Problem Builders

stuart45

I've seen a couple of plumbers turn them upside down and carry them looking like a pair of turtles. This was many years ago.

CalumFinnerty

Over the weekend the plaster has dried. It looks even worse now.

There are more long vertical bulges than we orignally noticed, the finish is rough, and there are tear stains over the walls.

The skirtings and door frame are filthy and caked with dried plaster.

ALSO, we ordered a Roca bath 1700 x 700mm. However, the bath they delivered is 1800 x 800mm.

The bath they have installed is so big we cannot open one of the airing cupboard doors!

The bath was also on a raised platform and because now the bath is so big, the step around the bath has halved in width and so there is less to step on as you are coming out of the bath. My parents are almost 80.

We checked with the plumbing supply company and they do not sell Roca baths this big so we are not sure if it is a Roca bath.

Once again, thank you.

Jeepers_Creepers

Did you know the bath was 1800mm when they installed it? Did the BUILDER know that the wrong bath arrived? Who ORDERED the bath?!

This is really weird - 1700mm is the 'standard' size, so someone must have gone out off their way to order an unusual 1800mm size.

Do you have LegProt on your house insurance? Good. If you haven't done so, call them up for guidance. If you don't have 'cover', there's a good chance they'll give you advice at least.

Doozergirl

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Did you know the bath was 1800mm when they installed it? Did the BUILDER know that the wrong bath arrived? Who ORDERED the bath?!

This is really weird - 1700mm is the 'standard' size, so someone must have gone out off their way to order an unusual 1800mm size.

Do you have LegProt on your house insurance? Good. If you haven't done so, call them up for guidance. If you don't have 'cover', there's a good chance they'll give you advice at least.

There's nothing unusual about an 1800mm bath.  Most baths come in all sorts of sizes.  

OP, have you paid for everything?   What about tiling around the bath?  Has that been done? If it hasn't, then it's no real effort to swap a bath over.   You say 'we ordered' the bath.  From the supplier?  

It's really very common to have plaster on skirting and architraves if they're staying in. Plaster does come off things relatively easy, it needs a bit of a soaking if it's on windows, skirting boards etc.

Any drips that fall onto finished plaster can be scraped with a stanley blade.  You can buy special holders that turn them into a scraper.  Plasterers are very often mucky pups. 

This may not be as bad as you think.  Everything is salvageable. 

Also, if your parents are nearly 80, that raised platform may not be such a good idea.  A new bathroom is a really good time to sort out any design quirks that aren't ergonomically ideal.  

CalumFinnerty

Thank you for replying, JC and DG.

We gave the plumber the EXACT order number for the 1700 x 700mm bath from the supply company AND THEN they ordered the bath.

Why they did this I don't know.

We have not paid anything.

We also do not have a contract.

They have not tiled around the bath - ALSO they did not buy the size tiles we asked for the are BIG and we have a cottage bathroom.

They offered my parents the option of a shower instead of the bath but they have a new Mira shower downstairs in the extension.

Then they said because of the design of the bathroom we cannot have a shower either.

The bath sides are too high to climb into and out of for elderly people raised platform and stop or no platform and step.

They have asked us to look for a shallow bath online.

We found one by Twyford but they said the Twyford bath is very shallow and poor quality.

So, it looks like they are reordering the original Roca 1700 x 700mm bath now.

My parents will have difficulty using it because it is so high though.

Once again, thank you.

Doozergirl

Looks like the bath is getting sorted now.  If the tiles are wrong, they can go back and be swapped. 

Humans will get things wrong.  The measure of them is whether those issues get rectified.  

There is issue with supply of pretty much anything and everything right now.  They might be doing a bit of 'that will do' if a supplier offers an alternative,  without really giving it too much thought as to whether it is the same! 

Not wishing to make excuses for them, but it's a lot easier to deal with people from
a perspective of 'how do we get this sorted and not fall out' than 'they're just rubbish' and getting angry about it.  

Also, for a good quality, shallow bath, look at Carron. 
https://www.ukbathroomstore.co.uk/carron-axis-single-ended-acrylic-bath-1700-x-700mm-carronite-option-23-4351-23-5351

I tend to upgrade my clients to the carronite option, which is reinforced, but the regular ones are still good baths. 

I do, however always buy the reinforced side panels because they are so much better than those hollow sounding flimsy bath panels.  

You can also add grips.  Not a bad idea for older folk! 

NSG666

It all sounds to be getting a bit stressful but you need to keep talking to your builders.

Did you just give the builder a product code for the bath or did you also tell them what size it should be? Was the code wrong? Why didn't they spot it was the wrong size - didn't they know?
Regardless of the bath size it does seem a bit odd that someone in their 80s would want a bath on a raised plinth creating yet another opportunity to fall? Even if they said they wanted it, if it were my parents I'd be trying to talk them out of it.

What did your builder say about the tiles?

Is it correct that these builders have been engaged without either a quote or any indication of what they will charge for a day rate and materials? Do you know them?

All seems rather odd.

CalumFinnerty

Thanks DG.

We have just asked them for an itemised price list of all materials used. They were shocked and have been cooler since.

We gave them a specific and accurate product code. The supplier said they only had the large size in stock and they accepted it.

The raised daiz was there originally when the house was purchased.

They have said they will replace the bath but cannot return it to the supply centre so they will keep it for a future customer.

We only know them because of a recommendation.

We have not mentioned the tiles yet.

They are also going to visit the plasterer to get some sort of refund.

This is stressful.

NSG666

Do double check that your parents haven't sanctioned the bath and tiles but if the builder is going off and swapping the bath size and picking tiles without checking with anyone it sounds like you need to grasp this job by the scruff of the neck and take control. I don't mean that you need to start trying to 'boss' the builders but you need to be on site daily, either at the beginning or end of the day when any issues and the next course of action can be discussed. Ask the builders to communicate everything to and through you so there is no ambiguity that your parents are agreeing to something. Also be prepared to make decisions as working for a client who can't decide or says 'do it how you think' is a real pain in the backside.

As they were recommended they will probably be sound. Occasionally I used to work on a day rate rather than a quote and I'd never dream of ripping someone off as the hope of their their recommending me was far more important.

It's stressful but will be less so once you feel in control and understand what is happening and why.

And if any of the above comes across as blaming you then just to be clear I'm not.

Jeepers_Creepers

Calum - 'you do not have a contract'. Is there anything written down?

If, when you pointed out that the bath they fitted was the wrong size, they'd have instead replied, "No - you asked for an 1800mm bath...", would you have had any way to show they were wrong? Ditto the tiles?

If not, that is scary.

I'd suggest that everything from now on is done in writing, especially when it comes to sizes, styles, colours - well, anything.