installing T&G - how long should it take?

[jonifife]

O.k. is floor is going down in loft but feel the joiner is taking a bit long

Carpenter has taken 3.5 days to do a room approx 4x5 meters consider fairly straight forward. Boards are 150 wide structural t&G lost head nailed.

He says its taken a bit longer becuase the boards are a bit warped and he is having to clamp each board - i feel he is taking the mikey a bit and thought it should of been done in 2 even at a slower rate. Why he didn't mention ealier in the week also?

Otherwise his work is of a good standard and floor looks good - I just don't like the feeling I might be being had- in retrospect wish i had agreed a lump sum rather than an hourly rate

I also don't want to be unreasonable so any opinions appreciated.

Cheers

 

[AronSearle]

Are we talking the cheap T&G softwood you get in B&Q etc for 20 quid a pack?

 

[jonifife]

no - douglas fir from local sawmill- kild dried and left in room for a week
a nice bit of wood imo and was keen to avoid stuff from diy shops

 

[Alarm]

Is he taking numerous tea/fag breaks?
On the phone all the time?

If not then it is taking as long as it takes.

Are you qualified to say how long it should take?
Did you not ask how long approximately it would take, I would. After all it would be my cash.

 

[foxhole]

Took me a day to lay similar type of floor to concrete, all glued, all timber was true to withing a few mm though.[5m X 3.5m].
Did you check he hasn't moved in?

 

[AronSearle]

Are the boards so warped that they are hard to fit together, sounds like the sawmill didn't do a good job in drying the timber, they probably just dried it to 20 ish percent.

 

[steve61]

This is the trouble with employing on an hourly rate - some chippies will do a job in a day, others will take 2 days - not everyone works at the same speed.
That's not to say the slower chippie is lazy, or that the faster chippie is rough.
Really should have got a price or at the very least ask him approx how long he thinks the job will take, baring any problems he may encounter.

Steve

 

[jonifife]

Quite agree I should of got a fixed price

The job has included some other stuff like hanging a couple of doors, built in cupboard etc so yes did ask how long will it take and had a 2 week period which was reviewed at the start of this and seemed on track - if he'd told me earlier on rather than getting to the end of the job I would have been more sympathetic.

Unfortunately I haven't been about as much as I would of liked to keep tabs.


Like I said I'm happy to be reasonable but 3and half days feels he's trying to string it out a bit... at least his work is good standard!

Lesson learnt and will just have to thrash it out!

 

[Alarm]

Then put your worries to him, see if you can come to an agreement.
You have already said he has done extra and his work is good.

I would be happy if the quality is as you say and is under some sort of warranty.

I would rather pay a extra day and have quality than a rushed bodge.