What to do re shoddy bathroom re-fit

Frith

Last week I had my bathroom re-fitted. A couple of months ago the builder came round and I said I wanted the outside wall taken back to the brick, insulated, plasterboard then all 4 walls skimmed over. (It's a 170 year old cottage).


I then wanted a vinyl floor laying, new bath, sink and loo fitting, one wall tiled and new skirting boards. And an electric shower (wasn't one before), shower screen and new light.


I was quoted £2140 by the builders who did the job and £2200 by 2 other companies. They were much of a muchness so I chose the closest company. (NB it's a TINY bathroom of 2metres squared).


I've been left with the outside wall spattered with "one coat" which has left a finish that reminds me of the outside of an igloo. The other 3 walls have not been skimmed. The tiling is OK-ish.


The pipework and drainage seems fine to me (in that it all works) and the shower is pretty good though for some reason it was put in 10cm from the corner so doesn't fall into the middle of the bath.


The finish is dreadful - sealant spattered all over the place, grout spilled up the back of the door, tatty tiling round the pipework and they put back the manky old skirting boards!!


I bought 2 sinks (got the wrong one first) and the one they fitted was supposed to hang from the wall. They opened the packaging of the wrong sink and pinched the pedestal and shoved it under the other sink and it is held in place by daubs of sealant.


The vinyl floor is probably the neatest bit but this is "rippled" in places and where you step from the bathroom onto the landing, there is no edging strip so you can trip over it.


Unfortunately I was not at home for much of the week they were working and on the last day could not get back until 10pm. The builder came the next day demanding immediate payment (that evening) and that repairs to the floor would add £300 extra to the bill. Some of the floorboards were rotten where they touched the outside wall so he had snapped them in half leaving a space about 80cm x 100cm. Over the hole he had screwed a piece of what I would call particle board - not MDF but the board made from little bits. I wouldn't have minded paying for the board but he needed the floorboards up anyway to do the pipework and I don't think that would total £300.


What should I do now?


My plan has been to invite another builder round to tell me a) what their work is worth so far (they have had to pay for pipework and grouting only, I supplied the rest) and b) what would need to be done to bring it up to standard and what it would cost me.


I emailed the builders to say I would be getting someone else in and I got an aggressive email in reply demanding they have to be there when the new builder is there.


I really don't want them to do any remedial works. I'm not quite sure what remedial works there could be, short of starting again and doing it properly!


In my email I asked them to stop phoning to give me time to sort out getting a different builder in. I think I have received 30+ phone calls this week - possibly more as I have taken to unplugging the phone now.


I phoned the CAB line which is somehow connected with Trading Standards but got such a rushed monologue from the lady there that I didn't really understand it.


Any suggestions?

Frith

The quotation came in an email and listed the materials they would use - insulation, plaster board, plaster, damp proofing, piping and adhesive. It then said labour then costs for the electrician to wire the shower to the mains.


In reality, they used only adhesive and a bag of the mysterious "one coat". But they are demanding the full cost.

jc808

Frith wrote: »

a bag of the mysterious "one coat". .

Not plasterers then...?

Captaincodpiece

Have a look.

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/action/how-to-complain-if-youre-unhappy-with-the-building-work-

Put your complaint in writing to the builder. The law says they have to be given the chance to put it right.

If you have another builder in, the value of the work done is subjective. Yes they can give an opinion of how it's done and how much to pay him but first builder may claim you've got what you asked for all is ok so he wants payment in full.

RAS

Ask Trading Standards if they have any previous cases of problems with this builder; some are complete cowboys.

Frith

Hello, RAS!
I did speak to Trading Standards who could find no trace of the company or any address. I have got an address now in a holiday park (which sounds rather temporary) so will get back to TS on Monday.

New builder coming out midweek to give his opinion.

andyhop

You don't want a builder, you need a bathroom fitter