Dodgey tradesman

Stary

Recently had work done on garden- it is now apparent they used non pressure treated timber for subframe of composite decking- which is below industry standard. They are refusing to put right or refund- where do I stand? The invoice was done by a guy who did part of the work but says it was his friend's job (who I paid) and I need to sort it out with him (he also refuses to give his friend's address or contact number). Any suggestions on best course of action? I have sent a complaint email 7 days ago and their reply was 'you were happy when we left' Thanks

TELLIT01

I think you are going to have to put it down to experience or go to the small claims court.  From the reaction so far they aren't interested.  Your claim is against the company you contracted to do the work, not the guy who did it.

Jeepers_Creepers

At least you appear to have a paper/text/email trail for all this? The guy's excuse that 'you were happy when they left' will hopefully bite him in the bum should you take this further. I mean, how were you supposed to appreciate that treated timbers were used at the time?

(Er, how did you become aware that non-treated was used instead?)

As long as you have invoices and receipts for the job - ie they can't just lie about even having done the work - I'd say that this a clear case for CRA 2015 - 'not of satisfactory quality' or one of the other terms. It's a statement of the bleedin' obvious that such external timber - especially structural, and where you cannot get to it easily for regular maintenance - should have been pre-treated.

How and when did this come to your attention? What do you now expect them to do - replace all the joists? Can it be accessed using a spray lance?

Doozergirl

Get quotes to change the subframe and replace the composite. 

Another letter before action, warning the person that you are obtaining quotes and they have 14 days to get it rectified or you will employ that someone else to do it.  

Then submit your money claim to the court online.  

Of course, your being happy at the time is not a defence.  You should expect 

Fwiw, I would use the composite joists, not just tanalised timber in your next fit of it.   That isn't what you asked them for, by the sound of it, but nothing about composite decking is cheap.  The subframe is just as susceptible, if not more than the decking itself.  

You can't charge on the cost of composite joists, but the labour to fit tanalised ones you can.  

What did they quote you for? What did they supply themselves?

TELLIT01

I wish I'd had the opportunity to take the bloke who did our raised beds to court.  Claimed that the timber was pressure treated and that he'd lined the beds before putting the soil in.  The timber started to rot within a couple of years but the toerag had died in the meantime.

twopenny

Did your quote specifiy tanalised timber?

If they are providing the materials a quote should specify what those are. I'm guessing they didn't. Something to remember - though in fairness you would expect them to be.

You aren't alone though. I had a reputable company install patio doors and I specified as did their quote that they would make good the small amount of living room floor that had crumbled with ants while left empty for years. I asked about cement/should I get a builder but they reassureed it would be made good. Some time after I lifted the carpet and there were the gaps. On phoning they sent someone round who pfaffed then used expanding foam. Not happy but too late to get it corrected.

Slinky

TELLIT01 said:

I wish I'd had the opportunity to take the bloke who did our raised beds to court.  Claimed that the timber was pressure treated and that he'd lined the beds before putting the soil in.  The timber started to rot within a couple of years but the toerag had died in the meantime.

Blimey, that's a bit of an extreme way to get out of being taken to court...........