Problem Builders

warwick2001

CalumFinnerty said:

Thanks, NSG.

If they paid £700 but ended up paying only £400, it is unreasonable to pay £700.

They have just patched-up the wall it does not look top quality work.

So, it seems reasonable to pay £400 less a discount for the quality of the work plus a discount on the extra day which would not have happened if they'd hired a competent plasterer.

So, just to clarify, are you saying that the final finish of the work will be below the standard promised? Even after the builder has 'put right' the poor work by the plasterer?

DB1904

CalumFinnerty said:

Thanks, NSG.

If they paid £700 but ended up paying only £400, it is unreasonable to pay £700.

They have just patched-up the wall it does not look top quality work.

So, it seems reasonable to pay £400 less a discount for the quality of the work plus a discount on the extra day which would not have happened if they'd hired a competent plasterer.

No, if the work is suitable and what you agreed to before they started you pay the quoted price. The issue with the subcontractor is their problem not yours.

If the cost of remedial work was more than £300, would you be happy paying extra?

Doozergirl

CalumFinnerty said:

Thanks, NSG.

If they paid £700 but ended up paying only £400, it is unreasonable to pay £700.

They have just patched-up the wall it does not look top quality work.

So, it seems reasonable to pay £400 less a discount for the quality of the work plus a discount on the extra day which would not have happened if they'd hired a competent plasterer.

What you want is to pay £700 for a decent job.   I think that's what NSG is saying and that is what I am saying.    Who did what and when isn't particularly relevant.  It's the end product that matters.  

If it isn't good, then pay them £400 but that doesn't actually get you to where you want to be, which is with a decent job. 

Who is decorating?  Because, unless it really is rough, I'm still saying that you don't see a finished result until it is actually finished. 

What you're describing isn't reasonable at all.  You're suggesting that the more the builder spends, the less you pay.  It reads now like you're trying it on. 

warwick2001

And to look at this with a good analogy:

You take your car to the garage, and agree to pay £100 for an MOT.

If the apprentice mechanic, who gets paid £10 per hour does it, you pay £100
If the senior mechanic, who gets paid £50 per hour does it, you pay £100 
If the apprentice starts the job, messes it up, and the senior mechanic sorts out the problem, you pay £100

So, it doesn't matter who performs the work, as long as you get your MOT, you pay £100.

In your case, it doesn't matter who does the work, you pay the agreed fee at the end, as long as the finished job is what was originally agreed upon. 

If they take longer to complete, I guess that's a different argument, but I'd rather wait a few days and get a decent job done than complain and try to withhold money if there is an overrun and cause bad feeling. But that's just me.

CalumFinnerty

Thank you for you advice.

It was the plasterer setting the amount paid for his services not the builders.

The plasterer was an independent contractor employed by the builders.

The cost of the plasterer to us in the final bill was *always* going to be the price they paid to him.

Therefore, since the cost of the plasterer to them has been reduced from £700 to £400 (when they went round to his house, they took back £300 of the £700 from him. He'd spent the rest.) so commensurately should the amount we pay.

Again, we were only ever going to pay exactly the amount paid to the plasterer.

All they have done to ameliorate the substandard work is scrape two holes fill them with plaster and sandpaper over them.

We will pay them the cost of the plasterer, i.e. £400.

I agree we should wait to see what standard the finished job is.

CalumFinnerty

Also, the plasterer ruined the stair carpet by not putting down any covering and walking up and down it on the way to the van.

NSG666

Calum I'm sure that you are not doing it deliberately but you are drip feeding information on here. Almost a week since your first post and I don't think any of us are any the wiser as to who has agreed to do what and at what cost / day rate. If you are just giving us an update that's fine but if you are looking for advice you can't necessarily expect the answer you are looking for.

CalumFinnerty

Thank you, NSG. You have been very helpful throughout and I appreciate your insights and advice.

BikingBud

CalumFinnerty said:

Also, the plasterer ruined the stair carpet by not putting down any covering and walking up and down it on the way to the van.

 But isn't that a completely different issue? Sure they should be taking appropriate precautions but be clear about the areas of poor performance and do not conflate the issues.

CalumFinnerty

An unprofessional and negligent sub-contractor caused damage to our home and provided a sub-standard service.

The quality of the workmanship is so poor the main contractor will not use them again.

The damage was caused as a direct result of the work being completed.

It was easily avoidable.

I am not conflating the "issues" there are several of them with the service provided. Let's not play semantics.