Bloomin' Builders

Spuff

Spuff

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Paul
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What a pain in the proverbials - not all builders, of course, just the ones I have carefully chosen.

It's a pretty straightforward job - replace an existing single block paved driveway and extend it into a small front garden so as to give parking for two or three cars. Due to other jobs they've been turning up at lunchtime all this week but this morning they're here at the crack of dawn. The grounds been pretty much prepared to a "good enough" standard so they start laying blocks in earnest. I got called out front to see the gradient and be told that it doesn't need any drainage (they'd capped the original soakaway) because water can run off the drive across the pavement and into the roadside drain :bonk:

The briefest of looks at building regs tells you that this is a complete no no. Why do they try and pull the wool though? To do the job properly would have been very little extra effort/cost but they find it easier not to do it and talk s*** instead. So now they're going to have to lift the blocks and run a drain to the old soakaway.

Then I get the classic "we'll be finished by the end of the day can you nip down the bank and pay us in cash"!! (it'd already been agreed that I'd pay by cheque). I suppose at least I didn't pay anything up front....

Sorry for the mini rant...
 
At least they turned up! We had a new bathroom booked for our Dad (he's 84) to be started 4 weeks before Xmas, 10 days before they are due to turn up we get a phone call, 'blah blah blah 6th January blah blah blah if you're lucky', only problem is as part of the deal I'd rip off the existing tiles, so now we have an unusable bathroom until we can find someone else, as it happens it will be B&Q (fingers crossed).
Apparently they are all very very busy, so I suppose that means they can muck you about.
 
Blimey - hope B&Q come up trumps. I got three quotes and when they all said they could complete the job before Christmas I (maybe naively) assumed that this was a quiet time of year. But it's probably one of their busiest times and they'll say whatever to get the job.
 
Love it last year we had a new kitchen put in and it was completed on Christmas Eve :eek: after several weeks of being kitchenless it was a complete strip out down to bare brick and then re-plumb, re-wire and re-plaster plus the previous fitter had tiled over tiles so the floor alone took a week of getting up and then levelling etc, plus there were delays due to lots of bespoke items that could only be ordered as other items were completed...
 
Can I jump on the band wagon too?

We've had a new roof with soffits, fascias and guttering too. So, they came 13 days ago to start (never actually gave us a start date!!) and removed the whole roof and put felt and battens down. They then disappeared without saying anything to the wife about their return... so I rand and asked and they said tuesday. Tuesday comes and no builders. Wednesday comes, still no builders... the missus rings and he gives her some rubbish about being held up at another job. So, thursday and they're here. Probably the windiest day of the year to date and they try putting new tiles on. ???? They did 2 fascia boards and some guttering. Dissappear early (underatandable!) but never actually said so! Friday, no builders. Missus rings again and they say they're out repairing damage so can't come. Monday happens and they're here! They start roofing the back and get about 2/3's done. Tuesday and they finish the back and start the front. Wednesday and the roof is finished along with top soffits, fascias and gutters. Just leaving the bit of roof and soffits (etc) over the downstairs window and front door. All completed today, but they haven't done the soffit downstairs over the window and door... ring him up and explain and he says he forgot that I had specifically asked him to do that bit. Fair do's. We'd arranged payment for tomorrow at 4pm when I'm home from work but I have asked him to complete the work before paying as I may never see him again. I explained it was nothing personal against him or the company but wanted the job doing what I was paying for as I have paid for things to be done before then been bitten when it wasn't what we'd agreed. :eek:

He said I was being totally unreasonable holding it all back when it was just 'a bit of plastic' it actually says in the written quote all soffits, facias and guttering. Am I being unreasonable ???? he got quite mad and started shouting... he's supposed to be coming back tomorrow now to see what he needs... 'a bit of plastic' I think? :lol: he said he wasfully booked tomorrow but now he can come and have a look... hmmm.

Any advice?? Thanks.
 
Not unreasonable as you have warned him about it. He has the opportunity to sort out "the bit of plastic" and he will then get paid for the whole job he has done. I suspect if you pay him before he does "the bit of plastic" it will be the last you see of him for ages, if at all!
 
Tigger.ufo said:
Not unreasonable as you have warned him about it. He has the opportunity to sort out "the bit of plastic" and he will then get paid for the whole job he has done. I suspect if you pay him before he does "the bit of plastic" it will be the last you see of him for ages, if at all!
Click to expand...

That - and check the whole job carefully and don't pay until its fully snagged, once you pay you'll never see him again

the obvious response to the " its just a bit of plastic" is "well it won't take you long to fix then"
 
Your lucky to even get a builder. i wanted my front wall replaced and 6 different building firms didn't even want to know, Eventually a client of mine had a relative who did small building work came and di it for me.

old wall


only need a push and it fell


only gate left standing




new wall




I was quoted up to £9000 for the job, my guess is the didn't want it. Eventually got it done including new gates for well under half that price. Good idea to photograph stages of the work when the builders have gone, so any disputes about the build you have photographic evidence
 
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Thanks very much for your reassurance. :) I suspected that once he'd got the money he woyld be gone... I guess I've seen too many episodes of rogue traders and cowboy builders. :lol:

The workmanship does look pretty good though. :)
 
My story's sounding a bit pathetic now compared to some of the tales above. To give them their due they did pretty much finish tonight as they said they would so it just remains to see what it looks like in the cold light of tomorrow.
 
I had a builder strip off my roof, insulate it, felt it (there was none) and replace the tiles using mostly old ones and new ones where they were cracked. He fixed up the ridges and verges properly and also installed some light pipes. All in it took about six weeks (big roof / small tiles).

Really can't fault the work or the price I paid.

But then I waited nearly 2 years to get this particular builder - he's worked for me before (including the drive) and done work for my wife's family for decades ;)
 
We have been without a bathroom for the last few weeks while walls were removed, the entire floor was ripped out, new air-bricks, joists and floor put in, new waste, heating and water pipes, everything insulated, plastered, new rad, towel rail, bath, loo and basin, and the painting has just begun.
So far, no complaints about the builder who has been reliable, hard working, cleared up all the mess and even paid for all the materials.

Yup, guess who is the builder in our house !!
 
:woot:I hope your Mrs is paying him in kind!
 
Well, success has been attained today, even with his fully booked up day he managed to fit me in and spent about 4 hours here with another two workers too! All sorted and he was paid. A good deal all around in my situation.

Keep on badgering them and fingers crossed for all your cases to be solved!

:)
 
Spuff said:
What a pain in the proverbials - not all builders, of course, just the ones I have carefully chosen.

It's a pretty straightforward job - replace an existing single block paved driveway and extend it into a small front garden so as to give parking for two or three cars. Due to other jobs they've been turning up at lunchtime all this week but this morning they're here at the crack of dawn. The grounds been pretty much prepared to a "good enough" standard so they start laying blocks in earnest. I got called out front to see the gradient and be told that it doesn't need any drainage (they'd capped the original soakaway) because water can run off the drive across the pavement and into the roadside drain :bonk:

The briefest of looks at building regs tells you that this is a complete no no. Why do they try and pull the wool though? To do the job properly would have been very little extra effort/cost but they find it easier not to do it and talk tummy mud instead. So now they're going to have to lift the blocks and run a drain to the old soakaway.

Then I get the classic "we'll be finished by the end of the day can you nip down the bank and pay us in cash"!! (it'd already been agreed that I'd pay by cheque). I suppose at least I didn't pay anything up front....

Sorry for the mini rant...
Click to expand...

Such a familiar story - Watch em like a hawk and dont put owt passed them Check the work fully - and hold back some cash until you have driven on it for a while and they come back and sort any sinkage IF any - then pay the retention amount.
 
OOps - should have read all the thread
 
We had a new bathroom fitted feb half term ... bath panel blew , unit under the sink blew , faulty mirror ( i ordered off the net ) toilet leaked actually through the ceramic , towel rail fittings that came with towel rail didnt fit sink leaked ,window sill blew ( our fault didnt paint it quick enough ) and the shower screen was covered in glue

bath panel replaced ..... blew again unit under sink blew again new mirror ... faulty new towel rail fitttings didnt fit Arghhhh
bath panel replaced plumber pulled it up too tight and the screw came through ( this panel never blew !!)
bath panel replaced ..............blew again still waiting for replacement still waiting for unit under sink company says they shouldnt get wet !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

had new mirror broken glass
new mirror gave out 123v when you touched it gave up bought a different mirror ( now has a corner thats broken grr)
hubby tiled and used the sample tile in 2 places on the wall and of course its a different colour

one day I would like my bathroom finished :(
 
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Only use a builder based on recommendations from people you know. Saves so much hassle!!
 
I`m a carpenter and have worked for many builders over the past 25 years and you wouldn`t believe how many send you to other jobs and tell the customer all sorts of lies and excuses.
When I used to work on new build houses the contractor sent one of the other carpenters to another site and told the site agent the guy wouldn`t be in as "he has a drink problem"
 
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