Appalling decorating job done..Am I wrong?

lallysmum

I recently hired a decorator to remove one wall of lining paper in my lounge, replace it with a feature wall paper and paint the rest of the room. When he was here looking at the job, I told him that I wanted to fill in a serving hatch that went through to the kitchen - he said that he had done that before and could fill it and plaster it.

I also asked him to do the hall, stairs and landing -to remove paper (I did tell him that it had been up since before I bought the house, so at least 15 years) - repaper with lining paper if necessary (he said it wasn't) and repaint the walls, with two walls again being feature papered.

He was here for 4 days (ish - turned up at 10 most days and on one occasion left at 3.30, rest at 5) and this is the finished result.
(See pictures below)

I came home from work and he wasn't using dustsheets so there was paint all over my wooden floors, I spent two hours scrubbing the hall floor and got the paint off. I then went to Homebase before work the next day and bought him dustsheets. he got there a minute before I had to leave for work the next day, I told him to please use dustsheets - he assured me he would and that he had a machine that would get all the paint off the floors (wasn't done) There is also yellow paint all over my carpets. The picture of the green is a brand new fabric covered stool from my spare bedroom (3 days old) that he used as a step, got the paint on and put back so I didn't notice the next day.

I have other pictures that are a lot worse - the paper in the front room is ripped and just peeling down at the top. On the landing he hasn't gone into the corners, just round them so it balloons out and is barely attached.

The last photo is the other side of the hatch he was supposed to fill in - on the done side, he has not used the correct bonding (no plaster) so it is rough, the paper peeled off within 12 hours. He used mdf and polyfilla to fill the hole so I told him to please leave the kitchen side. that's the hole I'm left with.


Unfortunately, because I am a complete idiot, I did not check his work before he left and I paid him. Because I am that stupid.

I sent him the following text:
I just wanted to let you know, although I am sure that you already realise, I am so disappointed and angry with the job you did that I could cry.
There is paint over everything - even a stool from the spare bedroom that someone apparently used as a step ladder. That was 4 days old.
There is paint on the back of my new sofa. My lounge floor is covered in it.
My hall floor is covered again despite me BUYING you and asking you to use dust sheets.
The paper on the landing is appalling most of it is peeling off, as is the top of the lounge wall where you ripped it when putting it up. You didn't even do under the radiator.
The finishing around the doors is just crap.
You have not even wiped off the extra paint that was smeared over them.
You chipped holes in the landing ceiling and left them. As you come down the stairs, part of it has been missed completely -it's still the mauve colour it was before.
I am sure that you saw a youngish friendly woman that you could take advantage of, personally I would not have taken a payment for the job you've done.
As it is, I have some professional decorators coming round today to give me a quote for how much it will be to put the "work" you have done here right.
You should be ashamed of yourself. I don't expect you to have the decency to give me my money back, not after seeing the state you left my home in. In fact I don't suppose you will even respond to this message.

He did not respond so I posted pictures on the local facebook groups where he advertises, and a warning on Gumtree to other people to be wary of employing him.

He then called me screaming and shouting saying that I was "c***ting" his business and accusing me of making the damage myself. He said that he hadn't responded to my text because I was abusive (this despite blocking me on facebook and ignoring my calls) I swear, I haven't deleted anything from the text, apart from my real name at the end.

Do you think that I could get all my money back if I take him to court? I have to pay out again for all the paper and paint, and because of the damage he has caused it's going to cost me far more to put it all right.

Sorry for the epic post! Any help appreciated. Would I be out of order naming and shaming him?

Every doorframe in my house has this gap. As does all the coving and the wood that goes up the stairs.

alex21

You must be gutted. I would take legal advice and name and shame if no luck down the legal route. You want to look like the reasonable one . He really has no ability or conscience.

lallysmum

Thanks. I really am gutted. The whole house has been redone since April.. Windows, repointing, garden.. I did extreme budgeting, and checked out everyone thoroughly.. I thought this man was nice so didn't get references (so stupid). I have lived in a building site for months, I have two more weeks at work (education) and was so looking forward to the summer in my beautiful home. Now, I hate being inside it. Every time I look anywhere, I see yet another awful/rubbish bit of decorating.
I have friends I've not see in two years coming down to stay on 23rd.. And I'm ashamed of my home. They don't care, bless them, but I really, really do.

keyser666

That is extremely poor workmanship.

Does he have a company? Company name? Or is he a one man band as such?

Unfortunately it is notoriously hard to get money out of cowboy builders for various reasons and I dont see this is going to be any different. Dont let it get you down though.

arcon5

Have somebody give you a quote for remedial work then give him the opportunity to remedy it himself, if he doesn't instruct the next decorator and pursue him for remedial costs.


Dreadful workmanship by the way!!!!

I know its too late now but you should have checked it before paying
Is he sole trader or ltd?

battleborn

Name and shame him here, so we can make sure no one else has to deal with this nasty horrible crook.

I wish you the best.

cattie

Oh my goodness, what a mess! I've just had my large combined living/dining room decorated. Room to be stripped of textured paper then lined & painted.

Like you wanted rid of the serving hatch between dining room & kitchen, but decorator, relative of somebody I know who didn't claim to be professional but a good diy'er, suggested that it was best that a plasterer friend was called in to do that part to ensure a good job was done. And I have to say it is a good job.

I can only imagine how you must feel to be left with a home looking like this & items damaged to boot.

For the amount of hours your guy worked it is obvious he didn't know what he was doing, especially as stairs & landings were involved.

I do hope you manage to find some recourse. You don't say for sure where you got his details from, but if it's the local paper I'd write to them & warn them about accepting adverts from this rip off cowboy.

Unfortunately for you, I think this might turn out to be a very, very expensive lesson for you, one we can all so easily make, especially as a female & trusting tradesmen to know what they are doing when employing them to do work in the home.

pinkshoes

OMG I would be sobbing if that was my home! Even I can do better than that, so would expect a paid professional to be immaculate!

Your letter is touchy feely and too emotional. Write again, and this time:

- LIST exactly what is wrong, and include photos.
- STATE that you paid him in good faith without having viewed his work.
- STATE that you are sure he'll agree that the work is not of a good standard.
- TELL HIM what you want i.e. 100% refund, otherwise you will take him to court for not only a 100% refund, but also costs for damage to the house.
- GIve him 14 days to pay you the money, otherwise you will take him to court, and you are sure he'll agree that the photos are enough evidence to win.


How much did you pay for this diabolical mess???

arcon5

Just another thing, keep any correspondence factual and objective, being abusive as I consider your text to be will not act in your favor.

paddyrg

Were there any signs after the first day that he wasn't competent? Like the dust sheets issue? Perhaps that would have been a good time to sack him before he trashed the rest of your place :-(

CKhalvashi

alex21 wrote: »

You must be gutted. I would take legal advice and name and shame if no luck down the legal route. You want to look like the reasonable one . He really has no ability or conscience.

I'm with this.

I've done a better job in 24h than he did over the four days, and I'm usually office-based (and prefer to be).

He could (and should) be held responsible for the cost to repair the damage, not just his fees.

CK