Thoughts please

[CanYouHelpMe]

I engaged someone to refit a bathroom in my house that I live in while I was on holiday

when I got back I was really upset to find that my bedroom had been used as a workshop - goodness know what went on (the contents of my dressing table were found on the floor) but I do know plasterboard was cut in there from the sheer mess!

Thankfully, and only owing to a funeral, which meant I had to postpone the carpet was not laid in the bedroom and the bed had been put in another room ready for it to be laid but everything else was in there - rugs, clothes, shoes, curtains etc!!!

Not only was there a great deal of general dirt and dust the walls in the stair way are wrecked!

I expected mess and a few chips but not what I came back to - the whole house was coated in a horrible layer of dust

when I complained he said he tried to keep the doors shut but this clearly was not the case as compared to what was on the sofa there was negligible dust on the hallway side of the living room door.

He also said "we have to work somewhere" - fine I had cleared the garage for them and had shown them this. Had they said they may need to use the bedroom I would have cleared it out but I would still have expected them to respect my paintwork an not leave all the scuffs and dents they have....

The plumber is normally absolutely fine he has a key to my house he does all my family's plumbing it seemed to be the chap that was with him who rocked up the day we got back from hols just to finish up and after dropping a few things and banging about a bit he said "the beers last night aren't helping" I don't think I'd tell my boss that and when you've just trashed a clients house it probably isn't the best thing to say!

Anyway - is this normal should I have expected this?

 

[skotl]

OK, using the bedroom as a work area seems a little odd.

But I'm having difficulty seeing the rest of your problems.

For example (and it's only an example, as I don't know the situation or physical layout) you say that you showed them the garage - is there a fair distance between the garage and wherever the work was being carried out?

I do suspect there was a breakdown in communication regarding where the manufacturing / hard-work was to take place but is that solely on the contractor? I'd have thought the contractor would make clear which areas they would use, but if that hadn't happened then I would have made sure that I was clear where they would be working.

 

[CanYouHelpMe]

Fair point - thank you - live and learn I guess (never had anything like this done before) - still think using a customers bedroom seems odd - and why dump all my perfumes, make up mirror etc on the floor???

 

[seasickstevie]

Surely you asked him what he was doing emptying out the contents of your dressing table ... what did he say ???

I think I'd have difficulty explaining that one if it were me.

Also if I'm making exccesive dust, the first thing I'd do is close the doors to contain the dust to less areas of the house (common sense) and any decent builder carries a wet & dry vacuum.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Have you checked your underwear drawer?

 

[phatboy]

Whats the quality of the new bathroom finish like?

A tidy workman is often a good workman......

 

[CanYouHelpMe]

it's ok - water coming through the kitchen ceiling a bit of a worry though!

 

[Burnerman]

Someone needs their ass kicked for this......if you have to work in a room, then you sheet the furniture and the floor. You also sheet any transit areas.
You do not empty personal possessions (kitchen work excepted, but that should have already been done) and you do not go into any room that you don't need to.
Any damage to walls etc should be made good.
All depends on the integrity of the workmen - and of course the customer too.
A minimal amount of residual dust has to be expected on completion.
Million dollar question - have you paid the bill in full?
John

 

[skotl]

Hmmmm.... I'm suspecting a bit of trolling going on here.

Use your bedroom as the work area, throw your perfume on the floor, and now you're (insert pic of helpless girl holding her finger up to her chin, while a caption reads "hmmmm") wondering whether it's normal for water to be coming trough the kitchen ceiling?

Nah - you're having us on.

 

[CanYouHelpMe]

I'm not - though the ceiling comment was a bit flippant.... We didn't notice to start with it was only when we had two baths in a row that we could see there is a leak from the bath waste... and we only looked cos I accused my other half of leaving spilt water on the kitchen floor - when I felt a drip on my head I realised what it was! The other things are the water pressure seems to have dropped no end even on the power shower - we used to use it on quarter or half power now it has to be on full and the toilet cistern can take all night to fill, well water seems to keep trickling into the pan all night, (which is annoying) but we can't flush it as there isn't enough in the cistern - filling the cistern with a bucket may stop this or just flush with a bucket but not ideal. The fitting and the tiling I am really pleased with just a shame about performance and mess.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Million dollar question - have you paid the bill in full?

This question needs answering.

If there is damage to you property that needs fixing, either by the fitters or someone else, you have some leverage if there is still money owing.

 

[CanYouHelpMe]

No not paid yet but I will - Damage is fixable and not really major. I guess to say it was trashed was just me being upset - I do need to fill holes and repaint the whole hallway and a couple of door frames but at the end of the day it could have been worse (not too sure about the kitchen ceiling -it's still where it should be at the moment but I don't know if the water will have damaged it tho I suspect it's had water through before when the previous people lived here)

I really just wanted to know if it was reasonable to complain as in the past his work has been really good - I just feel a let down by this last job... it isn't finished yet and i would rather talk to the chap so I will do that when I see him next but of course if everyone fed back I should have expected this may be I would frame it differently - just want to make it clear that what was done was not acceptable and set expectation for any future jobs - that's fair enough isn't it - and i take the point that I need to be clear about what rooms can and can't be entered and what space can be used for working (btw the garage is at the bottom of the stairs so it wasn't far)
Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Burnerman]

I think its perfectly acceptable to ask him (diplomatically) to make good any of the damage that was done by him, and in the future give him cleared space to work and make sure that he is aware of it......
You seem to have put any of your previous misconceptions well behind you now?
John

 

[Alz0r]

Only skimmed through the post, but if he's the kind of a$$hole that treats your bedroom as a workshop, then the plumbing is probably just as careless.

 

[noseall]

Only skimmed through the post, but if he's the kind of a$$hole that treats your bedroom as a workshop, then the plumbing is probably just as careless.

Which room should the suite be assembled in?