To be really annoyed with our builder?

[ilikeyoursleeves]

We are currently having our house extended, started mid july with an estimate to finish mid november. The builders are still nowhere near finished, they still have a wall to knock down, a wall to erect, decking to built, a concrete path to fix, the lights to fit, loo & sink to fit, drainage to do & canopy over door to do.

The snow has held things up a bit obviously but we have now had 3 days in a row with noone turning up despite the roads being fine now. The gaffer doesn't call to say they aren't coming & I only find out after I call him so we have been sat in the house waiting for them to appear for ages. One of our new radiators isn't working & they haven't sent the plumber to fix it. I know they have 2 other extensions on the go just now that their guys are working on so we feel they are ignoring us because of these jobs. However we were the first job taken on so we are starting to get pissed off big time.

On the whole they have been good but recently we feel the communication is lacking plus they are ignoring us to work on other jobs nearer to them.

Not sure if this is all normal for builders or am I being reasonable?

[Feliena]

id be livid but u need to keep them on ur side if u wanna get it finished... a very tricky one :-S id get proffesional advice on this one

[ilikeyoursleeves]

Dh went mental down the phone to the gaffer today & threatened to chuck all their tools etc in the skip! Not sure if that was the best move but we are just so pissed off at the no shows now. We are in a strong position though as we haven't paid all the money yet. We have lived in the house during the build so are going slowly mental with it all!

[stoppinattwo]

Get the gaffer in.....tell him you are re assessing how your build programme is progressing.

You are aware that they are struggling through the recent bad weather but you would now like a realistic programme to finish. AND you will be paying them on completion of each activity....

Chances are however you have lost them till the New Year.....so you need to decide do we cut our losses and get someoen else in or do you stick with a new programme for the New Year so you dont stress about them not being here until then..

If you want any advice message me xx

[stoppinattwo]

And you are right, your position is strong as you still have money in your pocket....be positive and most important dont stress about it....be realistic, it isnt going to be done this side of xmas, there is realistically only one more working week to go...

xx

[LoudRowdyDuck]

Written communication. Set out when your end date was, that you've not seen them for three days, and that you want them there now. And ask them to estimate a revised ending date. You can't keep phoning them.

Btw, your timings are exactly the same as my parents' builders - they're closer to finished but still it's not fun at all.

[stoppinattwo]

Also...tell them that you will be getting a plumber in to fix the radiator and deducting it out of any money owed to them...unless they get someone over to fix the Radiator in the next 24 hours

[ilikeyoursleeves]

The gaffer said the plumbers car is still stuck in a car park (!!!!) despite a thaw being on. ie, the plumber is making wads of cash fixing frozen pipes and has ditched our job. He hasn't made moves to get another plumber though. He also said the electrician would be out today and when noone turned up he said that the spark is now coming out next Tuesday (!).

We are hosting Xmas dinner and the gaffer knows this- I asked him a few weeks ago if he was confident that it would be done by Xmas and he said yes. I know the decking and outside stuff won't get done til after the NY now but at least I woud expect the plumbing and electrical work to be done! We can't even get our new carpets until the internal wall comes down / new one erected so feel a bit in limbo.

ARGHHHHHHHHHHH

[stoppinattwo]

Damamge limitation until the new year....honestly, please dont stress about it.

There is absolutely nothing you will be able to do unless you are prepared to change builders....they can act like complete arses some of them...knowing they have you in a predicament....would like to just cover myself by saying not ALL builders are like that though.

I work as a project manager on build projects and depending what type of agreement/ contract you have with this builder you are gonna have to think hard about what you want done before xmas.

Make a realistic list of what needs to be completed before xmas and get the Gaffer there. If he cannot commit to it ther and then you wil have to get someone else in and sack them.

[jonesybells]

agree with stoppin..

however

DH is a builder and he made sure he and most of the team got to work all throughout the snow (by picking them all up) in his 4wd vehicle - nothing stops him - he's like the terminator. In the 1987 storms he was about the only builder in Surrey who turned into work.

It can be done, - but a lot of workers seem too happy to use weather/road conditions as an excuse to work close to home., - yes they invariably will still be working even though they can't get to your job.

Sorry but it is true.

[ilikeyoursleeves]

I know they were still working on their other jobs during the snow as the other workies said to me that they were stuck in the snow after leaving a job (not our job!). Apparantly the spark is 'scared' of coming here in case he gets stuck in the snow even though I managed to drive into the city and back fine.

We have a FMB contract that says a 16 week build from mid July. I am not too bothered that the outside stuff doesn't get done til after NY but I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the spark to finish his work (apparantly he only has 5 hours work left to do) and the plumber to connect the loo / sink etc in. We have an ensuite fitted but can't use it as he didn't finish the work.

[mamas12]

I would also tell him you will give him 48 hours for the plumber and the electrician to turn up and then a further 48 hours for it to be done for you to 'do' xmas dinner otherwise you will deduct the money from the final bill.
Meanwhile look up and get quotes.