Patio problems

olias

http://www.dtstone.co.uk/floor-tile-paving-layout-patterns.html

Olias

phoebe1989seb

olias wrote: »

http://www.dtstone.co.uk/floor-tile-paving-layout-patterns.html

Olias

Yep, that's where we bought our stone - thanks olias :D

yinhong

DaftyDuck wrote: »

I'm not so sure... I think the OP might get a letter stating that the work has all been done, and that full payment must be made immediately, else a solicitor will be involved, and interest charged, and legal bills will be owed and.. There may even be a letter from a solicitor.... a really bad builder (who makes verbal threats) may be in regular contact with a solicitor for.. um.. various reasons. Frankly, I'd be prepared for it, so I wasn't over worried when it does happen.

Thank you for the warning.

DaftyDuck wrote: »

I'd certainly approach the local CAB for advice - there's some online click here and I'd go along for a visit. There's often a solicitor available for some brief advice.

Will be going first thing tomorrow. Thanks for the link.

DaftyDuck wrote: »

I don't suppose, by any chance, there were witnesses on your side?

His buddy, who was with him, and my wife who was by the window upstairs but she couldn't have heard the threat when he stormed off.

DaftyDuck wrote: »

Did he supply the slabs, or did you pay for them separately?

We paid for the slabs.

It was £1950 + pay for your own slabs, shingle and geofix, which we did and which came to £1000.

I have reproduced the letter of complaint to him via email (this is how we originally contacted him).

I have also reported him to the police. I plan to inform my local authority's trading standards team tomorrow.

You won't believe this, but I only realised tonight that he still actually has a copy of a key to my garage!! (where's the smack your own face emoticon?) We gave it to him to get the slabs out in the morning as we would be at work, and like I said earlier we completely trusted him... Anyway, I've written to request he post it back by first class post immediately, and I've informed the police of this.

In return he has left his wheelbarrow in my garden. I've told him he can pick it up at a prearranged time, but he mustn't arrive unannounced. This is a much smaller issue, but if he doesn't come to collect it how long would you wait before throwing it out? It's a very rusty, old and dirty wheelbarrow.

I've also come to realise that it wasn't mortar, but a concrete mixture that he used.

Finally, here are some more pictures for you to enjoy:

DaftyDuck

Change the lock on the garage for better sleep, if nothing else. Eleven quid delivered from Toolstation.com. He couldalways copy the key, and it isn't worth the worry.

I did not enjoy those pictures. It looks terrible. Poor you.

cyclonebri1

I reckon he buried his last complaining customer under your patio:D:D

DaftyD, I was going to post similar as you regarding police involvement, but thought better, they simply wouldn't bother until the OP was in casualty, around us anyway:(:(


Sorry OP, it won't come to that.

yinhong

The contractor's reply:

Dear xxxxxxxx,

As per your text message requesting me to visit you on Tuesday 24th June; I visited you this morning to discuss the patio. I did however try to contact you several times by phone beforehand.

I clearly asked you about any concerns you had and advised I would rectify these concerns as you felt the patio was not level in a certain place, despite being more than satisfied on Monday 23rd June. I would like to make it clear the patio slabs were chosen by yourselves therefore you will know that these are not an even surface.

Today I asked why you had not mentioned concerns on Monday 23rd June and you became aggressive and unable to communicate in an appropriate manner. As I walked away, not being able to speak to you in this manner you pushed me from behind and also grabbed my arm, shouting and still being unreasonable. To which my work colleague was present.

I and others worked very hard to ensure that the job was correct. We carried out extra work as asked and for this there was no charge. To date !I have not received any payment from yourselves for materials or labour etc. !I have a receipt for the concrete, which I paid for on my card. I will ensure this is forwarded to yourselves for payment to be made plus labour and other costs. I have previously sent you an invoice.

I advised you earlier that no payment had been received and you said that I would not be paid.
I have sought legal advice on this matter and would appreciate you're compliance on order to deal with this matter in a non threatening manner.

I trust that the email address you have contacted me on is now you're preferred email address for correspondence as I have previously had another email for yourselves?

Regards
******* **** ********

Complete lies, of course, but it's !!!!ed me off that he's not only tried to defend his work but has now accused ME of being aggressive! Can we swear on this forum?!!

Right, now I'm a bit calmer, here's the breakdown:

As per your text message requesting me to visit you on Tuesday 24th June; I visited you this morning to discuss the patio. I did however try to contact you several times by phone beforehand.

I contacted him on Tuesday by text asking him to come round to discuss a few things, to which he gave me a four miss calls but I wanted him to reply by text because I didn't want to get into an argument over the phone. But since I hadn't heard from him by Wednesday afternoon, I gave him a call and he told me Friday 5:15pm was the earliest he could come to see me as he was on another job, to which I agreed. Thursday morning he arrived at 7pm unannounced, no phone call. And you know the rest.

I clearly asked you about any concerns you had and advised I would rectify these concerns as you felt the patio was not level in a certain place, despite being more than satisfied on Monday 23rd June.

Yes, he did ask me about my concerns. Yesterday morning, after I complained! His reply was, to quote, "The patio DOES drain away from the house, the water will drain from the house. Let me bring a hosepipe tomorrow and show you." I said you don't need to do that, because it's clear that it won't.

I would like to make it clear the patio slabs were chosen by yourselves therefore you will know that these are not an even surface.

This is seriously his defence for the slopes.

Today I asked why you had not mentioned concerns on Monday 23rd June and you became aggressive and unable to communicate in an appropriate manner. As I walked away, not being able to speak to you in this manner you pushed me from behind and also grabbed my arm, shouting and still being unreasonable. To which my work colleague was present.

Just complete lies. My wife was also a witness from the bedroom window.

I and others worked very hard to ensure that the job was correct. We carried out extra work as asked and for this there was no charge. To date I have not received any payment from yourselves for materials or labour etc. !I have a receipt for the concrete, which I paid for on my card. I will ensure this is forwarded to yourselves for payment to be made plus labour and other costs. I have previously sent you an invoice.

There was no 'extra work' that was done free of charge. The only 'invoice' I have received is that short email.

I advised you earlier that no payment had been received and you said that I would not be paid.
I have sought legal advice on this matter and would appreciate you're compliance on order to deal with this matter in a non threatening manner. !

The audacity......


Anyway, he hasn't really replied to any of my questions about breaking down what he thinks I owe him, and my key and his wheelbarrow, and crucially how would plan to fix the problems.

I'm going to see the CAB for further advice. Will keep you all posted. Thank you very much again.

sillygoose

yinhong wrote: »

....It was £1950 + pay for your own slabs, shingle and geofix,

Apart from the major problems you have already I had to mention Geofix... please don't use it no matter what. Is a quick fix you use to get a property sold as it look good for a few weeks.

A couple of years ago I made the mistake of pushing my builder into using it as I believed the advertising even though he was happy to have used normal grout mortar.

He did a wonderful job of laying the patio areas and I went and made him spoil it. I know it was applied carefully to the instructions as I helped him do it. Looked pretty good. The stuff goes yucky colour very quickly and every single inch of it could be picked out with fingertips within less than a year as it lost its adhesion to the slabs.

If we ever get a summer again in this country (seems not) I need to pick it all out and grout with proper mortar. why oh why did I do it??

andyhop

Please don't send those images to the builder! You showing how unlevel the slabs are with a piece of wood that looks like its come from a banana tree

DaftyDuck

Print this thread out & take it along to CAB.

Garage door handle £11
TOOLSTATION

Long Spirit Levels £ various
TOOLSTATION

yinhong

I have been advised by the CAB to get written reports from professional tradesman to verify my complaints.

Would people in this thread be happy for me to use your comments as evidence, and if needed could I contact you via PM just to verify you are who you are?