New Conservatory Fitted - In Dispute and Now Leaking Roof.... advice please

wackojackouk

Evening people

We have had a company in to replace our old leaky conservatory in December 2009 and was told it would take around 3 days no longer than a week. Mid March now and still not finished and we are currently in dispute with the builder regarding the patio doors not closing correctly and because of the project length the laminate floor is now damaged and needs replacing.

Anyway we receive a letter this week saying the job was complete and asking for payment + it included an extra invoice for additional work which was never discussed/agreed.

On Consumer Directs advice we sent a letter back today recorded delivery which stated what was not finished - mainly missing parts and the fault with the patio doors not closing correctly. We were told we generally have to give the builder the chance to rectify and stated that we expected the job to be complete within 14 days plus also disputing the claim that the laminate was in poor state of repair and the additional charges.

However this evening the conservatory is now leaking (for the second time) and we are just stressing out again and just so unhappy with the whole thing.

It's now leaking in two different areas, both of them where the glass roof has a H bar to join two panels.

What upsets us even more is that the original quotation/drawing did not display the joining bar and when the OH queried this a few weeks back the builder said he wasn't footed the cost for replacing the glass, went off site and was uncontactable for about 3 or 4 days. I spoke to the actual company who supplied the product including the roof panels and they informed me the max size glass they produced was 3m x 1m (the conservatory roof needs to be 3.4m long) so we kinda went along with it as it is and are now wishing we hadn't as it's leaking where I feared it would

I have since been told by a couple of conservatory repair companies who we had in to tell us what needed to be done to the doors after the builder went AWOL again that 3.2m is the max length for 4mm thick glass but if it had been supplied in 6mm thickness it would have been possible in one sheet. One company actually said it was such a poor job it should be torn down although the other two didn't quite agree - none of them said it was a good job but could be made good.

As I said above we are really upset with the whole project and wonder what we need to do next. Do we wait for him to come back to us? - or do we send another letter regarding the leaks?

To be honest there are numerous other faults with the conservatory that we have kind of let go but now this is just too much and we feel we have currently wasted our money and wish we had never bothered getting it done as it's making us miserable. Even if he does the outstanding things it's never going to be the nice shiny conservatory we envisaged.

Can anyone offer us some advice please - my missus want's to get a surveyor in as she fills the job is a bad one and completely substandard. I'm inclined to agree but I'm worried if it goes to court and if it needs to be rebuilt at their cost how will we ever get the money back from the builder?

Sorry if I've gone on too much but if anyone can give me some advice it would be very much appreciated.

Many thanks

WJUK

macman

How much of the original quote have you paid so far?

wackojackouk

We have £1k left to pay. Builder has had approx £3k. Conservatory company was paid direct at Builders Request.

Cheshire_HomeWorks

I would recommend you write a letter and send by recorded delivery, email and fax to the company you engaged to provide the installation of the company clearly stating the concerns you have, detailing each point by point and ask them to reply in writing within 7 working days as to how they propose to remedy the situation.

I would also recommend you copy this letter to any affiliated bodies the company are associated with such as the GGF.

Clearly state what action you intend to take if the company fails to respond satisfactorilly within the 7 days. (such as reporting them to the local trading standards office, the GGF and maybe even your local ombadsman). State that should they fail to respond and address your concerns that you will instruct a survyor to compile a report assesing the build and compile recommendations in preparation for court action. The cost of which will be deducted from the outstinding balance. It might be the works that need addressing can be completed by a 3rd party using the outstanding balance you have, but be careful about this as it may invalidate any warranty or guarantee you have (although it doesnt sound as if they have any such cover in place or the company would honor it anyway).

State that subject to the recommendations of the report and the remedial works required will depend on how much of the balance if any of the balance will be paid to them.

Please note this is just my opinion and recommend you speak to Trading Standards, however it is based on my experience of working in the industry and I would be more than happy to share further thoughts or discuss with you.

Many thanks - Sharon

wackojackouk wrote: »

Evening people

We have had a company in to replace our old leaky conservatory in December 2009 and was told it would take around 3 days no longer than a week. Mid March now and still not finished and we are currently in dispute with the builder regarding the patio doors not closing correctly and because of the project length the laminate floor is now damaged and needs replacing.

Anyway we receive a letter this week saying the job was complete and asking for payment + it included an extra invoice for additional work which was never discussed/agreed.

On Consumer Directs advice we sent a letter back today recorded delivery which stated what was not finished - mainly missing parts and the fault with the patio doors not closing correctly. We were told we generally have to give the builder the chance to rectify and stated that we expected the job to be complete within 14 days plus also disputing the claim that the laminate was in poor state of repair and the additional charges.

However this evening the conservatory is now leaking (for the second time) and we are just stressing out again and just so unhappy with the whole thing.

It's now leaking in two different areas, both of them where the glass roof has a H bar to join two panels.

What upsets us even more is that the original quotation/drawing did not display the joining bar and when the OH queried this a few weeks back the builder said he wasn't footed the cost for replacing the glass, went off site and was uncontactable for about 3 or 4 days. I spoke to the actual company who supplied the product including the roof panels and they informed me the max size glass they produced was 3m x 1m (the conservatory roof needs to be 3.4m long) so we kinda went along with it as it is and are now wishing we hadn't as it's leaking where I feared it would

I have since been told by a couple of conservatory repair companies who we had in to tell us what needed to be done to the doors after the builder went AWOL again that 3.2m is the max length for 4mm thick glass but if it had been supplied in 6mm thickness it would have been possible in one sheet. One company actually said it was such a poor job it should be torn down although the other two didn't quite agree - none of them said it was a good job but could be made good.

As I said above we are really upset with the whole project and wonder what we need to do next. Do we wait for him to come back to us? - or do we send another letter regarding the leaks?

To be honest there are numerous other faults with the conservatory that we have kind of let go but now this is just too much and we feel we have currently wasted our money and wish we had never bothered getting it done as it's making us miserable. Even if he does the outstanding things it's never going to be the nice shiny conservatory we envisaged.

Can anyone offer us some advice please - my missus want's to get a surveyor in as she fills the job is a bad one and completely substandard. I'm inclined to agree but I'm worried if it goes to court and if it needs to be rebuilt at their cost how will we ever get the money back from the builder?

Sorry if I've gone on too much but if anyone can give me some advice it would be very much appreciated.

Many thanks

WJUK

vaio

wackojackouk wrote: »

We have £1k left to pay. Builder has had approx £3k. Conservatory company was paid direct at Builders Request.

In your name or the builders?

Could the builder argue that he was only installing a conservatory you supplied?