Shoddy kitchen fit - what to do??

annaangeluk_2

I've had my kitchen fitted by "a friend of a friend." He was a stranger to me but well known and highly recommended by my friend.

The guy came out to cost up and emailed me a quote. It worked out as £x x amount plus any extras. I agreed verbally to the work doing.

He's been at it a week and phoned this morning to say that he's popping round for an hour tomorrow to grout the tiles then he's done and he wants to be paid, in cash.

I've come home today (been staying somewhere else) and found a whole load of problems. The floor not laid properly, tiles cracked (plus a box of tiles is missing) plinths don't fit and some hanging off, shelves are put in in random places i.e not symetrical on both sides of chimney, skirting board missing, cupbaords not straight, to name but a few.

I've written a list and this now is a full side of paper! I'm wondering what is the best way to approach this tomorrow. Just for info the guy has been a joiner for 40+ years and recommended by a really trusted close friend. I get the feeling that the bloke has let his son do most of the work and he's not bothered to check it. I'm on my own and hate to think that he's taking advantage of a single woman.

I'm furious at the state of the kitchen and I've worked so hard to save up to have it done.

I'm going to be very polite tomorrow and show him the list and request that he gets things sorted before I pay up. What do i do if he refuses to put things right???? I hate confrontation and I feel sick to my stomach in case there is a row. I'm not being super critical and picking up on tiny things but it's stuff like corners missing off tiles etc. It's really noticable things.

How do I sort this out????

Thanks in advance

Anna x

As an update, I spoke to kitchen fitter and gave him my list. He then gave me a list of excuses why so and so is like this, why this was unavoidable etc. He then did a few jobs such as replace cracked tiles, fix plinth etc.

I then paid him in full. After him leaving, the plinth dropped off again so I called him and he has since been out a further 3 times and it still isn't right. As well as that I'm just generally gutted about the state of the rest of the kitchen. I don't want to keep calling him because as I've now discovered, he is completely rubbish.

It's been suggested to me that my best option now might be to make a claim through the small claims court to try and reclaim enough to have things put right. Is this a good idea?? I know I'll have to write to him first to let him know my "intentions" but I don't want to give him the chance to come round and do more work. If it's taken him 4 or 5 attempts to cut a piece of plinth to fit, is he really capable of straightening all doors, replacing tiles etc??

I'd be really grateful if no one pointed out how stupid I was to have paid him. I'm fully aware of this and feel completely stupid for having done it. It's getting to the stage where it's really getting me down and making me feel depressed, to the extent that I hate going home and so far can't face going in the kitchen, let alone trying to use it. I worked so hard to get that money together and feel an idiot for having been so easily conned out of it. I purposely didn't go for the cheapest quote so hoping to avoid this. I trusted him to do a good job and instead I've been left broke and with an awful, cheap shoddy looking kitchen.

Any advice gratefully recieved, but please no critisism as I'm aware what an idiot I've been.

Anna x

coljacks

First of all do not take the full amount of money he wants with you, then there is no way you can be pressured to hand it over. I would work out how much it would cost to put right the work he has done and keep hold of that amount until it has been sorted. I also hate confrontations, would it be possible to have a friend with you when you meet up with the joiner? If he is a respectable joiner- like my OH, he would not be happy leaving the job with it looking shoddy.

Good luck and if you can update once you have spoken to him.

annaangeluk_2

Thanks!

I feel like I'm being a bit wussy but I hate arguments! My ex's dad was a joiner and he was the most honest [strike]obsessive[/strike] thorough guy you could possibly ask to do work for you!!

The guy is coming round tomorrow morning early and I've no one that can be here too. I've separated the money into two envelopes and I'm planning on keeping back £150 if he doesn't do those bits. I'm hoping he just accepts what I've said and just sorts it out! It shouldn't take him long, then he can get paid in full and I never have to see him again!!

I'll keep you posted how it goes!

Anna x

Razor

You haven't told us the cost of the job but to be honest you are not going to get a decent tradesman to put much right for £150 and if its not a large proportion of the original cost your existing chap may just take the money and run.

Pretani

DO NOT give him one single penny until he sorts all your problems out.

nixinix

how did you get on?

nickj_2

if you only hold £150 back - it's not worth him coming back to fix things - i would suggest half now and then half when you are satisfied with work carried out

booty40uk

I wouldnt pay him anything if its as bad as it sounds.

tomstickland

There's no need for an argument.
Just point out that you are unhappy with the job that's been done and see if they agree or not.

andyhop

most people wont say anthing, i have been called in many a time to refix kitchens that have been badly fitted

as usual it always come down to cost, folk go to the cost of getting a good quality kitchen then get a cheap and chearful foreign worker to fit it thinking there saving a few quid

annaangeluk_2

andyhop wrote: »

most people wont say anthing, i have been called in many a time to refix kitchens that have been badly fitted

as usual it always come down to cost, folk go to the cost of getting a good quality kitchen then get a cheap and chearful foreign worker to fit it thinking there saving a few quid

Just for info, he wasn't foreign and not that cheap. As I said in original post this guy had apparently been in the trade for longer than I've been alive! I took him on as he came highly recommended.