Bathroom not finished, tiles laid directly to floor boards, fitter asking for more money. Help.
Anonymous user 09/03/2024 - 3.21 PM
Had a builder over recently who quoted me 2500 labour to refit my bathroom, we supplied the parts. Along the way we also asked him to fit 7 doors in my house which he did. When fitting one bedroom door he planed too far and exposed the chipboard underneath, he said we could take the money off what we pay him but I insisted on a new door. He got a new door and cut 8cm off each side to fit the damaged door to our airing cupboard depsite me informing him we wanted a different door there but we agreed as it looked okay we would pay him for fitting not for the door itself. After discovering problems in the refitted bathroom including scratched bath screen, chipped bath, shower head being far off center and flooring laid directly to the floor boards we raised these issues, he came over and argued with me over them. The tiles move when you walk on them on the floor so all grout is cracked. He is now asking for £100 more to fit the bath panel and £100 for the boxing under the sink. He refuses to answer me about the flooring. He also wants to charge us for the damaged door or take the new one he purchased. Stupidly I paid him before the job was done, I sent £2000 by transfer and paid £1050 in cash. His invoice then came back with £1000 labour and £1000 materials (which were actually ~£300). What is the best thing to do? I'm not comfortable having him do the work as I no longer trust he will do it correctly. Do I need to give him a 'last chance' to fix it before starting a small claims case? Thanks.
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
Sorry to hear that happened!
Everyone need a last chance, but in your case you have to make shore he can do your job professionally and it's not doing another damage, hopefully everything will gone be alright at the end, for the tiles if he didn't aware you of risk laing tiles straight on floor panels it's his fault and you don't have to pay extra, take care and next time don't pay upfront, try to split the jobs and ask for price for every job, when that job its finished you can pay for it and let him to go for next job.
Sorry to hear you’ve had such a bad experience, from what sounds like a bad tradesman.
I would suggest not paying him anymore money and taking him to small claims for what seems to be a series of very amateur mistakes.
Do you have any building works agreement. Job specification that were agreed before work was carried out? Also there’s nothing wrong with paying cash but make sure receipts are provided that way it will protect you from someone claiming it wasn’t paid.
I would ask someone else to quote to fix the floor. Shouldn’t be much but I wouldn’t get him back.
Firstly he is not a professional builder, absolute cowboy. You can not lay floor tiles direct on to floor boards. Aqua boards or backing board is recommended. I would seek advise from anther trades person to carry out a full risk assessment and functionality check on his job. Might cost a days rate however will put you in stead for any preventions. At this stage you have option for him to follow the guidelines provided by other trades person and complete to standards, or let him go and assign another trades person. I don’t know the full extent of your project but if its a full remodelling bathroom then £2000 seems cheap. Through mistake we learn things, next project ask a full break down of labour cost and materials. Go with a reputable website or check his previous work. This will avoid getting monkeys to do a professionals job. Lastly, and strictly as a last resort go through small claims however there’s several ways he is able to dodge fine. Good luck
Answered24 March 2021
0
Anonymous user
Like many things, not everyone is an expert in all aspects of construction but, some people's declared skills seem to rely on a bit of trial and error. References are increasingly important. Charging low prices allows rogues to practice their 'skills' on your house! When things go wrong you have to rely on the tradesman's skills and integrity. Regrettably, if you have a poorly skilled trader then they just don't have the ability to put things right even if their integrity says they would like to. I get a fair amount of work rectifying botched work, the domestic construction market is a minefield and many clients find themselves licking their wounds and just paying to get someone else in. As for small claims court.... I have no idea but if you have the motivation then go for it, tiles onto floorboards is a massive alarm bell, just let the facts speak.
