Extension really badly finished - builder threatening court action

redmerlot

Just read this from start to finish, my heart goes out to you. I really hope it all works out for you.

I'd send you a hug but l can't find the right smillie.

maryjane01

Hi all,

In about 1 month we are about to embark on a loft conversion, costing around £35,000. We don't know anybody that has had this type of work done so were unable to get quotes based on personal recomendation. After getting 4 quotes we are going with the people we got the best feeling about and could communicate easiest with, we are currently checking their references, but how do we know the reference isn't just a mate with a loft conversion!

Is there any type of insurance you take out in case the whole job goes terribly wrong? I don't want any NHBC type of insurance where you have to let cowboy builders back into your house to fix their own shoddy workmanship. Surely when spending this much money you can buy some sort of insurance?

macduf

I am a Builder and would insist that on a large job customers visit my previous jobs. You should go and speak to theirs. Dont just go on price and definitley dont go on how co-operative they are before they start.

asp746

dirty epic - god repays debts without money.

bide your time and he'll get his comeuppance along the way - i'm pretty sure of that.

i am really sorry you've been ripped off and hope justice prevails.

i really would recommend you try and get back to work. By you not working the builder has not only ripped you off but is also ruining your livelihood or worse still marriage.

as dreadful as the situation is please keep things in perspective. No-one's died - someone's tried to get one over on you and you are doing the right thing and going through the court system to get it sorted out. YOu are doing the right thing and you can't do anymore than that. Get back to work and start getting some money together, get the unfinished/bodged work fixed and carry on with the rest of your life. You've wasted too much time on this scumbag now so lt the court sort it out.

unfortunately, the court system is slow but that goes to show the amount of these types of cases they have to deal with. You're not the first and certainly not the last.

i really hope you start putting this behind you - whilst you are allowing it to make you ill - i wouldn't give the cowboy the satisfaction.

bunchyno2_2

im a self employed builder, and i feel for you and understand the distress that it all causes. However it is not always the builders fault. I quoted for a loft conversion for a couple, agreed a price, they paid for the first batch of materials, and i did the work required while they were away.
On their return they informed me they didnt have the money to pay the balance, and if i wanted it i would have to take them to court, and because i was in my early days of construction i felt it would be money down the drain going to court, i wouldn't think twice about it now.
The result of this was my supply account was frozen which prevented other work being carried our for others and i couldn't pay the guy who worked for me.
In the end they divorced and both came away with nothing. oh joy !
So see it happens to us too

dirtyepic

bunchyno2 wrote: »

im a self employed builder, and i feel for you and understand the distress that it all causes. However it is not always the builders fault. I quoted for a loft conversion for a couple, agreed a price, they paid for the first batch of materials, and i did the work required while they were away.
On their return they informed me they didnt have the money to pay the balance, and if i wanted it i would have to take them to court, and because i was in my early days of construction i felt it would be money down the drain going to court, i wouldn't think twice about it now.
The result of this was my supply account was frozen which prevented other work being carried our for others and i couldn't pay the guy who worked for me.
In the end they divorced and both came away with nothing. oh joy !
So see it happens to us too

Hi bunchyno2

I totally understand that there are always 2 sides to an argument.

I know I have done nothing wrong, I was left with a botched job, an intimidating individual who called himself a professional demanding money from me, a bathroom that was practically unusable and a extremely badly finished and damaged kitchen (amongst another load of items needing rectifying)

The job was completed on the 17 July 2007. We are still awaiting our final hearing in court. He attempted to sue us for more than the cost of rectifying all the work (the amount which we held) by lying on his court application forms. We are due to face him for the third time in court on 29th August at 10am. In the meantime I have been diagnosed as depressed and was absent from work for nearly 3 months.

This person has now started to wind down his building company in Newcastle and has registered a new company with a very similar name and started taking a lot of work on from London.

He has had no intention of rectifying the work and put our life virtually on hold since April 2007 since starting the work.

I am sorry that you have also suffered due to certain individuals who think they can get away with it. I do not think that all members of the building profession are tarred with the same brush but I am now extremely cautious when allowing any building trade into my home. I do not know what kind of people they are. I used to be a very trusting individual but have realised that doesn't get you very far.

I wish you all the best with your business in the future and I do hope you don't have to suffer these kinds of losses again.

Kind regards

dirtyepic

asp746

hello dirty epic,

i was wondering how you were getting on - only last night i was watching that thing on channel 4 about don't call the builders (or something like that).

pls let us know how you get on. Keep things in perspective - like i said in my earlier posts its naturally to be angry, upset etc etc but life goes on and we're several months down the line now. Good luck for the 29th - judging by him putting incorrect info on court paperwork its just another example of his slapdash ways and no doubt the court will see through it. I'm suprised he's still brazen enough to turn up to court tbh.

Canucklehead

asp746 wrote: »

hello dirty epic,

i was wondering how you were getting on - only last night i was watching that thing on channel 4 about don't call the builders (or something like that).

Good afternoon: Snap! Absolutely appalling what goes on...fortunately we've managed to void both scenarios (as a customer and as trade) for a couple of years now.

Hang in there, D.E, and let us know how it plays out...meanwhile those in London watch out for the latest cowboy builder coming your way soon.:eek:

HTH

Canucklehead

asfr01

I have just seen this thread, and read through it all! This is just terrible! I cant believe this... well, I can, thanks to all these rogue trader programmes on tv... but still!! It makes me feel sick reading it, so I can only imagine what you're going through!

Keep us up to date.
I'll add this thread to my watchlist!

Take care!

xx

pavlovs_dog

good luck for friday!