Where would we/neighbours/builder stand in this situation?

[craftynclothy]

We and neighbours have a brick shed that lies across the boundary. We each own an 'L' shaped portion of it. The felt roof needs totally replaced (timber is rotten, roof waterlogged).

We have a quote from someone, they have a quote from someone else. They are insisting they will "use their mate whatever". (They do say he has his own company, is insured etc but we've yet to (a) meet him and (b) check this out). It'a a bit of an "issue" atm because I feel they've basically tried to force us to use their mate (even though he's basically the same price as the guy who we have a quote from who has done work for us before)

Everyone that has quoted us has said that the roof needs to be replaced as a whole, it can't be done in the 2 sections.

So, where does everybody stand if their mate starts the work on their half only and our roof collapses? Is he responsible cos he should have known it couldn't be done in 2 sections/roof is unstable? Would we have any liability towards him because it's our bit of roof (e.g. if he decides to stand on our bit of unstable roof to work on their bit of unstable roof and goes through it)?

[prh47bridge]

Put yourself in their shoes. They probably feel you are trying to force them to use the builder you have chosen despite the fact that the builder isn't any cheaper than their mate and they don't know your builder.

If the roof needs to be replaced as a whole you really need to agree between you as to who is going to do the work. Trying to do it in halves because you can't agree on who to use could just end up increasing costs for everyone. It may also result in the repair having a shorter life than if the job was done properly.

Someone needs to break the stalemate. As long as you insist on using your builder and they insist on using their mate no agreement is possible.

[craftynclothy]

We haven't tried to force them use our builder .

We asked them ages ago if their mate could give us a quote, neighbour said he was going to see him that afternoon and would arrange it but he's never bothered coming. He didn't even come round the day he quoted for them (they knew I was in, I didn't know he was a builder - they smoke in the garden so thought that's why they were there). I've never met him or even spoken to him. Neighbour doesn't seem to want to let us speak to him. I don't know his name and have no contact number or anything for him. Anything we ask them, they just say they'll check for us .

When they said he was working on a quote for them I mentioned we'd had a quote, what it was, what it included, said I could give them his number if they wanted. Neighbour said they didn't need a skip and would get back to us when they had the quote.

They came round yesterday and said it would cost us £425, he'd do it this weekend and he needs £200 before then . I just said that without the skip our quote is just under £400 each so would be cheaper for us.

This morning it turns out (from neighbour's wife/partner) that he can't do it this weekend and never said that, neighbour had just made it up to get us to agree.

I don't actually have any objections to using their builder (assuming he is a builder, has insurance, work is guaranteed, etc) but I want to actually speak to him and get a quote from him, find out what exactly is included.

Am hoping to spot neighbour's wife getting home from work and saying "Give me your mate's name and number so I can phone him". Something just seems odd about it.

[prh47bridge]

I'm not saying you have tried to force them. I'm just wondering if that is how they see it. I think your approach is sensible at this stage.

[LittleMissHissyFit]

Don't pay anything up front, not for a job less than £500.

Tell them that you will not agree to anything without a proper quote, insurance and guarantee and would need to actually MEET this guy, and that payment upon satisfactory completion of the job ONLY.

[craftynclothy]

Right well, basically after 2 attempts we finally got the guy's number. He is a roofer for a national company but this job would be on the side, not insured, not guaranteed.

So basically neighbours are going to get the bloke to do their half (which won't properly solve the leakage problems and this bloke admits that) and I'm guessing any genuine roofer/builder won't want to touch the job now.

What the hell do I do?

[Resolution]

Look at the deeds. They might have something to say about it. Have you considered whether it is a party wall?

[LittleMissHissyFit]

But for the sake of a few quid, you could get your guy to do the job and it'd be be guaranteed... unless, they are making you pay more than half of what this cowboy is doing????

[craftynclothy]

That's my other concern LMHF. I know the quote we have is broken down into labour, materials and skip costs. The materials cost is a bit over £300. So £400 odd for their mate looks suspiciously like "You pay for the materials and about a hundred for my mate and we can pay sod all" .

Dh phoned the guy to say we wouldn't be using him and he couldn't have been nicer - seems he doesn't really want to do the job and he's mainly doing it as a favour. HE totally understood why we didn't want to use him and also said that he told the neighbours it really needs to be done as one job.

Resolution - thanks for the ideas. Can't find anything in the deeds about it. Have also looked into the party wall issue but it seems re-roofing is only covered if the wall goes above the roofline or you're cutting into it for any reason, which isn't the case. It's a flat roof.

[Resolution]

Well the boundary wall at least must be a party wall surely?

[craftynclothy]

Maybe I've misunderstood the party wall thing.

Basically the shed thing is a rectangular structure with a flat roof. From what I've read, the party wall act doesn't apply to re-roofing work (in particular because the roof is flat and therefore none of the walls go higher than the roofline). The rest of the boundary is fencing because it's in the garden.