Bad Plaster Cove & Arch Installation with photo's...

[troy]

I have a continuing bad experience with a company that fitted plaster cove and arch to my 25ft lounge. At the end of the first day I could see the finish was very poor and I told him so. He said he would put it right the next day, but instead he carried on slapping up cove as bad as ever.
To cut a long story short, the whole job has been bodged, with particular attention paid to the arch which is a complete disaster as anyone with half decent eye site can see. I got the owner of the company to come and take a look at the mess, but he felt the job was OK and upto their usual standard, as did the ass who fitted it. Both obviously have no standards and are blind as a bats.

They have used polystyrene foam to back the arch and placed it so close to the surface that bits of it are sticking out. The plastering was done by a 17 year old, who presumably had never done plastering before, as the job is as rough as a bears rear. The sides of the corners are so thin you can feel the spongy foam flexing beneath a layer of plaster that is only microns thick.

Take a look at these photo's I took during and after the installation.
Bad Cove & Arch Photo's
The reason I have posted this item is to solicit honest opinions from the reputable and skilled trades people I assume are out there, and to ask how this job should have been done correctly.

 

[jbonding]

wow thats rough, have you paid them? if not, dont. A 17 year old fixing plaster cornices and arches i cant see how he was experienced. plaster will not stick to polystyrene, i dont know why he used it. and it looks like hes stuck it on with finish if this is the case it wont stick. Out of interest how mich did they charge you.

 

[troy]

The idiot fitter was in his early to mid 50's and told me he had been doing it for over 30 years. The young plasterer was simply slapping it over an already botched job.
The owner originally said there was nothing wrong with job and gave a load of bull about the many letters of thanks he had received from satisfied customers. He said he could not meet my high standards and so would not be coming back to fix it, so I stopped the £590 cheque. My wife and I had to clean up the mess made by this idiot cowboy on 2 occasions, not from the plaster dust created in the house, he did the cutting outside and caused and left his mess their. The idiot bought 2 filthy dust laden covers from his van that contained the plaster waste from his last 60 or so jobs. I also had to put up with intimidation when I complained. But I can give as good as I get. The arse owner has now got a solicitor demanding payment, but as you can see, there is no way I'm going to pay them a penny, the goods are damaged and I should be the one suing them, in fact, that's what I will do. I think everyone should sue at least one arse.
But first, I'll contact BBC WatchDog.

 

[joe-90]

That's about as rough as it gets. No wonder you are angry. Have you thought of going to the Small Claims Court?



joe

 

[troy]

Yes am thinking of the small claims route. I have contacted trading standards and also waiting a reply from his solicitor to see if he is continuing the demand for payment.

 

[Zampa]

You must give them the oportunity first to put the work right...and a reasonable amount of time to reply, if they fail to do so then you can get someone in the to retify the work and bill them for it.

 

[troy]

I asked him many times put things right, but he would not.
I then bounced his cheque so he sued for non payment.
Its a very long story, but in short...

He started an argument in my home that upset my 3 year old son and so I counter claimed on the grounds of 'duress'. He won the case as the judge said there was no grounds for stopping the cheque and he completely ignored my claim for duress. I appealed and the new judge wanted an expert witness report. The expert decided, quite rightly, that the arch was wrong and so the judge found in my favour. I got £1200 compensation but I still had to pay him £500 for the bounced cheque. This person and his well connected father tried every trick in the book to stop me winning my case. He knew people at the court and used them and also their plasterer contacts to make my job difficult. I thought it very odd and very weired that at the end of case, he and the judge shook hands and almost 'hugged' each other. I still have the cove and arch which I repaired myself. I have acheived a small victory as even after my costs are taken into account, I am £400 ahead and I still have the cove and arch. You could say, he had to pay me for fitting his cove and arch!

 

[confidentincompetent]

I cant see any pics


Ooops just noticed date... Your outcome leaves a sour taste . British justice eh!