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Problems with new built in wardrobes

Hi. We’ve moved into a house and wanted to replace original wardrobes in bedroom installed with house (30 years old). We had removed and relieved to find the wall intact as we suspected it may have been open to cavity as a very cold room. It’s north facing too and very cold generally in winter. Decided to invest in some bespoke hand painted wardrobes by a local craftsman with years of experience.
After waiting for months and not very good communication meaning we didn’t have time to get our new wood floor laid, he turned up. Originally stated it would take 4 days and there’d be a little bit of touching up on site but all painting etc predone in Workshop. To cut too chase. He ripped off old nailed on skirting leaving 2-3 inch holes along a 3m length of wall. Assumed he’d make good and wasn’t watching him work. Wardrobes assembled and doors came prepainted but by end of job were dented etc and he said he’d be painting the next day. He basically painted all the robes and trims on site using brush and roller (expecting to be sprayed). A very poor finish with a lot of wood dust caught up in grooves and edges. Also missed part of cornice that I repainted afterwards. It also took 2.5 days and he seemed to be in a rush to leave every day early. Just had a very breezy few days and wind from north causing a freezing draft under wardrobe skirting. Turns out he hadn’t filled those holes. He’s offered to repaint again on-site but has gone quiet when I said we need to address holes. This would mean taking carcasses off to reach. We are worried as well as being cold we will be vulnerable to vermin, flies etc getting in under wardrobes. He works in stately homes and installs hand made kitchens so has top reputation. He said he’s never had a problem with his work before. Any advice please on how to handle?

Comments

  • FaceHead
    FaceHead Posts: 737 Forumite
    500 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    To be fair, it sounds like you needed to get the wall sorted out and insulated before he came. If he turned up out of the blue at an unagreed time when you weren't ready, you should have sent him away. I find it hard to believe that he just turned up one morning and got cracking.

    Now that the work has basically been done out of order, your choices are the extra work of getting the wardrobes out, wall fixed, put back in and made good, or to simply live with it. 

    Consider your budget and how long you'll be living in this house - is this your forever home or a first time do-er upper?

    Agree that on site painting with a roller is a bit amateurish (particularly if there is furniture etc. around) but it can lead to good results if done carefully and skillfully. Some of the painting sounds poor and he should be putting this right - and it seems he's offered to do so. 
  • @Facehead. His quote included removing the old wardrobes but as time was dragging on and not heard from him we got them removed ourselves, bar the skirting which we thought would remain as he said there’d be a slight gap behind from the wall. This we thought would give us opportunity to check wall out and get flooring done. Wall was perfect with no holes to fill and skirting intact. He then contacted about 3 weeks before to give us date to do but couldn’t get flooring done in time as everyone so busy. He did call into to check job again shortly before and never said skirting needed to come off otherwise we would have sorted. Thanks anyway for your feedback. It’s our retirement home so hope not to move again. Would have overlooked painting if was only issue and yes we’re happy for him to put right but worried this cavity will cause infestations. Already seen a few black beetles in the corner outside wardrobe.If we don’t resolve we may have to forgo hard flooring for carpet as room will be too cold. 
  • NSG666
    NSG666 Posts: 981 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Hi. We’ve moved into a house and wanted to replace original wardrobes in bedroom installed with house (30 years old). We had removed and relieved to find the wall intact as we suspected it may have been open to cavity as a very cold room. It’s north facing too and very cold generally in winter. Decided to invest in some bespoke hand painted wardrobes by a local craftsman with years of experience.
    After waiting for months and not very good communication meaning we didn’t have time to get our new wood floor laid, he turned up. Originally stated it would take 4 days and there’d be a little bit of touching up on site but all painting etc predone in Workshop. To cut too chase. He ripped off old nailed on skirting leaving 2-3 inch holes along a 3m length of wall. Assumed he’d make good and wasn’t watching him work. Wardrobes assembled and doors came prepainted but by end of job were dented etc and he said he’d be painting the next day. He basically painted all the robes and trims on site using brush and roller (expecting to be sprayed). A very poor finish with a lot of wood dust caught up in grooves and edges. Also missed part of cornice that I repainted afterwards. It also took 2.5 days and he seemed to be in a rush to leave every day early. Just had a very breezy few days and wind from north causing a freezing draft under wardrobe skirting. Turns out he hadn’t filled those holes. He’s offered to repaint again on-site but has gone quiet when I said we need to address holes. This would mean taking carcasses off to reach. We are worried as well as being cold we will be vulnerable to vermin, flies etc getting in under wardrobes. He works in stately homes and installs hand made kitchens so has top reputation. He said he’s never had a problem with his work before. Any advice please on how to handle?

    I've removed nailed on skirting on a number of occasions and, when the nails have pulled out of the wall it can pull a chunk of plaster and sometimes a bit of block but I've never known the nails to be long enough to go through into the cavity nor have they left holes through to the cavity. If that's the case in your house then filling them in would serve no real purpose. You said the room was cold before he even got there so I don't think he's caused or added to that issue.
    Sorry I can't think of anything profound, clever or witty to write here.
  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 34,021 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 18 August 2021 am31 7:27AM
    NSG666 said:
    Hi. We’ve moved into a house and wanted to replace original wardrobes in bedroom installed with house (30 years old). We had removed and relieved to find the wall intact as we suspected it may have been open to cavity as a very cold room. It’s north facing too and very cold generally in winter. Decided to invest in some bespoke hand painted wardrobes by a local craftsman with years of experience.
    After waiting for months and not very good communication meaning we didn’t have time to get our new wood floor laid, he turned up. Originally stated it would take 4 days and there’d be a little bit of touching up on site but all painting etc predone in Workshop. To cut too chase. He ripped off old nailed on skirting leaving 2-3 inch holes along a 3m length of wall. Assumed he’d make good and wasn’t watching him work. Wardrobes assembled and doors came prepainted but by end of job were dented etc and he said he’d be painting the next day. He basically painted all the robes and trims on site using brush and roller (expecting to be sprayed). A very poor finish with a lot of wood dust caught up in grooves and edges. Also missed part of cornice that I repainted afterwards. It also took 2.5 days and he seemed to be in a rush to leave every day early. Just had a very breezy few days and wind from north causing a freezing draft under wardrobe skirting. Turns out he hadn’t filled those holes. He’s offered to repaint again on-site but has gone quiet when I said we need to address holes. This would mean taking carcasses off to reach. We are worried as well as being cold we will be vulnerable to vermin, flies etc getting in under wardrobes. He works in stately homes and installs hand made kitchens so has top reputation. He said he’s never had a problem with his work before. Any advice please on how to handle?

    I've removed nailed on skirting on a number of occasions and, when the nails have pulled out of the wall it can pull a chunk of plaster and sometimes a bit of block but I've never known the nails to be long enough to go through into the cavity nor have they left holes through to the cavity. If that's the case in your house then filling them in would serve no real purpose. You said the room was cold before he even got there so I don't think he's caused or added to that issue.
    I agree.  In a notably cold room, I'd be adding insulation first, particularly behind planned wardrobes.  

    A woodworker isn't going to fill holes in masonry, they've come to fit wardrobes.  
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
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