Builder - Taking forever

John_Jizzle

Hi,

we are having some work done on our house. The estimate was 4-5 weeks. It's now been 14 and looks like another 1-2.

My question is can I tell him to stop and I will finish the job and paying him for what he has done so far?

AJXX

John_Jizzle wrote: »

Hi,

we are having some work done on our house. The estimate was 4-5 weeks. It's now been 14 and looks like another 1-2.

My question is can I tell him to stop and I will finish the job and paying him for what he has done so far?

Do you have a contract with the builder?

Has the builder provided valid reasons for going beyond the estimate?

John_Jizzle

Hi - there is no contract.

No reason - for past few weeks all i have heard is next week , next week

bod1467

Really? No contract at all? How did you engage him then?

John_Jizzle

it's actually the partner of a friend.

I have the estimate of all the work etc. but no actual contract

naedanger

John_Jizzle wrote: »

Hi,

we are having some work done on our house. The estimate was 4-5 weeks. It's now been 14 and looks like another 1-2.

My question is can I tell him to stop and I will finish the job and paying him for what he has done so far?

I suggest you speak to him and arrange a mutually agreed solution. If you don't have anything in writing, and you cannot agree a solution, then I suspect things could get very messy if you try enforcing a solution the other party is unhappy with. (For example you could find the bill for the work to date being much higher than you were expecting.)

unholyangel

John_Jizzle wrote: »

it's actually the partner of a friend.

I have the estimate of all the work etc. but no actual contract

What you mean is that there is no written contract.

Which is what bod was getting at. Even if there is nothing in writing, you still have a contract. You agreed to pay him x in exchange for y. He agreed to provide y in exchange for x.

With the friend element included it becomes slightly more complicated. Is it a close friend? Are you willing to sour the friendship over it?

If they are a close friend and its likely to cause issues friend wise, I'd perhaps suggest just muddling through and keeping it for a lesson in future.

John_Jizzle

Yeah no written contract - just a list of everything needed doing and a price for each thing (most of which are done and just small bits dotted around needing fully finishing)

Hi - its not a close friend - more an acquaintance so no problem getting messy or losing a friend.

hollydays

Typical behaviour of many jobbing builders unfortunately.