Emails are notoriously un reliable, ( and wasnt checked when the decorators arrived at the property with the coving)
The original quote/estimate was for coving , no size mentioned .
The decorators were not mind readers
Decorator fitted the wrong coving - what should I do?
- Thread starter Julia30
- Start date
Emails are notoriously un reliable, ( and wasnt checked when the decorators arrived at the property with the coving)
The original quote/estimate was for coving , no size mentioned .
The decorators were not mind readers
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But someone was told verbally before it was to be 100 mm.
I think their quotes and their customer relations are rubbish.
I think customer satisfaction is paramount. For sake of a bit of cheap coving and a few hours work, it would have been reasonable to remove what they had fitted; and put up the stuff the customer wanted - even it means rescheduling, or working in the evening or weekend.
The most important factor in business is the customer.
Sometimes things do go wrong, and you have to put your hand up, and reach a compromise.
When it comes to a few hours extra work, and a few inexpensive materials, it's always worth a satisfied customer if a major blunder has occured.
The trouble is, no one gives a damn anymore.
I think their quotes and their customer relations are rubbish.
I think customer satisfaction is paramount. For sake of a bit of cheap coving and a few hours work, it would have been reasonable to remove what they had fitted; and put up the stuff the customer wanted - even it means rescheduling, or working in the evening or weekend.
The most important factor in business is the customer.
Sometimes things do go wrong, and you have to put your hand up, and reach a compromise.
When it comes to a few hours extra work, and a few inexpensive materials, it's always worth a satisfied customer if a major blunder has occured.
The trouble is, no one gives a damn anymore.
You boys are going round in circles!
I'd expect a good pro firm to spec the quote with a size, if they didn't thats poor but the client has a responsibility to read a quote before accepting it and should have questioned why there was no size stated in the quotation. Both sides are to blame, therefore it would be nice to think they could each accept that and come to a compromise.
I'd expect a good pro firm to spec the quote with a size, if they didn't thats poor but the client has a responsibility to read a quote before accepting it and should have questioned why there was no size stated in the quotation. Both sides are to blame, therefore it would be nice to think they could each accept that and come to a compromise.
I like your style!
We don't know if the op has made any contact with the decorators yet.
So lets think of a few suggestions for a reasonable compromise for the op to suggest, in case the decorators aren't going to put the work right for free.
Op pays £100?
Any other ideas?
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As its a separate job. Nothing to do with original works
Decorator remove existing coving, make good , supply and fix new size coving
well in excess of original estimate/quote !!
The lesson is make sure one itemises the work to be done
I take your point,
BUT
if you were the decorators, would you really be satisfied with the service you had given to the op?
I would not be satisfied.
I have been a decorator for some 20 odd years, there are good and bad customers,
There have been the odd times where customers have complained about the colour of paint used or the pattern of wallpaper used and blamed the decorator despite the fact that they themselves chose the colour of the paint, or the pattern of the wallpaper , and wanted the job redone free of charge !!
The customer is not always right !!
This seems to be one of the cases .
I didn't see the coving at all when they first arrived. I just made a drink, had a chat (not about the coving width!), and then went and sat in a different room. I didn't see it until later (when it was too late). I REALLY wish I'd just hung around a bit longer at the beginning and checked. I was stupid to assume the best of them, but I did.
The quote was emailed to me in response to my initial email that stated 100mm. He also visited my house and I'd shown him the coving in the other rooms. He had no reason to assume 127mm, but he did.
He emailed me an hour ago. The email just says "Dear Mrs. Smith (I'm not married!), please find the invoice attached. Payment to be made within 7 days." and then his bank details.
The invoice is for the full amount - £312. It also mentions moving some beading on a cupboard (which they didn't do in the end) and he's also charging for the extra box of unused (100% useless) box of 127mm coving.
I really, desperately don't know what to do now. I was hoping he'd "see what he could do," like he said he would, but he's not budged an inch. I just want nice matching coving - and I don't want my windows putting though!
The quote was emailed to me in response to my initial email that stated 100mm. He also visited my house and I'd shown him the coving in the other rooms. He had no reason to assume 127mm, but he did.
He emailed me an hour ago. The email just says "Dear Mrs. Smith (I'm not married!), please find the invoice attached. Payment to be made within 7 days." and then his bank details.
The invoice is for the full amount - £312. It also mentions moving some beading on a cupboard (which they didn't do in the end) and he's also charging for the extra box of unused (100% useless) box of 127mm coving.
I really, desperately don't know what to do now. I was hoping he'd "see what he could do," like he said he would, but he's not budged an inch. I just want nice matching coving - and I don't want my windows putting though!
The op chose 100 mm and the decorators chose 127 mm.
However, there certainly are some funny customers who will never be satisfied (not referring to op).
EDIT; Op - how many other rooms have the 100 mm coving in?
However, there certainly are some funny customers who will never be satisfied (not referring to op).
EDIT; Op - how many other rooms have the 100 mm coving in?
How does the decorator explain fitting 127 mm when you asked for 100 mm, and shown him the other room it had to match?
Could be worth arguing this point to him.
I realise you probably don't want any confrontation. Understandable. But, as I'm sure you realise, £312 is a lot of money for something you do not want.
Could be worth arguing this point to him.
I realise you probably don't want any confrontation. Understandable. But, as I'm sure you realise, £312 is a lot of money for something you do not want.
There are 3 other rooms with 100mm coving. The rest of the rooms haven't been renovated yet - they're just bare plaster and no coving. One of the rooms with 100mm is the living room, which is joined to the dining room (in question) - it's been knocked through, so the size difference is obvious.
I thought by picking a big expensive company I'd be guaranteed a good job. The price is £250 + VAT (=£312).
I thought by picking a big expensive company I'd be guaranteed a good job. The price is £250 + VAT (=£312).
The decorator tried to justify it by saying he'd never seen the living room, that the quote said 127mm, and that nobody makes 100mm coving. None of these things were true, and when they proved it to him, they just said "Oh well, it's too late now." I was pretty upset so I just stormed off.
Contact Trading Standards, The "Buy With Confidence" scheme works for both parties Thats the idea of it.
Let us know how you get on .
Let us know how you get on .
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