Curry's smashed my front step and I've got to find the quotes to repair.

ChrisPBacon1

Hi there,
I'm a first time poster looking for advice.

We bought a new fridge freezer from Currys and paid extra to have it delivered and installed. Unfortunately as the men were bringing it in they damaged two Yorkstone slabs on my front step. They admitted liability and asked me to supply two quotations for repair. I've had a difficult job finding two builders prepared to quote for this job as its too small to be worth their while, but after spending quite a bit of my time badgering them on the phone, I managed to get the two quotes (both around £350). But now currys have said they want to see a breakdown on the quote between materials and labour. I know its going to be difficult if not impossible to get this, I'm guessing Currys are hoping this will be the case and I'll just go away. Do you think its fair that its me thats being inconvenienced to get this repaired and do you think I might be able to take them to the small claims court and hope the judge is a reasonable man who will find in my favour?

Thanks for your time reading this, all comments welcome. Chris.

baza52

surely as they are about £40 - £60 per meter square they want £300 for labour. Seems quite steep for half hours work.

ChrisPBacon1

Hello Baza

They are large slabs, my local reclamation yard sells them for £80 each. Both builders would have to mess about buying the slabs, removing the old ones, mixing cement, cutting in new slabs, etc, so both builders said they would call it a days work, which I think is understandable. I'd like to know why Currys don't find a builder, it feels like I'm the one with the problem, when they caused it.

baza52

ok that makes more sense.
I agree it would make life easier if Currys handled it for you but the one good thing by you arranging it yourself means you have more control over how the job is completed.
Currys could source a stone that didn't match or was not fitted properly to your expectations.
It could cause you more of a headache in the long run trying to sort things out with them.

If it is indeed a days job I cant see why they cannot supply you with an itemised quote for the job.
Best of luck.

Poppie68

You will be able to source a builder easier and quicker than Currys would, left to them you could be waiting for months as it wouldn't be seen as a priority. There is further risk to Currys if they supplied a builder and the builder caused further damage which their insurance would likely refuse to cover.
Look for a small local builder who is after some easy money.

wealdroam

ChrisPBacon1 wrote: »

Hi there,
I'm a first time poster looking for advice.

We bought a new fridge freezer from Currys and paid extra to have it delivered and installed. Unfortunately as the men were bringing it in they damaged two Yorkstone slabs on my front step. They admitted liability and asked me to supply two quotations for repair. I've had a difficult job finding two builders prepared to quote for this job as its too small to be worth their while, but after spending quite a bit of my time badgering them on the phone, I managed to get the two quotes (both around £350). But now currys have said they want to see a breakdown on the quote between materials and labour. I know its going to be difficult if not impossible to get this, I'm guessing Currys are hoping this will be the case and I'll just go away. Do you think its fair that its me thats being inconvenienced to get this repaired and do you think I might be able to take them to the small claims court and hope the judge is a reasonable man who will find in my favour?

Thanks for your time reading this, all comments welcome. Chris.

If Currys want a quote, send them a quote.

Write a builders name on a piece of paper and then write:

- to supply two yorkstone slabs at £90 each = £180.00
- sundry materials (sand, cement, etc) = £15.00
- labour to fit same = £155.00
- total = £350.00

Adjust the figures to match one of the quotes.

naedanger

ChrisPBacon1 wrote: »

Hi there,
I'm a first time poster looking for advice.

We bought a new fridge freezer from Currys and paid extra to have it delivered and installed. Unfortunately as the men were bringing it in they damaged two Yorkstone slabs on my front step. They admitted liability and asked me to supply two quotations for repair. I've had a difficult job finding two builders prepared to quote for this job as its too small to be worth their while, but after spending quite a bit of my time badgering them on the phone, I managed to get the two quotes (both around £350). But now currys have said they want to see a breakdown on the quote between materials and labour. I know its going to be difficult if not impossible to get this, I'm guessing Currys are hoping this will be the case and I'll just go away. Do you think its fair that its me thats being inconvenienced to get this repaired and do you think I might be able to take them to the small claims court and hope the judge is a reasonable man who will find in my favour?

Thanks for your time reading this, all comments welcome. Chris.

I think it is fair that Currys have asked you to get quotes and to get the repairs undertaken provided they pay. I don't think they are being fair now insisting that the quotations must split the cost between materials and labour.

If Currys are stringing you along then the matter may end up in the small claims court, in which case you will want to appear as having behaved reasonably.

Therefore I suggest you write to Curry explaining that you have obtained two quotes as originally requested. Briefly explain, as you have done on this thread, the difficulties you had obtaining the quotes, and that the builders are not prepared, for a relatively small job, to split the quotes into labour and materials and that this split is in your view not relevant as the builders will not provide one without other. Further explain, with your own breakdown of the work, why you believe the quotes are not unreasonable. Then say that if Currys are unhappy with the quotes you will ensure any builders they choose will have access to quote. Otherwise request that they pay, within the next x days, for the work to proceed based on the price in your lower quote. (Try not to make the last sentence sound like a threat.)

If they don't agree to your request then you may need to take legal action.

I would not, as had been suggested, produce my own quote in another name. If the matter goes to court and the court finds out you have done this then they may also wonder whether you have invented any other parts of the story.

ChrisPBacon1

naedanger wrote: »

I think it is fair that Currys have asked you to get quotes and to get the repairs undertaken provided they pay. I don't think they are being fair now insisting that the quotations must split the cost between materials and labour.

If Currys are stringing you along then the matter may end up in the small claims court, in which case you will want to appear as having behaved reasonably.

Therefore I suggest you write to Curry explaining that you have obtained two quotes as originally requested. Briefly explain, as you have done on this thread, the difficulties you had obtaining the quotes, and that the builders are not prepared, for a relatively small job, to split the quotes into labour and materials and that this split is in your view not relevant as the builders will not provide one without other. Further explain, with your own breakdown of the work, why you believe the quotes are not unreasonable. Then say that if Currys are unhappy with the quotes you will ensure any builders they choose will have access to quote. Otherwise request that they pay, within the next x days, for the work to proceed based on the price in your lower quote. (Try not to make the last sentence sound like a threat.)

If they don't agree to your request then you may need to take legal action.

I would not, as had been suggested, produce my own quote in another name. If the matter goes to court and the court finds out you have done this then they may also wonder whether you have invented any other parts of the story.

Thank you naedanger for your helpful advice which I'm going to take. As you say, I've got to be seen to have done everything reasonable, I suppose I'm feeling annoyed with the amount of time its taking, I can see why some people might just throw the towel in and not bother.

pinkshoes

Have you tried getting quotes from a handyman rather than a builder? They are mich more likely to be interested in small jobs.

(E.g. There are a couple of handymen in our village who would he more than capable of replacing a slab to a high standard, and would be happy to give a quote breaking down costs)

ChrisPBacon1

pinkshoes wrote: »

Have you tried getting quotes from a handyman rather than a builder? They are mich more likely to be interested in small jobs.

(E.g. There are a couple of handymen in our village who would he more than capable of replacing a slab to a high standard, and would be happy to give a quote breaking down costs)

No! I hadn't thought of that at all. If I can't get a breakdown from the builders I have a look for a handyman. Thanks, good idea.