Bathroom tiling meets coving ...

Leif

A quick update: a local builder recommended by the parents of a colleague refitted the bathroom, and although it is not quite finished (wiring to be done) it is a very good job. He chased the radiator pipes into the wall, and fitted a towel rail I supplied. All water pipes were chased into the wall. The soil pipe was moved back to suit new style toilets. Tiling done well. And so on.

I got three surveys that confirm the poor quality of the original work, that walls were not primed, and that tiles were almost falling off. The surveys prove that the installers lied. They have not admitted any fault. They have not made any written offer. CheckATrade do not seem much good. They published my review late, and then pulled it the same day, due to personal issues in the installers family, or so he claims. I do not believe him, and I doubt CheckATrade asked for any proof. He is still working. It is pretty obvious who pays the money to CheckATrade i.e. the trades person, not Joe Public.

Leif

A question for anyone knowledgeable here. I received a response from the cowboys which includes a letter from an independent builder. He says that he read the first two surveys, and considers them to be biased against the cowboys. He has not seen the bathroom. Given that I am proceeding with legal action, would there be any problem with sending high quality photographs of the original tiling to this builder, and asking for his comments? My only concern is that I might be seen as trying to intimidate him. My letter to him would be along the lines of "Dear Mr. [builder], I hope you do not mind my writing to you, but given that you have voiced an opinion that two surveys of my bathroom were biased against [cowboys], I enclose a couple of photographs of the tiling. I would be happy to receive your comments on the work in the photographs. If you do not wish to comment, then please excuse my troubling you. Thank you and best wishes. Yours, [me]"

As you can see the tone is not in the least bit threatening or menacing, and hopefully completely anodyne.

aliasojo

Leif wrote: »

A question for anyone knowledgeable here. I received a response from the cowboys which includes a letter from an independent builder. He says that he read the first two surveys, and considers them to be biased against the cowboys. He has not seen the bathroom. Given that I am proceeding with legal action, would there be any problem with sending high quality photographs of the original tiling to this builder, and asking for his comments? My only concern is that I might be seen as trying to intimidate him. My letter to him would be along the lines of "Dear Mr. [builder], I hope you do not mind my writing to you, but given that you have voiced an opinion that two surveys of my bathroom were biased against [cowboys], I enclose a couple of photographs of the tiling. I would be happy to receive your comments on the work in the photographs. If you do not wish to comment, then please excuse my troubling you. Thank you and best wishes. Yours, [me]"

As you can see the tone is not in the least bit threatening or menacing, and hopefully completely anodyne.

I wouldn't.

You don't need to persuade him. As you said, he did not see the work so is hardly well placed to offer an in depth opinion.

Just carry on down the legal route with the independent reports you have.

keystone

Leif wrote: »

.................. includes a letter from an independent builder. He says that he read the first two surveys, and considers them to be biased against the cowboys. He has not seen the bathroom...........

In that case his opinion can only be interpreted as being biased in favour of the "cowboys"

Given that I am proceeding with legal action, would there be any problem with sending high quality photographs of the original tiling to this builder, and asking for his comments?

You should take legal advice but I would suggest that your only communication if any should be to the "cowboys" acknowledging receipt of the communication. You have no need to write to their "independent" and all communications should be via them. Indeed if you do write to them in the matter (of the letter you have received) it would be quite in order to question the opinion of their independent expert seeing as how he he has not seen the evidence on which he is basing his opinion. However, my view would be that you should just keep your powder dry and if or when they defend themselves in front of the District Judge and call this letter into "evidence" then that would be the time to question its veracity.

My only concern is that I might be seen as trying to intimidate him.

No I would say that the inclusion of his letter is an attempt to intimidate you.

As you can see the tone is not in the least bit threatening or menacing, and hopefully completely anodyne.

Even so as it will not get you anywhere whatsoever as he has already made his position quite clear then I wouldn't bother for one solitary microsecond.

All very much IMHO, of course.

Cheers

Leif

Thank you both for the opinions.

keystone wrote: »

I
All very much IMHO, of course.

But a welcome opinion.

KateLiana27

The "independent builder" is probably his best mate. Or nan.

You have nothing to prove to him/her.

Don't muddy the waters.

Leif

KateLiana27 wrote: »

The "independent builder" is probably his best mate. Or nan.

That is my suspicion. The only problem I have is that there are two cowboys, and they will back each other up.

Plasterer

Assuming the tiles are going all the way around the room you can simply cove straight over the top of the original coving as the step that the tiles have made have compensated for where the new coving lies at the ceiling line. Simples :j If it is slighty tight when you offer the new coving up cut an inch of the original coving on the ceiling line and then fix.

If the coving is too short go over the top with larger coving

daggy

Leif wrote: »

That is my suspicion. The only problem I have is that there are two cowboys, and they will back each other up.

They can say whatever they like, it's nothing but conjecture.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Their work looked amateurish and I hope you give them a nasty xmas surprise when they have to pay you the £k back.

RE: Checkatrade...

It's irrelevant whether he has family issues, that does not excuse shoddy workmanship.

27col

Kick it around any way you like, that tiling is a bodge. If the rest of the job is going to come out like that, you need to get rid of him ASAP.