should we pay builder?

jussyc

hiya, tough one this and causing me to be very upset
Dad treats us to new bathroom, builder awful we have big row about tiling, its awful and everyone agrees, builder threatens to knock hubbys block off' and walks off job
says he will come back if we apologise and make ourselves scarce whilst hes there, but will charge us if we want tiling re done
huge family row breaks out-massive between my dad and hubby
we say dont bother and are left with sorting it out, up to now to finish job and get retiling done then it has now cost us £550
the only bit of the job we were paying for was £400 for replastering dad was paying for everything else
obviously we have now not got any money left to pay for the plastering as it has cost us the £550 we puth everything right
builder has knocked £200 off job that dad was paying for,as dad says he wouldnt pay him for tiling
builder still wants the £400 for plastering but we have spent it on getting piping finished, repairing hole left in outside wall, buying wood for skirting board and someone to do it, electrician to take shower out and refit and tiler to come and replace all tiling as it was such a botch job, all things that the builder was supposed to do in first place,even builders own plasterers said to us it was like something off rogue traders,
Dad thinks that we sould pay him the £400 for plastering which we just have not got and hubby doesnt want to pay builder a penny for it cos of how much we have had to pay out to get jobs finished and re done
any ideas anyone this is awful

marty1888

£400 for plastering? In a bathroom? That sounds a bit OTT.

Builder sounds like a !!!!!!.

jussyc

marty1888 wrote: »

£400 for plastering? In a bathroom? That sounds a bit OTT.

Builder sounds like a !!!!!!.

sorry plastering was for bathroom and bedroom, and yes he is and thanks thats the first time ive laughed in 2 weeks!

HugoSP

If the plastering is up to standard and the builder has not done any damage then pay him the £400.

If he's caused damage or caused costs to you then deduct these. Get other estimates and advise him that payment is being delayed so that the correct sum can be deducted.

He sounds like a bully and has succeeded in causing a rift in the family. Stand up to him and be assertive with your dad as to this is the way in which you want to approach him.

I have come accross a number of bullies in the trade. When you stand up to them they always crumble as they know they don't have a leg to stand on.

Trust me you will be richer for the experience

Don't let him back in the house

oliverp_2

builder threatens to knock hubbys block off'

If at any point a tradeperson becomes aggressive or threatening then you have a cause to report them to the police and any trade groups etc they belong to.

HugoSP

oliverp wrote: »

If at any point a tradeperson becomes aggressive or threatening then you have a cause to report them to the police and any trade groups etc they belong to.

....yes that too 100%

jussyc

yes and that was in front on the flooring people who just so happen to be hubbys cousin
also other comments from him have been
'oh youve gone up a class' , as we had front paved
and several 'if you speak to me nicely'

hubby was speaking to cousin and front door was open and he was telling cousin how bad tiling was and cousin was agreeing when unbeknown to them builder arrived back and the conversation was
builder to hubby 'you are either very brave or very stupid to be saying that about my tiling, you are likely to get your head knocked off your shoulders if i i hear you again'
hubby said'do you speak to all your customers like that'
builder says ' youre not my customer wifes dad is'
nice fella!
the latest weve heard is that he will send plasterers (big and scary) round for their money
however he is the builder and they are his plasterers , we were paying the builder and never paying the plasterers as we never discussed money with them only ever the builder
the builder has sent the invoice from himself also
we were neber unhappy with plastering work but our problem is the plastering was gonna be £400 and its now cost us £550 as in earlier post to correct and finish builders work
would you pay him?
problem being we jsut dont have the money we are already loads out of pocket for something we never asked for in the first place! plus the stress this is putting on us all is unbelievable as we are supposed to be going on hols with parents in 3 weeks and are hardly speaking and kids getting upset etc etc
nightmare

baldelectrician

first thing monday morning call trading standards. They will be able to give sound advice.

Write a letter to the builder stating the matter is in hand and you are taking advice from trading standards.
At this stage you should not call or talk to him if he calls. All communication should be in writing. Helps if things go further (court)

plumb1_2

Trading Standards will give you advice, but wont help you take him to court.

If it went to court, i would guess you would lose, as you need to give the builder an oppertunity to retifie his work, at his cost.

This started with your hubby SLAGGING the builder off to you b-i-law, i would think he would be peed off?Better to have had a quite word with the builder.

I would write him a letter stating your concerns about the tileing and try to come to some agrement.

The 1 thing you want to avoid is going to court, as it my cost you £k's and even if you win, and the builder has to pay his and your cost, he will just rap up the company and trade under a different name, many do.

Ps, have a nice holiday and try to forget about this, untill you get back.

amyface

plumb1 wrote: »

.

This started with your hubby SLAGGING the builder off to you b-i-law,

Are you 100% sure?! Perhaps it started with the hubby observing shoddy work from the builder & conveying it to a relative.

jussyc

yes we had already told builder we werent happy and he was 'well your dads paying see what he says its got nothing to do with you and its not finished yet,and anyway and not re doing it unless you pay me'
also we gave him chance to finish and its still awful and my dad agrees, however hubby never meant builder to hear him telling his cousin that is was cr*p, he didnt know builder was in house at that time and he said 'sorry mate you werent menat to hear that, im sorry' and thats when he threatened hubby
fact is the money we owe for plastering has now been spent on finished all jobs and gettig tiling redone so we dont have it anyway, so god knows what will happen, probably send platerers round for money when me and kids are in house thats what im scared of
plus its had an awfull impact on the family=dont think things will be same between everyone again and its tearing me apart as we have always got on so well before and im stuck in the middle of all the people who mean the most to me, but hubby and dad are locking horns and wont give in:(