Bathroom refurb - Problems!!

Thurrafork

Hello folks


Just had a bathroom refurb - new flooring, new toilet, new basin, new bath, replumbed shower, bit of tiling, lights+extractor. All finished on the 23rd December.

On the 24th I discovered the shower didn't work. I suspected this was probably due to the isolation valve on the shower pipe rather than a more serious problem, but as that valve was now in the sealed 'body' of the bath unit I wanted to get a pro to do it.
So I called and emailed the company but obviously this is over Christmas, so a bad time. And their answerphone message said they wouldn't open again until the start of January.
Nevertheless I got a reply on the 26th. And today (30th) someone has popped over and sure enough, it was the isolation valve - someone had forgotten to open it!
However the opening of the valve revealed a nasty leak from the piping connecting to the shower. Apparently the pipe going to the shower was 'cut too short'. The guy is in there trying to sort it now. I sympathise with him because he shouldn't even be working today (company's still closed) AND he wasn't around on the original job so he's fixing things that weren't even his fault!

But obviously I want it sorted!!

Considering there's been some slightly slapdash work here - forgetting to open the isolation valve so I'm without a shower over christmas; cutting a pipe too short that results in a nasty leak - should I be withholding some of the outstanding payment?
I've already paid for all the materials, units etc. All that is outstanding is £2040 (inc VAT) for labour.
They've been very polite, and he's trying to fix it at this very moment, but I just wondered if I had grounds to negotiate a lower amount considering the inconvenience resulting from a job done imperfectly.

What do you reckon?


Thanks.

Davesnave

jamieboo wrote: »

I just wondered if I had grounds to negotiate a lower amount considering the inconvenience resulting from a job done imperfectly.

What do you reckon?


Thanks.

Assuming the whole job is otherwise satisfactory, fixed and remains so, what exactly is your loss, and and how would you quantify it?

Thurrafork

The job is otherwise satisfactory apart from the big unsatisfactory circumstance that I describe!
But that's exactly what I wondered - fuzzy to quantify.
Unable to use shower for over the Christmas period.
The job itself was supposed to take 3 days, ended up taking 4, but the work is still not fit for purpose a week later, and now the guy told me that I'll have to wait until the 4th or 5th for them to come round and fix it properly.
All frustrating indeed, but I get the impression that you don't think it's something for which I can expect a slightly reduced bill?

Davesnave

jamieboo wrote: »

All frustrating indeed, but I get the impression that you don't think it's something for which I can expect a slightly reduced bill?

There might well be something knocked-off to retain your goodwill, especially if you ask, but you spoke of witholding money first, which implies that you think compensation is due.

The difficulty of that approach comes in quantyifying your loss, and in showing that your actions are reasonable, given that the contract has been fulfilled and the problem rectified at a time when it's hard to get any tradesperson out.

See what others think.

Doozergirl

I will build my own house this year and I will not set a Christmas deadline.

It's nice to have things for Christmas but no one would choose what they call a 'Friday afternoon car'. I'll choose good over a strict deadline every time.

Seems like the peoope were under pressure to complete. Snagging issues do happen. These things are built by humans, not machines. It's better to happen when people are at work. It's unfortunate, but if people are trying their hardest to fix things when they are 'closed' then that suggests going over and above, not lazy or worthy of penalty.

If you went in to work when you're supposed to be on holiday, I can't imagine you being overjoyed at having money taken off you?

Thurrafork

You're probably right.
This is the first time I've had any kind of refurbishment, so I don't really know the protocols in terms of dissatisfaction.
And the latest, by the way, is the guy who came round was not only unable to sort out the initial problem, but his tinkering has left me with a leak which I've had to 'manage' with a sort of home made guttering system which guides the rebellious drops from under the bath and into a basin.
Grrr!