Two main reasons for basic movement at that joint are: 1) new construction settling and shrinkage. That usually occurs after the first year, and it's usually a "get it out of my system" thing. It happens once, then it's usually done. 2) I was going to ask if your house is built with trusses and if there was an attic above this bathroom. As your builder already explained to you, there's a phenomenon called "truss lift" where seasonally, the lower chord of the truss moves (flexes upwards and downwards) due to movement of the other parts of the truss. Usually, movement is highest at the mid-span of the truss chord. Truss lift will usually repeat itself seasonally. It is usually accommodated for in just the manner your contractor specified, a "slip joint" with crown molding. The crown is secured to the ceiling only, so when the ceiling moves, the crown "slides" against the wall. I've seen instances of 3/4" gaps between the partition wall drywall and the ceiling drywall during the lifting. I recall one case where the builder went and and tried to stop the truss lift by going in the attic and securing the truss chords to the partitions walls with Simpson clips. The next season, the truss lift was so strong it actually pulled one entire partition wall off the floor! The proper way is to allow for the movement. There are truss clips that connect the truss chord to the partition walls while still allowing vertical movement of the bottom chord of the truss. Also, when the ceiling is drywalled, the ceiling drywall is not screwed to the truss chords near the perimeter walls of the room. The drywall floats. Clips are then used to connect the edges of the ceiling's drywall to top edge of the wall's drywall. Then you mud and tape the corners. With that detail, when your truss lifts, the edges of the ceiling drywall don't move upwards with the truss. The edges stay connected to the wall drywall. As the chord lifts, the ceiling panels flex just a tad, and you get no cracking in the corners. Your movement is not significant. But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt to look up and see the cracks and gaps. Truss lift is a hit or miss thing. Sometimes it happens throughout the house, sometimes it shows itself in one room more than another. In a subdivision, one house may have it another may not. Your contractor's "repair" is technically correct. But the "trim" he used may aesthetically be inadequate. Without other photos I have no idea how that added "trim" melds with the detailing in the remainder of your house, but that's your call. To my eye, the "trim" that was added is inadequate and undersized. Anyone (contractor or builder) building with trusses should be aware of the possibility of truss lift. The only way I know to minimize or eliminate it is to insulate the roof plane of the house instead of insulating the attic floor. That minimizes some of the seasonal environmental swings that the trusses are exposed to. Hope this info helps! Best, Mongo

I had two issues in my house and I have done the following... I did foam board in a hallway because it is going to be torn out in a year or two. I put a thin coat of joint compound on it and painted. I nailed the foam board up like you would dry wall. Found the foamboard at the dollar store. I mixed a gallon of dark brown paint to joint compound and got a brush from the dollar store and burshed it on in a swril design like the walls. My walls were a light tan and mixing the dark paint in the white JC made it a light tan ceiling. Both of these fixes were done last March so it has been a year and a half and everything still looks good. The ceiling in the kitchen I do not understand what your question about "cleaning". I used ceiling paint then painted the color I wanted. They sell paint now that has both the undercoat and paint in one. So you do not have to do two steps. I have not tried it so I cannot say for sure it will work if there is a lot of oil and dirt.

Go to Sherwin Williams and get a 5 of their Drywall Primer 35 gals of primer? How big is this addition?? I would start with a five and go on from there. acrylic 555". never heard of it. After it is primed and dried, 2 finish coats

I used Ivoire in our two-story living room and entry, 9' dining room an most of the halls. Because we have such an open floor plan, I picked the next color up on the strip (Navajo White) for the ceilings. In the two-story great room in my last house, I went with the wall color on the ceiling. I'm glad we went with the Navajo here. It's a very nice, complex color that complements the Ivoire and transitions beautifully to the other colors I've used through the house. Ivoire can take on a bit of a pastel look with certain lighting. The formula for the gallon has an added color that isn't in the quarts-to-go. I'm happy we didn't put it on the ceiling now.