I wish I could exclaim, “DEMO DAY!!!!” with the connotation that we’re rocking and will be done quickly. But that’s not the case.
I got started knocking down plaster and tearing out lath yesterday on our latest buy, Courtship Revival. It was just me working solo, and it’s going to take a long time just to get it down to the studs. That’s ok, the whole idea with this one is to learn more, not just about different skills and trades, but about the time it takes to do things, costs, etc.
Here are some photos of the room I got started in:
The first room I’m starting on. 
Getting started on the opposite wall. Notice the dark lath on the left. It’s severely water damaged from the hole in the roof. 
Progress getting plaster off. 
Tested out pulling lath. Ultimately I want to get all the plaster off and then start on the lath. 
More progress on the second wall. 
I got this ventilator on Amazon for $30. The dust from the plaster is no joke!
I watched several YouTube videos on best practices when it comes to removing plaster and lath. They were helpful, but I’m honing my own process as I work. I’ve found that using the side of a hammer to whack the lath loose is pretty effective (I’ll do a video at some point). Much of it will simply start falling off the wall.
Today I’ll be taking a hand sledgehammer to see if that improves efficiency. I’m also thinking about how to tackle the ceilings. Duct taping a sledge hammer to a broom handle and hitting it with that may work well.
Regardless, there’s a lot to do here. Between the two units there’s something like 2,300+ square feet.
It’s going to be a process!