Cowboy botched water pipe installation

Biffer

To help with water flow and pressure a plumber advised us to replace our water pipe with a larger plastic pipe. The company we got in to do the work was recommended by a friend (not the plumber), but the job did not go well.

As they had to dig a trench up the drive for the new pipe we asked them to remove the unsightly concrete slab and replace it with hardcore ready for shingle. For both jobs they quoted approx £2,000. Which I have not paid.

Within half an hour of starting they'd punctured the gas pipe. They plugged it with clay and waited for me to come back so that I could call the gas people out. I later realised they didn't want their name on the bill, as they didn't intend to pay for the repair!

When they'd finished neither job looked good. The concrete they'd patched up at the side of the house was a real mess and the hardcore was half mud, half hardcore. I did however manage to get them to settle the gas repair bill.

When the water inspector came out to check the installation, he said that it wasn't even close to being acceptable. The trench was not nearly deep enough and the pipe came into the house just inches below the soil. It should have been lagged and come in from a depth of 750mm. He went on to say that the pipe would freeze solid every winter and had to refuse to connect it to the supply in the street.

I've since heard from someone else that used this company to do their driveway and they couldn't get it right after being called back twice.

I wrote a letter to the company informing them that the installation had not been passed. I asked them to knock this part of the work off the £2,000 bill as I didn't want them back onsite. They agreed and sent me another invoice with just £96 knocked off.

I haven't paid them anything yet and I don't want them back to doing anymore damage. What do people think is a fair sum to offer them for this poorly done job?

gas4you

If the job is not acceptable to your water authority, then I would say the job is worth absolutely nothing.

I am sure a court of law would agree as none of the regulations have been met.

Anyone who knows about water regs etc, would know a water main has to be a minimum of 750mm deep!

Leif

You might have to let them correct it, at their expense, although it sounds unlikely they would do it properly. Were they to refuse to correct it, then you would employ someone else to do the work properly, and you could then charge the original people the cost of the corrective work. If they correct it and it still fails the inspection, then you probably can call in new people.

I think you need proper advice, and Citizens Advice is the best route, give them a phone call. I think they used to be called Consumer Direct. They should advise you how to proceed, as you need to be careful so that the courts will find in your favour if it gets to that.

Biffer

gas4you wrote: »

If the job is not acceptable to your water authority, then I would say the job is worth absolutely nothing.

I am sure a court of law would agree as none of the regulations have been met.

Anyone who knows about water regs etc, would know a water main has to be a minimum of 750mm deep!

The only problem is that the £2,000 included 2 jobs, not just the water pipe. The 2nd job was not finished to a great standard, but they did remove a whole load of concrete and earth. I feel I need to pay them something, just not £2,000.

Leif wrote: »

You might have to let them correct it, at their expense, although it sounds unlikely they would do it properly. Were they to refuse to correct it, then you would employ someone else to do the work properly, and you could then charge the original people the cost of the corrective work. If they correct it and it still fails the inspection, then you probably can call in new people.

There's a bit more to this story. When the guy from the water company came out to inspect the work, he took one look at the pipe and said it was a pointless exercise. The pipe in the street is smaller than the new pipe that was laid. He said the plumber should have called them first to check :mad: . So having the company back in to correct their work would be pointless.

Needless to say we won't be using that plumber to replace the hot water system now. He's cost us a packet, but we have no redress. He hadn't started work, so there was no contract in place or payments made.

Thanks for the tip about calling the CAB, I'd forgotten all about them.

Leif

Biffer wrote: »

The only problem is that the £2,000 included 2 jobs, not just the water pipe. The 2nd job was not finished to a great standard, but they did remove a whole load of concrete and earth. I feel I need to pay them something, just not £2,000.

Whether or not they have done work is in itself irrelevant. Clearly the water pipe was done to an unacceptable standard and as such you do not pay for that until it is corrected, not necessarily by the cowboys. As for the other work, if it is done to a legally acceptable standard, then you would I assume have to pay. But please do not take my advice. You need proper advice from someone with legal knowledge. You might even have to hire someone to survey the drive to make sure it is okay.