Dealing with thick tradesman

phil_b_2

Rant alert...

I think I've reached the end of my tether with a builder. There have been a few jobs done here and there where there has been a lack of attention to detail, care and attention. That's the only way I can describe it.

E.g Cornice fitted upside down - Swan neck cornice clearly should project further across the ceiling than it does down the wall?!?

A lot of work has been done and it seems the simple things are what causes them to have a brain malfunction.

The latest is 35 SQM of oak flooring laid in a brick pattern. i.e the lengthway joins all lining up. Not how it should be done. This is despite my stating I wanted a random staggered pattern for the natural look that you see with 99% of wood floors.

The above would be just about tolerable, but there are a few joins here and there which don't even line up at all, i.e are random. Total lack of thought... and it stands out. This is an expensive issue. I can't face the prospect of them taking the floor up and trying to do it again.

I really want to shout and get angry, tell them I'm not paying and to do a hike, but it's not so simple is it.

What to do??

comeandgo

So why did you choose this particular person? What made him stand out that you hired him?

jk0

If you want a job doing properly...

Mr.Generous

I can't really picture the flooring - it gets laid as it comes, the size of the pieces determine where the joints are. A picture would paint 1000 words ...

missile

Some tradesmen seem to take delight in doing things to annoy a client who they dislike.

Doozergirl

You've got the same person doing everything?

That's probably your problem. Jack of all trades, master of none, and we are talking about detail here, so the sort of detail that a specialist plasterer or carpenter would have been taught.

Mistral001

Many tradesmen will ignore customers wishes because they do not understand the instructions or because they want to do the work in a way that they did on a previous job rather than doing it in a way that they are unfamiliar with.

However, this builder seems to be just doing everything wrong. It is like a prank TV show. Maybe someone will come around the corner with a microphone and TV camera crew!

lewisa

Mr.Generous wrote: »

I can't really picture the flooring - it gets laid as it comes, the size of the pieces determine where the joints are. A picture would paint 1000 words ...

The person laying the floor determines where the joints are. Decent flooring will come with a selection of different length boards in each bundle to further increase the options for randomness.

Random joints is rule 2 in laying flooring. Rule 1 being a suitable subfloor.

Aylesbury_Duck

lewisa wrote: »

The person laying the floor determines where the joints are. Decent flooring will come with a selection of different length boards in each bundle to further increase the options for randomness.

Random joints is rule 2 in laying flooring. Rule 1 being a suitable subfloor.

Exactly this. You should set a row out before laying it, such that the last plank is cut to leave a reasonable size offcut with which to start the next row. Every so often you get a position where a plank is just slightly long or short to end the row, so you take the next size up or down, cut and repeat. Every time I've laid flooring, the selection of lengths in each pack is in a sensible ratio to give you what you need.

[STRIKE]The problem with OP's flooring is that he will have a weak "fault line" where all the joins align. You wouldn't build a brick wall with all the bricks aligned and not staggered for the same reason.

Sorry OP, that flooring needs to come up and be relaid or you'll probably have problems later on.[/STRIKE]

Edited to add: I misinterpreted OP's description - it seems the planks are staggered, but perfectly and uniformly rather than in a random pattern.

theGrinch

You need to hold your hands up if you made the hire. Sorry it doesn't help but its stark reality.

phill99

lewisa wrote: »

The person laying the floor determines where the joints are. Decent flooring will come with a selection of different length boards in each bundle to further increase the options for randomness.

Random joints is rule 2 in laying flooring. Rule 1 being a suitable subfloor.

Not true. It depends entirely on the flooring you buy. Some are designed for random laying, hence random lengths in the pack. Some are designed to have every second joint meeting at the same place.


If the client has chosen the latter but actually ants the former, then it is as much the clients fault for not specifying the product correctly.