a good enough product to stamp my name on without another pass.
> also, i don't actually mind pole sanding at all. hours of detail sanding is another story.


I agree with the using 90. I find the same thing happens to me. Not worth it. Unless you use like weldbond or some kind of bonding agent to prevent the bubling before hand, but then you're having to paint all the wall prior. Just another step. I 2 coat and am done. Simple and easy.


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## 2buckcanuck

carpentaper said:


> i have never had good luck trying to polish quickset on painted walls. i also find that it always bubbles like crazy over paint. especially old oil base paint that is commonly found in old houses. all the times that i have tried to load and skim a wall in the same day by loading with 90 have ended up with me needing to third coat again when dry. usually due to bubbles thus defeating the purpose and actually creating more work. if you have a way around this i would love to know. i often don't get quite a good enough product to stamp my name on without another pass.
> also, i don't actually mind pole sanding at all. hours of detail sanding is another story.


Treat it like plaster

apply the 90 and let it stand for a while, let the bubbles work their way to the surface, then hit it again.

Or , as the 90 is setting up, sprinkle water on with a paint brush, keep trowling as it sets up, working the bubbles out

with AP mud, let stand for a while (20 minutes or so) then trowel over it again


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## vhcconstruction

I agree with all on the hard on the body. I told the client I won't be able to use my arm for a week after. For air bubble over the plaster, here is what works for me. I first scrape and the hit the wall with 80 to 100 grit on my PC sander. That usually helps allot with bubble on first coat, scrape, second coat then sand if no other coats needed. I have found that priming then hitting any pock marks works great. Luckily the job I am on now, there is only a very light prime coat over the plaster, I was amazed, 112 year old house and has always had wallpaper, even removed between style changes.


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## SlimPickins

2buckcanuck said:


> Treat it like plaster
> 
> apply the 90 and let it stand for a while, let the bubbles work their way to the surface, then hit it again.
> 
> Or , as the 90 is setting up, sprinkle water on with a paint brush, keep trowling as it sets up, working the bubbles out
> 
> with AP mud, let stand for a while (20 minutes or so) then trowel over it again


Thank you for doing all the typing for me 

I realized yesterday that I'm going to put a spray bottle in my truck for this very reason. As the mud kicks, I can spray the surface and raise the cream which will fill the pocks from paint behind. Much better than using a sponge(which is what I usually do):thumbsup:


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## carpentaper

the times i have had success i have done as posted above and i'm sure if i had more patience and carried a spray bottle around i might be changing my tune. i guess it really depends on job size and time restraints. i've just always gotten frustrated half way through the process and felt like it's taking forever and moved on. i also am anxious about re-adding that much water and breaking up plaster as it crystalizes. but i guess it's no different than plaster and if you guys have been doing it with success than maybe i just need to try again.


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## SlimPickins

carpentaper said:


> the times i have had success i have done as posted above and i'm sure if i had more patience and carried a spray bottle around i might be changing my tune. i guess it really depends on job size and time restraints. i've just always gotten frustrated half way through the process and felt like it's taking forever and moved on. i also am anxious about re-adding that much water and breaking up plaster as it crystalizes. but i guess it's no different than plaster and if you guys have been doing it with success than maybe i just need to try again.


Well, the only reason I would put a spray bottle in with my junk is because I've been doing lots of things that call for it lately. The Variance needed it, American Clay needs it, Diamond coat can use it, and now (why have I never thought of it before) hot muds over paint. I didn't catch the kick in time yesterday, and now I'm going to have a million pocks to deal with on Monday. Okay, not a million, but 30-40,000:laughing:


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## jmr

moore said:


> Ya hear that boys ...The old school taper did it right!!!
> :yes:
> 
> Theres a good finisher in your area Vhc,,You just have to find him..


Like me :yes: I live in St. Paul as well haha..

I've worked on tons of old houses tieing in plaster and lathe with gyp.. Pretty finicky. Not to mention skimming entire plaster walls is kind of a liability. I'm thinking you'l have to mesh out the entire thing because its going to constantly crack.. You could over lay it with board so that way you can just have joints and screws to finish. I dunno..


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## vhcconstruction

I tell you what, this house was built in the late 1890's and there is at most 2 cracks per room. I think it is the best I have ever seen. 112 years plus, 1 layer of wallpaper, one light prime and that was it. Found out the other day that it was half horse barn as well. Whoever built this thing did it right. Did one last year, about the same age and it was all cracked up. thank God for big rolls of mesh.


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