Cost of tile bath panel and chased in pipes

Leif

I am in dispute with some cowboys who wrecked my bathroom. I threw them out and had it redone. 6 months on and Trading Standards finally offer to help, and rule in my favour: I am owed compensation. Except the cowboys disagreed, and pursuaded the TS chap that I paid the second people for betterment, and that should be deducted from the compensation. So, compensation about £2K. The cowboys have deducted the following amounts:

1) Cost to install a tiled panel on one long side of a bath: £420 inc. The tiles are £17 per square meter, basic ceramic. This is done as part of installing a bath in a complete refit.

2) Cost to chase WC and sink pipes into wall: £240 inc. This is the extra cost compared to installing the same pipes, but not chased in to the wall, and boxed in instead, and then tile the boxing. And the WC and sink are adjacent so ~1.5m of chased in pipe. In other words (cost to install sink and WC with pipes chased into wall) - (cost to install sink and pipes, and box in pipes). In both cases the wall is first cleaned of old tiles, and then retiled. Hope that makes sense.

Could people please tell me what they would expect typical charges for these items to be? I happen to know the actual cost I paid for the first item, and it was on top of the original quote, so cannot be deducted, but I am interested to hear views.

I am shocked that Trading Standards are accepting without question quotes for the two items given by the cowboys. This is a significant reduction to the compensation.

Leif

Does no-one have an idea of the sort of cost?

keystone

Yes but its got too sticky for my (site unseen) opinion to have any validiuty / merit. If the people with whom you are in dispute can persuade TS why are you not able argue your case in order to change his mind back again?

You seem to have good grounds for rejecting the £ 420 deduction which is 2/3 (ish) of it and that cost doen't seem to be in dispute as it was an agreed extra anyway. Would not the pragmatic approach to swallow the £ 240 deduction as a "negotiated settlement" and be rid of them?

Cheers

Leif

keystone wrote: »

Yes but its got too sticky for my (site unseen) opinion to have any validiuty / merit. If the people with whom you are in dispute can persuade TS why are you not able argue your case in order to change his mind back again?

You seem to have good grounds for rejecting the £ 420 deduction which is 2/3 (ish) of it and that cost doen't seem to be in dispute as it was an agreed extra anyway. Would not the pragmatic approach to swallow the £ 240 deduction as a "negotiated settlement" and be rid of them?

Cheers

Thanks. The first thing I am looking for is a rough guide to the price of these two items. Not being a builder, I cannot be sure although a colleague told me that chasing a 1.5m long channel into a wall is a small job. Not sure what you mean by sticky.

What amazes me is that Trading Standards have said that it is for me to prove they do not cost the amount stated by the cowboys, and not for them to prove it, which is a licence for them to invent high charges in order to reduce the compensation.

I am not sure I can prove how much I paid for the panel (£200), as the final bill did not itemise details. Only the initial quote did that, and the panel was not on it.

Unfortunately the cowboys are very persuasive. What they lack in technical ability, they make up for in charm, even when lying. Sadly.

keystone

Leif wrote: »

Not sure what you mean by sticky.

Sticky situation,

What amazes me is that Trading Standards have said that it is for me to prove they do not cost the amount stated by the cowboys, and not for them to prove it, which is a licence for them to invent high charges in order to reduce the compensation.

Me too. Cal their bluff and move up the managament tree in TS.

I am not sure I can prove how much I paid for the panel (£200), as the final bill did not itemise details. Only the initial quote did that, and the panel was not on it.

Get a revised or itemised bill which shows it.

Unfortunately the cowboys are very persuasive. What they lack in technical ability, they make up for in charm, even when lying. Sadly.

So you need your own charm offemnsive with TS then?

Cheers

phill99

You would need to pay a couple of bathroom fitters to come and inspect the bathroom and confirm in writing what they would charge fo the work you have outlined. Don't expect them to do this for free though

Leif

keystone wrote: »

So you need your own charm offemnsive with TS then?

You must have realised by now that charm is not my forte. But thanks for the comments.

Leif

phill99 wrote: »

You would need to pay a couple of bathroom fitters to come and inspect the bathroom and confirm in writing what they would charge fo the work you have outlined. Don't expect them to do this for free though

Thanks, I might have to do that if the original builder does not provide the information.