builder wants me to pay for his error

margi_g

I had a roof renewed three years ago to my bungalow.
I had no problem with it until we had a fall of light snow last December. I heard a noise which I thought was snow falling off the roof,but didnt see any snow on the ground. I looked in the loft space and found all the insulation this builder had fitted in the roof had come down .
I contacted the builder who after 7 weeks and four cancelled appointments( by hIm) finally came to fix the problem. There was also a gutter that had had no screws fitted into the fascia board which also caused gutter problems.The fixings hadnt come out ,they simply had not been fitted at all.I could run my hand long the fascia board and nothing had been attached.
So imagine my surprise when yesterday the builder emailed me and said This was n't withint warranty because it was storm damage and he would send me a small invoice for my insurance company to pay
There was no roof damage at all simply he hadnt fitted the insulation in properly or attached the end gutter to the fascia board l.
He claimed this was "snow loading" any one got any idea what that means? so claims it is storm damage. As the snow never loosened the insulation before he replaced the roof and it was new insulation that he fitted and charged me for, I can only conclude that he has not done his job properly in the first place.
I also emailed to say if this was not covered under his warranty he should have told me before the repair was done. If this were an insurance claim it would have to be cleared through my insurance company first anyway , Furthermore there was no storm damage because there wasnt any storm ,and that would be a fraudulent claim.
Any ideas where I stand? I think he is charging me for his bad workmanship? Is this" See How Far You Can Fool a Pensioner Week?"

DoaM

How did the snow even get as far as the insulation? Surely it would have lain outside on the roof tiles? (What sort of roof is it?)

I fear your last sentence may not be too far from the truth.

PS - I hadn't even heard of "snow loading", but it seems it is a real thing:

https://www.buildingsguide.com/calculators/structural/ASCE705S/

If you have the type of roof where this would be relevant then it seems to me he's been deficient in his workmanship by fitting a roof unsuited to typical British weather.

margi_g

the snow didnt get into the loft space .He said because there had been snow on the roof it caused the insulation inside to fall down.
FYI whilst I was posting this thread he emailed me and said he didn't want to look like he was making money out of it so he would charge me a call out fee ..£120 plus VAT. A call out fee after 7 weeks and four cancellations? IT really is rip off a pensioner isnt it?
FYI as Pensioners go I am more Breaking Bad than breaking hip so he isnt getting away with this!

margi_g

Great news the builder backed off, He cancelled these charges
Thanks for your input