First-time house renovation

Shimmyhill

Did some more gardening today. starting to look good but i have created more rubbish than i did stripping the whole kitchen out !!

Getting another window quote on monday and then will deceide who to go with, been surprised how much cheaper the quotes have been than i expected !

Waiting on a focus order, was due tues or fri - either they forgot to tell me its on or it hasnt arrived - companies are a PITA !!!!

TomsMom

Not had a good day today really. I'd appreciate your thoughts on these two things that have cropped up.

1) Bloke who supplied the kitchen is saying the fridge wont be accepted back by his supplier if it's been unpacked. The polythene sheeting surrounding the polystyrene packaging was cut down but not completely taken off, the builders thought the fridge looked small so measured it (it's 540 not 600 as it's meant to go in one of those units like a double oven unit) then went no further with the unpacking. The fridge was never taken out of the packaging.

So the scenario is this. He designed the kitchen and knew there was to be an under counter fridge and dishwasher. The dishwasher was described as "integrated". There were two fridges in the brochure, one described as "integrated" and one described as "built under". The first one I saw was the integrated one (I didn't even look at the other one, thinking "this will do")so I went for that, thinking it was the same as the dishwasher as it said "integrated", and I told him to order it. I also said "Can you make sure the doors are going to fit the appliances". So he just ordered what I said without checking the doors or even if it was going to fit in the space he'd allowed in the plan.

He's now saying tape the polythene back up, but if it looks as if it's been unpacked his supplier wont take it back. Well, of course it will look like it's been unpacked as there will be tape where the polythene has been cut!

2) Two or three weeks ago we had the vinyl laid in the en-suite. The fitters arrived early and OH said "Oh, I haven't had time to clean the floor yet". They said "Don't worry, we'll clean it up for you". So OH left them to it, thinking they would sweep up the bits of debris. This was a new floor laid a few days earlier, the plastering had been done but no sanitary ware was fitted in so it was an empty room with just bits of builders debris from laying the floor, plastering etc. They laid the vinyl and builders immediately fully covered it with thick polythene and pieces of carpet to protect it.

Today, now en-suite is fully fitted and usable, OH went to clean it after I'd cleaned all the sanitary ware. "Come and have a look now" says OH. So I get on my hands and knees to stroke the lovely clean vinyl. I felt a lump underneath. Felt further round and felt lots of lumps in various places. OH lifted the vinyl slightly where he could near the door and managed to get out a piece of debris left underneath. We assume all the other lumps are bits of the same. If left the lump near the door would have eventually damaged the vinyl as it would have been walked on every time someone went in. The others are more out of the way.

So we have to assume that the fitters could only have done a very cursory job of cleaning the floor. OH would have swept it then gone over it with a cloth to remove all debris and dust. We don't know what the fitters did because he left them to it.

This vinyl was £20 per sq.m. and cost over £100 altogether and we paid for fitting. We're thinking we should ring the shop and tell them what happened and ask them to sort it out. We specifically wanted the vinyl laid to completely cover the floor then the sanitary ware fitted on top rather than being cut round the pedestals etc so there'll be no chance of any possible leakage getting underneath and ruining the chipboard floor. OH thinks that if they agree to put it right they may want to cut round the pedestals this time which I don't want to agree to. OH says he would keep this vinyl if they agree to 100% refund, I don't think they'll offer that.

What would you all want/expect/ask for? I know your answers would be hypothetical but I'd appreciate knowing what you think to see if my expectations are reasonable.

andrew-b

1) I'd expect them to take it back regardless of the state of the packaging. It's pretty obvious it's not been used. The shop might have to pay a restocking fee to the supplier but i don't think that should be your problem. I've sent all sorts of things back that has been opened ...like an argos sofabed, a self-assembly wardrobe from Tesco that i actually constructed and then took apart again, a barbecue from argos that wasn't possible to construct, heated towel rail for the bathroom (and a good few other screwfix) and so on...noone's ever questioned about the packaging being opened. I suppose if it comes to it you could always flog it on ebay and cut your losses.

2) Get the fitters/shop round and show them the lumps and ask them to take it up, clean under properly and re-lay it. If it's not possible to lift it without cutting it round the sanitaryware it may be possible to unscrew the pedestals from the floor and slip the vinyl out/back under without having to completely remove the sanitaryware. If it has to be cut around the pedestals then i'd seal around the edges with clear silicone to prevent water getting to your floor.

Andy

TomsMom

Thanks Andy. I didn't think I was being too unreasonable especially regarding the fridge. We've spent a lot of money with this chap, kitchen was over £3,000, appliances came to about £1,400, plus we've given him the opportunity to price match and supply everything possible that we've bought as we're trying to keep the business local where we can. I don't know about a restocking fee, he just said they wont accept it back if it's been unpacked so we'll have to have another word. I don't do ebay since they've started to insist on Paypal, I know too many people who've had trouble.

Thanks for your input, it's always good to get someone else's point of view.

Josepina

the fridge I would repackage as best I could and hope for the best.
The vinyl I would be furious! I'd insist they came round to look at it and maybe put the ball in their court - what do they plan to do about it? Say you want them to refit new then pay to have loo etc refitted maybe even suggest compensation for time and inconvienence. That way you might get a good discount?
I always think ask for more than you want then when you compromise you haven't lost out too much (if that makes sense?)

jamtart6

TomsMom, you are not being at all unreasonable with either. I'd be furious about the floor.

Hope you all had a good weekend. I put in minimum effort this weekend but DID put 3 pieces of plasterboard up (all the wrong way round so had to take them off and start again) and we moved a door and bricked up the old hole - looks very strange now!I keep wanting to walk through the wall!!


Job for this week is SORT OUT A PLUMBER! Please all harass and hound me this week about speaking to a plumber, it is driving me crackers putting off making the descision!

Edit: tip to everyone, when you have sealant on you, do not sit down in your 11month old car before checking that sealant is not on your work clothes or you will get sealant on the seats of your 11month old car and spend the night wailing and scrubbing seats! /

Canucklehead

jamtart6 wrote: »

Job for this week is SORT OUT A PLUMBER! Please all harass and hound me this week about speaking to a plumber, it is driving me crackers putting off making the descision!

Good morning: I'll be the first then;)...find a member of the CIPHE here
Remember..starting 1 April 2009, all gas installers must be registered with the Gas Safety Register ...CORGI R.I.P.

HTH

Canucklehead

TomsMom

Hi Jamtart

I see you're on the forum at the moment. Have you sorted out the plumber yet?

jamtart6

Wow - one way to get something done is to tell you lot to hound me

I will indeed ring the plumber today, but I sadly woke up with a lovely stomach bug, so definitely can't meet him today! I will however 100% make the arrangement to meet him I promisE!

lisal0u

Hi Everyone!

TomsMom - How very fustrating! I'd definately insist that they take the appliances back. Surely its the kitchen planners job to make sure everything fits, otherwise whats the point to him doing a design!

Also with the vinyl, I'd definately insist that the manager of the store you bought it from should come and look at the shoddy job that has been done! Like Josepina says let them suggest a solution, hoepfully it will be the right one!

Had a bit of a miserable end of the week and weekend :-( Managed to give myself food poisoning on Thursday and still don't feel 100% today and then my Uncle died on Saturday. Pretty rubbish as it was a total shock, he hadn't been ill or anything. So house things are on hold at the minute. I really want to get on with the house but as my Dad is doing the electrics and helping us with lots of things, I cant pester him.

I'm gonna catch up on all your blogs cos that will cheer me up!

ta ta for now
Lisa x