Builders Crap Job

swampygirl

Back in March (2022) I needed a fence and gate built across my drive to separate my front and back gardens as I was adopting a rescue dog. After accepting a quote and a discussion of what was needed, a local builder with supposidly 5 star reviews erected a feather edge fance and gate. When he'd finished, I took a couple of photos, one with the gate closed and one with the gate open so I could send them to the rescue shelter as at the time I was just excited to be able to go ahead with the adoption now the back garden was secure. I paid via bank transfer and asked for a receipt to be sent to me.  It wasn't until approx. two months later that the feather edge boards on the lower part of the gate began to splay out. I've tried to contact the builder several times and to remind him to send me the reciept but haven't had a reply. I can't find an address but after digging around found an address with the same surname as the builder. It's not a common name so I'm wondering if there's a connection? Furthermore, on closer inspection of the work there are many faults and to be honest the work is crap.
Where do I start in getting something done and asking for my money back. The work really needs to be torn down and re-built by a competent buider. Can anyone help?

Alanp

I think some photos would help here, wood does splay out according to the weather, but not sure if that’s it in your case…

Woolsery

So you paid someone of no known abode for doing a job which you accepted, but now some months later you think its crap and you want  your money back. This will enable you to tear the structure down and be re-built by someone else....

Hmmm, good luck with that.

Consumer law entitles you to ask for work that isn't done with reasonable care and skill to be rectified by the trades person who did it.

I'd guess the next step would be to visit the address and see if your builder is living there. Meanwhile, no one here can comment on work they cannot see.

twopenny

You say he's local. How do you know if you have no address?
First thing to check is an address and second that they are definitely resident there.
Was there a sign written van with phone number?