Builder has ruined floor and carpet!

Halle71

We have just finished a rear kitchen extension and the builders have monumentally screwed up.

We chose and they laid, a very dark brown, engineered wood floor.
They didn't protect it properly and we were left with plaster and paint dust everywhere that fixed itself into the wood grain after they, and then cleaners tried to clean it with water - our beautiful floors were covered in white streaks.

We called them in and they said not to worry, they had something that could remove it.
We were away this weekend and came back on Monday night to find that the floors looked amazing. But that our feet were brown - they had simply painted the floors with a translucent dark brown substance. Then I noticed that it was also all over the bottom stair on our BRAND NEW CREAM CARPET.

It was late so I texted him and he said it should be dry by the next day (yesterday) and that he would sort out the carpet. I wasn't happy but decided to wait and see. Yesterday it seemed to be drying but we ended up with brown feet and anywhere water was spilt (bearing in mind this flooring is in the kitchen as well) we ended up with brown cloths when we dried it up.

However, he came to do our gas certificate yesterday and let himself in. He obviously decided to try and clean the carpet himself because it was soaking and all fuzzy where he has scrubbed it. And the brown is worse on that stair and now on higher stairs. I'm not sure if he did that or my kids with their brown feet trod on the wet stair before we realised it was wet and trod it further up.

I don't know what to do. We have circa 50m2 of a floor in our main living area that is basically covered in shoe polish. We have 2 small children and in-laws coming from NZ on Saturday for a month. We are getting married in 3 weeks and will have a lot of people coming in and out.

I basically want everything replaced. I can't see how we can end up with the floors we wanted from the mess we have now, and the carpet cannot go back to normal even with a professional clean because it's all fuzzy. It was only fitted on 29 July.

We have retained about £3500 and this will be enough to remedy the problems but I'm not sure how to do this legally or even logistically given the situation we are living in. My other half says that they need to sort it out but I don't want them in my house.

I'm gutted and can't believe they were so stupid. In general we were pleased with them and now we have reached a situation where things are going to get horrible. I'm not sure that anyone will be able to help but I needed to rant because I'm shaking with anger.

Halle71

A quick related question.

Can we lay new flooring under the kitchen cabinets without moving them or do they have to be removed first?

Fingers crossed.....

martin1959

I do feel for you. We have recently had a large extension that should have taken 12 weeks. The builder was great and we were singing his praises to everyone. However the build dragged on and on, and now, today, after nearly 22 weeks he has a plumber in connecting up the underfloor heating, and he is here finishing off the last few bits we have been moaning about for weeks. God knows when he is actually going to remove the last meter or so of crap from the front garden (well actually we have a landscaping firm starting Monday, so I know his plan. He hopes they will remove it as part of their dig out so it will save him the cost of another skip!).


It is all so silly, if builders realised that the way they end a job can determine how we feel about them and subsequent recommendations we give, and no matter how good the previous work is, if they sod you about with the last few minor details, this is what you will remember.


Personally I would put into writing to the builder the issues, make sure you take plenty of photos, and tell him you want the carpet and floor replaced, giving a timescale for him to complete the works. You should make it clear that if the works are not completed by X date, you will arrange the work yourself and deduct the cost from the final amount you owe him.
If you do this, then his only option would be to sue you in the small claims court, but from what you say, you have a pretty good case, and probably he would not even bother.


Alternatively you may wish to get a quote for the works and negotiate with him, where he agrees to cover the amount he feels he could get the carpet and floor replaced for. This may not be the total cost it would cost you to have it done independently, but for the sake of a few hundred pounds, may give you closure a lot quicker.


As far as the kitchen is concerned, you should be able to remove the plinths and the new floor should slide a little way under, up to the unit legs. It may be necessary to then trim the plinth if the new floor is slightly thicker. Just make sure the new floor is not much thinner or you will end up with a gap under the plinth.

Halle71

We were the same and recommended them to several friends during the build.

Thanks for the advice - I wasn't thinking clearly and have been communicating by text but luckily, because of the wonders of modern technology, we have plenty of photos.

I have asked him to come and see us tomorrow to discuss the situation and I will get quotes today for the remedial work so we have an idea of the costs involved when meet. As an educated guess I would say £400 for the carpet and £1200 + fitting for the flooring. 'Luckily' it was all done so recently our suppliers still have details/measurements and we can get the same flooring and carpet.

In the meantime we have to put up with sticky brown feet and risk ruining the rest of the carpet :-(

Mrs_Imp

Could you get some of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/181031499826?hlpht=true&hlpv=2&rlsatarget=&adtype=pla&ff3=1&lpid=122&poi=&ul_noapp=true&limghlpsr=true&device=c&chn=ps&crdt=0&ff12=67&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff14=122&viphx=1&ops=true&ff13=80 until it's sorted? Pop them in the entrance to you kitchen. It might save a few extra brown marks around the house. Or get some of those clear plastic runners to put in your kitchen to walk on.

Halle71

Not sure my 2 year old will wear them. The short term problem is that he's put product for untreated floors on floors that already have varnish on so the product is just sitting on the top.
So tonight we're going to polish off as much as we can with old towels and see how that goes.
Just what I want to be doing on my week off work......

In the meantime the builder has not answered my request for a meeting tomorrow and I have had a quote for £308 for new carpet on the stairs.