I owe builders £10,000

Forreal

I had a wet room built for my husband just after he had a stroke. The building was an extension and was an expensive addition as we wanted it to look modern and not clinical.

We had a local builder do the job for a quote of 23k. He subcontracted so it took ages - I was pregnant when it started and my son was walking and saying his first words when it was finally able to be used.

There we quite a few things left to be corrected when the contractor stopped coming. Mainly a problem with the trap in the drain being too shallow which meant sewage smells filling the room on low pressure days and the fan fitted in the wet room wouldn't suck a feather up. The tiler stole 80 glass tiles I bought worth £2 each and he scratched the expensive slate tiles on the floor with a rough grout.

Now it's been 6 months since the builder has been in touch and I still owe 10k - where do I go now? How long do i wait before I look elsewhere for someone to finish the job. Am I obliged to pay the builder anymore as putting in a deeper trap will costs thousands and a new floor for the wetroom?

I'd welcome your advice.

BobProperty

I'd guess that the builder has given up on this job. I can't imagine the builder not chasing you for £10k if he thought he was owed it. I think I would be putting the situation in writing stating what has been done, what has been paid and what is wrong. If you don't want him to come back and finish the work you must have a good reason for that unless you are both agreed that the work done equals the money paid.
Smells - It may be possible to add another trap to the pipework to help stop the smell coming back, but that's a theoretical maybe.
Fans for bathrooms are pretty standard spec. What make and model is it?
The tiler nicking 80 tiles - Well, you could report it to the police but I bet they won't be interested. The tiler, in his defence, will say he broke them cutting them as they are awkward to deal with. (I don't know, but if I was his solicitor I'd come up with a story like that)
The slate floor - I've not looked it up but I think you have to seal slate so not using the right materials or doing the job properly sound a possibility.
How long you wait - down to that English Law phrase a "reasonable" amount of time.
What is still outstanding?

rizla01

Do you feel that you have had £13,000 worth of work done and would you be happy with what you got for this amount?

If not then you need to instruct your solicitor.

If you are then you need to write to the builder, by recorded delivery, offering him the chance to complete the works in a reasonable time of say 3 Mths and that you will withold the remaining funds until work is completed.

Give him 14 days to reply, keep a copy of all correspondence and if no reply, then you are in the clear to do as you wish.

If he tried to sue you for the outstanding then, he wouldn't have a cat in h ells chance of getting it. The courts would almost cetainly, find in your favour.

Firehorse

Forreal wrote: »

Mainly a problem with the trap in the drain being too shallow which meant sewage smells filling the room on low pressure days and the fan fitted in the wet room wouldn't suck a feather up.

Could I ask......were the building works completed to the original spec, as in, is the trap too shallow because of original plans, or because the plans weren't followed correctly? Also, the fan, was it a poor choice, whose choice, or did someone fit something different?

SMARTY29A_2

i know builders can sometimes be a problem.

my problem is that we had a new house built nearly three years ago and there were six stage payments, which we paid by cheque every time, o n time at each stage and the last one i paid the amount but there were extras so i keept off a few thousand pounds. i then gave the builder consultant a list of over 25 snagging jobs to be completed (he actually came across and went through each room with me to see what was needed to be done) and that was over a year ago and never seen him again until a bill arrived for the "owning" few thousand although i feel i dont really owe as it is up to them to come back and complete the work. apparently when signed paperwork we signed some security thing, (which i am going to see my solicitor about in two weeks time) to see where we stand as i have the NHBC certificate and completition certificate. I mean i dont have any problmes with paying anything but i feel i cannot physically drag the builder across to do and complete the jobs

Any advise

SMARTY29A_2

i know builders can sometimes be a problem.

my problem is that we had a new house built nearly three years ago and there were six stage payments, which we paid by cheque every time, o n time at each stage and the last one i paid the amount but there were extras so i keept off a few thousand pounds. i then gave the builder consultant a list of over 25 snagging jobs to be completed (he actually came across and went through each room with me to see what was needed to be done) and that was over a year ago and never seen him again until a bill arrived for the "owning" few thousand although i feel i dont really owe as it is up to them to come back and complete the work. apparently when signed paperwork we signed some security thing, (which i am going to see my solicitor about in two weeks time) to see where we stand as i have the NHBC certificate and completition certificate. I mean i dont have any problmes with paying anything but i feel i cannot physically drag the builder across to do and complete the jobs

Any advise

Forreal

Sorry I have not replied to Q's asked - been busy out in the sunshine!!

The building plans were not so specific as to show depth of trap.

I have already written a letter details all the problems, the builder attended and fix two things from the list leaving the remaining 15 things not done - that was the last time I saw him.

The tiles were stolen - my OH saw them in the box the day the tiler finished - he went to look for them after the tiler left and they were gone!!

The tiler also lied about the hours he worked - seemed to be working in the same time zone as Brazil but said he was working 15 hr days on his scrappy bits of paper he sent to the builder (I managed to get copies).

I am happy with the bathroom - I manage the odours (don't shut the door between use and open windows/use air fresheners). I can't stand the though of all the hassle it would cause to dig up the floor. I don't plan to move anytime soon and would seek to sort the problem out then.

Forreal

Oh, and the fan was the builders choice.

BobProperty

Forreal wrote: »

Sorry I have not replied to Q's asked - been busy out in the sunshine!!

Not just before you posted this ?

Forreal wrote: »

The building plans were not so specific as to show depth of trap.

So either Building Inspector missed it and builder bodged it or it was theoretically OK but doesn't work in practice.

Forreal wrote: »

I have already written a letter details all the problems, the builder attended and fix two things from the list leaving the remaining 15 things not done - that was the last time I saw him.

So what do you want to do? Get him back to fix it? Get someone else to fix it or leave it as it is?

Forreal wrote: »

The tiles were stolen - my OH saw them in the box the day the tiler finished - he went to look for them after the tiler left and they were gone!!

You could report it to the Police then but whether they will do anything about it now is pretty slim. You are unlikely to be covered on your insurance for them too.

Forreal wrote: »

The tiler also lied about the hours he worked - seemed to be working in the same time zone as Brazil but said he was working 15 hr days on his scrappy bits of paper he sent to the builder (I managed to get copies).

Why does this matter to you unless you were paying an hourly rate for him? You said it was a quoted price. The tiler ripping off the builder, although it isn't nice, isn't your problem in this situation.

Fans are pretty standard specifications to match the Building Regulations. Unless the builder has used some odd one then you'd expect it to comply with Building Regulations and you'd hope the Building Inspector would have noticed again, too.

Forreal

I work night shifts sometimes and was up at 0300am.

Building inspector has not been - the builder made the mistake with the trap.

We've started fixing some of the problems ourselves but would rather get someone else in now.

We don't want to claim on the insurance - It'll only put the premium up next year. Iplan to take the cost of the final settlement.

What the tiler says he worked does matter - I agreed a price for standard tiling with the builder and as I went for tiles that needed a bit more technical there was addittions to the bill for extra time, although the tiler seems to have taken the p**s.

The fan is useless and as before no building inspector has visited yet.

Tom_Jones

Do as Rizla says in his post, after the allotted time has expired, assumming no reply, instruct another builder to complete the work properley, but keep all receipts to prove the costs incurred. Don't pay the extra cost for the tiler other than that agreed with the builder.