Cowboy tradesman

Aero79

Hi

im looking for some advice as we’ve been having a bathroom refit pretty much labour only but the work is appalling I’ve told him this but he’s is deluded and think it’s good work,I came home last week to my wife in tears due to the poor workmanship.We complained about the tiling and grouting then he decides to sand the grout which means the grout will now not do it’s job as it will just absorb the water,anyway the tiles are all over the place and he’s cut too much off a door and boxed pipes in and the bathroom door can no longer be opened fully due to the boxing,tiles are chipped it really isn’t good so just wondering where I stand as he has now invoiced me for the full job although we’ve paid £1600 he’s now asking for £2900 on top and says he wants it within 3 days or there will be a weekly 20% late payment charge added to the bill which equates to £590 a week 🤦🏻‍♂️,he’s a one man band.

Any advice please

Rosa_Damascena

Either he fixes it or can whistle. 

On what planet is he calculating his late payment charges? You may get someone else in to fix it, but generally good builders don't want to spend time on remedial work.

Aero79

Rosa_Damascena said:

Either he fixes it or can whistle. 

On what planet is he calculating his late payment charges? You may get someone else in to fix it, but generally good builders don't want to spend time on remedial work.

Hi thank you for the reply but honestly I’m a construction worker and I’m on site a lot and have never seen anything so bad I’ve taken pictures as proof but he really has caused a lot off stress and tears that she dosent want him in the house,our son came home from college and caught him going through cupboards 

Doozergirl

So don't have him back in the house and don't pay him any more money.  

If he wants to take you to court, counterclaim for the remedial
work that you will
have to do.  

He cannot charge penalties like that, no court will accept that.  

Aero79

Doozergirl said:

So don't have him back in the house and don't pay him any more money.  

If he wants to take you to court, counterclaim for the remedial
work that you will
have to do.  

He cannot charge penalties like that, no court will accept that.  

Hi

thanks for that that’s lifted me a bit that’s shocking late payments,and he has painted,or fitted the radiator or fitted the shower cubicle ect but then invoices me for the total but yes I would gladly present evidence in court.

thank you 

greenface2

Awful situation TBF . Don't let them pressure you into anything and don't listen to the 20% demand . That's ludicrous and never stand up anywhere . Take him to court and write everything down pics too . (love to see some )  . Is what they have done for the £1600 need replacing too . Are they part of a trade association you could ask to liase with ? could it be the case of what they think is acceptable you don't . Is it going to cost you now more to replace his work ? you say labour only . Are the materials you've supplied cheap or not upto the job . ? I'm trying to look at both sides in fairness not knowing you . them or the job involved but over 4k labour for a bathroom I would expect a bloody good job done well 

Aero79

greenface2 said:

Awful situation TBF . Don't let them pressure you into anything and don't listen to the 20% demand . That's ludicrous and never stand up anywhere . Take him to court and write everything down pics too . (love to see some )  . Is what they have done for the £1600 need replacing too . Are they part of a trade association you could ask to liase with ? could it be the case of what they think is acceptable you don't . Is it going to cost you now more to replace his work ? you say labour only . Are the materials you've supplied cheap or not upto the job . ? I'm trying to look at both sides in fairness not knowing you . them or the job involved but over 4k labour for a bathroom I would expect a bloody good job done well 

Hi

materials were good quality it definitely is not acceptable if there was a way to upload photos I would but that’s why we wanted a good job as £4000 was steep but expected a good job,yeah we are going to have to pay to have the tiling redone and I’m shocked to why you would sand the grout as that’s your joint protection he’s not a part of a trade association,you just can’t talk to him he says he’s a perfectionist 🤷🏻‍♂️

canaldumidi

Does not help you but for the benefit of others, always do proper due diligence when selecting a contractor, never pay up front especially if you are buying the materials, and always have a clear contract.

As others have said, do not pay any more. It won't end there....! If he is fool enough to take you to court (you can ignore the pre-court threats and bluster) you counter claim and (based on what you've said) you'll win.

Best to cut your losses. Don't have him back as he'll either just continue to bodge more work,or drag it out indefinately with excuses (and ongoing demands for money).

Get someone else in, if necessary to undo his work and start again. Will cost you more, but you could claim off your first guy - not that he'll pay......

[Deleted User]

Hi,

if you can put up broken links to your photies, somebody will post them for you.

Le_Kirk

Aero79 said:

if there was a way to upload photos I would 

Use an image hosting site such as imgur, flickr or even dropbox and post a link.  If you do not have enough privileges (time or number of posts) and site will not let you post, do as @[Deleted User] says and post  broken link such as ht tp://imgur......... 

Bendy_House

Aero, do you have Legal Protection on your house insurance? If 'yes', call them up for guidance, and for action later on if it's needed.

If you don't have it, then call them up anyway - there's a fair chance they'll advise you on the correct approach, but then you'd be on your own to sort it.

Do this properly. Don't just get someone else in to sort it and then try and reclaim of this guy - that's unlikely to work. You first need to outline to this guy what is going to happen.

You'd normally need to allow this issue to be resolved - fixed, made good - by the person before then (if they fail) getting someone else in to do so, and then suing the original person for the cost. However, and based on what you've described I'd suggest it is the case here, if they are of such incompetence that you suspect they are simply incapable of doing a good enough job, and/or the relationship between you has broken down to where no trust remains, (ditto - their threats make that clear), then you can go straight to the 'getting someone in to make good the work, and then the 'sue them' stage. But, you need to follow the correct path, and have a clear trail leading to your decision. That's why you need guidance, either from LP or CAB, for example.

And I would do this. The cost and hassle is minimal, and the guy will end up with a CCJ against him at the very least. And - unless he does something to evade paying up (and that isn't quite as easy as some folk think) - you can then set in motion the 'Sheriffs', and that will be most pleasing.

You can upload photos on here, but there's some size limit - not sure what it is. You'll have 'Photos' on your Win 10 - open the photos in that, go to the three-dots menu and choose 'Resize'. Pick 2MP or so.