Problem with a builder

Sigurd

It is sort of a silly story, but I would like to get advice. I have little experience working with builders in this country, so I am not sure what to expect or what is acceptable. I have hired a builder through mybuilder.com to work on my kitchen. The job got seriously delay and last Saturday he was late for 3 hours. I called him and there was no response, so I just leave him a negative feedback on the site and find other means of finishing the work. I paid for the job already, but for me, it is not about the money (I can explain why later).

The builder was obviously very angry. He said he car broke down and his cell phone was out of battery, so he cannot contact me. I asked, but I don't think I can delete the feedback. He offer to come back to finish the work and hope that I will delete the feedback. However, is it safe to let him come back? For the right or wrong reason, I burn the bridges and there is no way to undo the damamge. Do I worry if he retaliates and cause damage at my house?

Just to supply to the background of the story, here is the feedback I post and basically the log of the job (and why I don't really care about money at this point).

"For installing a set of kitchen cabinets, which estimated to be 2~3 days of work. Here is the history of how the work has progressed.

First Ches said that he will come on the 18th of December. He didn't show up. I called him and he said that he got sick. The job was reschedule on the 24th, he didn't show up again and said his car broke down. Then it push to Jan 2nd, he told me that he kept his tools with his friends, and he has to wait for his friend to come back before coming to work. He showed up after being 10 hours late (the work was start at 5pm). He came again on the Jan 9th. His car broke down on that day so he was 3 hours late. Because of the delay, I have to run to wickes to buy supplies for him to do the work. He came back on 11th the evening. The work cannot be complete that day because the tile adhesive is not dry and he forgot to bring drill bits for installing the handles.

On Jan 16. Again he didn't show up. I called and he said his car got vandalized and he was in the police station. Then he agreed on working in the afternoon of the 23rd of Jan. On that morning, he said he can't come until 9pm. Because the work need to be finished urgently, I offer to wait, but then he didn't show up and did not answer any calls. I waited until mid-night, and there is still no sign of him showing up.

I live very far away from the property that need work (the house I am moving to), so I need to travel at least 3 hours round trip to get there. It is a waste of my time to get there, and find out that he cannot come. Ches never call ahead to rearrange the appointment. So I spent my time travel, waiting, and then find out that he cannot come. Also, every time he misses an appointment, he never bother to get it finish asap. Instead, this is as if something that he do when he feels like doing. When he showed up, he did work hard. But only if he showed up! It is impossible to plan anything and expect the project to finish on time. Frankly, I cannot possibly recommend him to any job at all, despite he is very hardworking (if he shows up). "

fluffymuffy

He's a crook! You should not have paid him before the work was done. On large jobs it's sometimes OK to pay as it goes along - particularly if there's a lot of expense in materials, for example. I don't fancy your chances of getting your money back.

DVardysShadow

As fluffymuffy says. Never pay in full before completion - always owe some money until it is done.

And I suppose, never leave feed back until the job is done or you have given up hope of having it completed. Once you leave negative feedback, there is nothing left for the builder to gain from working with you.

McKneff

Before you employ any workmen, always get 3 quotes from 3 different companies, ask them for names and addresses of people who they have done work for before and contact those people.

And never, ever pay money in full up front.

Good luck

JW_here

Im sorry to hear that you are having problems with your builder.
sounds like your builder is a cowboy thats give us builders a bad name.

However you get what you pay for.
not the cheaper quote is not all ways the best.

Paying a little up front is the ok .. the builder dose not want to be rip off by you. however you dont want to be rip off as well.

Im a builder I would ask for 15% up front for your job the 75% when job was finished. the other 10% in 6 weeks later when you know there is no problems.

any good builder would do the same..

Time keeping ... your builder is talking to much on without taking on extra staff. however we did have a little snow for two weeks.

As you have paid in full for the job ..Little you can do but court to get a little money back. . .

sorry

Sigurd

Thanks everybody for feedback. So I guess this is a done deal. I will find someone else to finish the job.

I find it difficult because I cannot tell if he is a true cowboy or an extremely unlucky man. I don't want to punish somebody because of latter. As JW said, there was snow in late December, so I do understand if his car broke down. It just happens too often (three times in less than a month and got vandalized once, not to count other delays because of his other jobs) that drives me nuts, and make me suspect if he is lying. I paid the guy because the kitchen is about 70% done, and he needs money (I guess because of his car?). I should have stick with the basic principle.

Plasterer

Sigurd wrote: »

Thanks everybody for feedback. So I guess this is a done deal. I will find someone else to finish the job.

I find it difficult because I cannot tell if he is a true cowboy or an extremely unlucky man. I don't want to punish somebody because of latter. As JW said, there was snow in late December, so I do understand if his car broke down. It just happens too often (three times in less than a month and got vandalized once, not to count other delays because of his other jobs) that drives me nuts, and make me suspect if he is lying. I paid the guy because the kitchen is about 70% done, and he needs money (I guess because of his car?). I should have stick with the basic principle.

Why has this builder not got a van?

keystone

Plasterer wrote: »

Why has this builder not got a van?

Because he can't afford to run a van and keep his horse fed!

Cheers

Plasterer

keystone wrote: »

Because he can't afford to run a van and keep his horse fed!

Cheers

YEEEHAAAAA!!!!
Did his hard hat look like this?

JW_here

Just had a look @ mybuilder .com

It will only cost me
Only £40.00 per quarter (about £13 a month) + VAT
a small success fee applies for each job you do.
To get work from them.. I just looked at the last 3days of posting.

There is a lot of work out there, and a lot of builders trying to get that work..
It proves also a lot of builders have no work.. why ?

I do wish I had time to find work on this site daily. .

Also mybuilder takes a fee. . This must only be added to the quote. £££££

on the other hand people come to you and you not looking for a builder, and you can read there feed back, However that dose not always work. As Sigurd
found out.

keystone

Sites like that are a waste of space for the client and the contractor!

Cheers