Problem with builder. Where to go from here?

jkpd

The shelf is not plywood, the edging on Howdens units is meant to give the look of plywood. The gap between the top of oven and door needs to be filled with a fillet, howdens do these in a few sizes, the gap at the bottom, the door can be moved up on the hinges to close the gap, or if you have any offcuts of panels, you can peel the blue vinyl cut and glue to the edge of shelf. Do not pay until you are happy.

keystone

With the benefit of the good pics that is absolutely dreadful. Its almost as though they couldn't wait to get out. The filler has just been hacked with a jigsaw with no finesse whatsoever.

Don't pay him. Write the disatisfaction letter and say you want it finished properly and the oven where it is supposed to be.

Has there been any previous altercation with him during the execution of this job? Sorry to ask but I'm finding it difficult to believe someone would have such low self respect as to leave it like that.

Howdens might not be interested since you asked but on they other hand they just might.

Cheers

yumyums

I sent the letter yesterday so will wait and see what he says. He has told us both on the phone and by text that he is finished because he's losing money. I don't know what happened to make his attitude go so bad.
We're not very confrontational so were going to let him get away with other things he didn't want to fix (bad tiling job and damage to our new sink) but his disrespect has made me realise we can't let him get away with it. I've put it all in the letter.

yumyums

I also don't understand how someone could have the cheek to send an invoice for full and final payment with the way it's been left. Unless maybe he genuinely thinks it's good. Or that we're stupid.

southcoastrgi

jkpd wrote: »

The shelf is not plywood, the edging on Howdens units is meant to give the look of plywood

sorry but i disagree, i've fitted (not personally but through my company) quite a few howden kitchens & all of them have edging strips & not one of them is designed to look like plywood.

OP can you post up some pics of the other things you aren't happy about ie sink & tiling etc so we can get an overview of the whole job & his standard of workmanship

yumyums

Here are some more pics:

Thick wonky grout line by doors. Asked him to look at this & perhaps cover with one of those flooring strips but he's ignored it.


Close-up


Damage to sink:

It's some sort of glue or sealant, not a stain, as I can feel a difference in texture there. Asked him what it might be so we can work out how to try to remove it but he's said nothing has been poured down the sink and he can't give us any further info.

Finish under sockets:

Perhaps stupidly we haven't complained about this as we thought it would be easier to just fix it ourselves once he was gone. Didn't realise how bad it looked until I took a photo! He must have noticed it too?

fluffymuffy

I'd be worried about the safety aspect of having the oven so high. But then I'm only little.

Errata

Looks like a case for Cowboy Builders. The socket is wonky, the grout is probably wonky because the doors are because the wall is - not much he can do about that, the stuff on the sink is probably sealant used for the plughole.
Sorry to say, you've been letting the builder get away with murder - so he has.

yumyums

fluffymuffy wrote: »

I'd be worried about the safety aspect of having the oven so high. But then I'm only little.

I'm quite short too, but have managed not to burn myself (yet!)

Just wondering, I believe legally we have to give him the chance to put things right, don't we? I'm not sure how comfortable I feel about this because I can't see him ever finishing it to a good standard. If we got someone else in at this stage then charged him for it, I suppose we'd be in the wrong?

SuzieSue

Try contacting Trading Standards in your area and see what they say.