Extensions

Impasse with builder on poor quality, threatening to take roof off if don’t pay

Anonymous user 03/03/2024 - 3.43 PM

Hoping for some balanced advice here to inform next steps. We undertook works with a local builder in Jan 2021 for an extension that was supposed to take 15 weeks. However due to builder delays (doing multiple jobs at once) it took several months longer. Long story short, we have been at an impasse for a number of months over the last £4800 (less than 8% of total) over a number of things: 1) poor finish, this is caused by bad boarding which he did with untrained labourers it seems. 2) the back door was not fitted correctly and was breaking the mechanism 3) the “self levelling” on the front step was incorrectly done and the base was not compacted so immediately cracked. We have asked him to provide a resolution (someone else as we don’t want him in the house anymore as everything is a bodge and fractious). He has sent people round who have said: 1) worst finish they’ve ever seen 2) boarding needs taking down and it replastering I’ve had the step redone (£300) and the composite door taken out and refitted including making good on the render (£375). I’ve also had quotes that are greater than £4000 for resolving and making good, which probably are high but maybe reflective of materials and it’s hassle fixing someone else’s mess. However despite showing a builder round and hearing nothing since we have had emails and communications from a builder friend of his that if we don’t pay the balance they will come and start removing materials, ie the roof. As their argument is “you’re living in the house so you’re clearly happy and it’s our materials until paid”, not sure exactly where else we’d live and we were still waiting for resolution. Looking for points of view here as with two young children priority is to protect them so may just need to pay something as the cost of being right can be greater than the hassle to get there (they’ve now said they’d take £1500 off the total, including the door and step already paid). I think my specific questions are: 1) although can’t see the job is £1500 reasonable to refit a composite door (inc making good), dig out and lay a level porch step (1m x 2m square) plus remove boarding and redo in a 3m x 2m room. 2) can they just turn up and take the roof off as I’ve paid all the other invoices on time with the roof being one of the earlier parts on the build, it’s not itemised but when the roof was done we were up to date with payments 3) should we not be expecting a reasonable plan before it gets to threats as it’s mixed views whether they can or cannot do this. It’s also months and weeks sometimes between messages from them. Understand it’s tough for building trade and don’t want to rip anyone off but the work is poor with no evidence of care (or a bubble in his spirit level) so feels a little like extortion. We had previously offered for them to walk away and we will get things resolved over time (door and step done so far, rest will be when we can deal with the mess again).