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AIBU?

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Original poster

To expect contractor to inspect materials before he uses them???

34 replies

Stouffer123 · 02/08/2024 07:51

So I purchased a lot of wood for a fence for my contractor to make. One of those slat fences that’s so popular right now. I left him to it, which probably was mistake number 1. He came to shout me when he was finished. When I’ve come out, it looks a complete MESS - all of the wood slats are crooked so that they look like waves! My mind boggles why he’s used these materials and not thought “hang on, these aren’t straight, let me go and tell the client” and instead he’s continued to use them and expect to be paid!

Am I being unreasonable to expect my contractor to check before using materials that they are fit for purpose and be annoyed he hasn’t told me that all the wood was crooked?

OP posts:
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ru53 · 02/08/2024 20:04

I voted YABU before I saw the photo. It’s a bad job OP, I’m not convinced the wood is the problem. As PPs have said you need intermediate supports between the posts. It’s badly built.

Testina · 02/08/2024 20:01

I’ve walked 3 of these fences today and had a look. All of them had vertical fixing approx every 2-3ft.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 02/08/2024 09:42

I think even if the strips were flat it wouldn't look very nice.

A more tradional fence would have been better as it would match the fence of the right.

MrsWinkly · 02/08/2024 09:07

Testina · 02/08/2024 08:23

Is it finished?
It looks straight horizontally, but with quite a low of wood bowing outwards. If there’s battening behind, he should be able to screw the “bulges” back into place.

That's my take. He should have used a higher number of vertical battens and fixed the lengths properly. We've used a lot of those slats - they're thin and as bendy as bananas (lots of flex) without the right support. The battens look fine but the fixing method doesn't.

TheDefiant · 02/08/2024 09:02

I think contractors should check the materials even if you've supplied them.

The company that did our bathroom 16 years ago twice rejected shower board on the basis it was bowed out of shape. (We were both at work when the deliveries happened).

In the end they suggested a different company and allowed us to use their account to buy the replacement product which was then cheaper, nicer to look at and better quality than we'd selected as well as NOT having the bent shape.

It meant they could deliver a good product and be happy with the quality of their work.

tishtishboom · 02/08/2024 09:02

OP, I think this is an installation issue, not a materials issue. I think he hasn't put in enough vertical battens. If they're too far apart, the horizontal slats will inevitably slump, and wonkiness won't be corrected. Get on to the supplier and ask them what they recommend as the distance between the vertical battens to which the fencing is attached. Then check what he's done.

BrigadierEtienneGerard · 02/08/2024 08:56

Horizontal fences never look good, but you supplied the materials OP.

OneNimbleFish · 02/08/2024 08:53

was it speciified to begin with the design etc ?

Testina · 02/08/2024 08:50

I do agree it’s a bad job, but I tend to think it’s the lack of adequate frame that’s the issue more than the wood. It’s hard to tell from the photo but the wood looks OK - was it sold as suitable for this type of fencing use?

Where did you get the fencer from? Are they actually a fencer or joiner, or an odd job type person?

Testina · 02/08/2024 08:41

Stouffer123 · 02/08/2024 08:33

Exactly! I can’t believe the response here seems to be, not his problem, he’s not responsible for communicating to you AT ALL! Theres four posts but no frame because the battens are nailed directly to the posts.

Show quote history

How long is each piece of wood? If you mean a post every 6ft (common spacing for your old panels) then that’s your problem. That style of fencing needs a framework. They’re not battens - battens are supports.

Nourishinghandcream · 02/08/2024 08:36

TBH I think this is down to you supplying the materials.
If he had inspected and advised you the wood was not straight, would you have been paying him for lost time while you ordered new materials?

The horrizontal battens look very close together?
Although I know this is currently very popular it is not my favourite but we did look into it a few years ago.
Back then there was definitely a wider gap but you could not see through as the vertical & horizontal battens were laid on top of a black membrane.

HucklefinBerry · 02/08/2024 08:34

I think he's fine and amazing job considering the materials he was supplied with

AlwaysFreezing · 02/08/2024 08:34

The frame built behind the fence should have had vertical posts 60cm apart and each horizontal slat can then be attached every 60cm which would have prevented this. Wood is rarely straight, it's a natural product. You have to (gently) force the wood to comply with your desired effect, as @Testina has said.

GoldenLegend · 02/08/2024 08:33

I recently bought a new door from a company that ordered it from the manufacturer and installed it. I checked the colour was correct when they arrived to do the work but I didn’t check the actual design. By the time I realised it was the wrong design, they’d junked the old door. I got on the phone to their office who insisted they didn’t check that fittings they had ordered were what the customer specified. I couldn’t believe it.

Original poster
Stouffer123 · 02/08/2024 08:33

AlwaysFreezing · 02/08/2024 08:27

Ooof, that's bad.

I'm not surprised you're unhappy. I can't belive he didn't see that it was so bad, early on, and come and talk to you.

How many posts has he attached to? Did he install the frame too?

Exactly! I can’t believe the response here seems to be, not his problem, he’s not responsible for communicating to you AT ALL! Theres four posts but no frame because the battens are nailed directly to the posts.

OP posts:
Original poster
Stouffer123 · 02/08/2024 08:29

Lmnop22 · 02/08/2024 08:27

You have to pay him.

You gave him wood and asked him to build a fence with it. He did so.

For all he knew you’d deliberately chosen this shape of wood for some sort of effect.

Don’t be ridiculous, why would I want a bowed crooked fence

OP posts:
Testina · 02/08/2024 08:28

Stouffer123 · 02/08/2024 08:25

Yep there’s bowing outwards but also lots of crooked areas. It actually doesn’t look too bad on first glance but when you focus you can see each batten is crooked

Show quote history

I think you misunderstand me. A batten isn’t each strip of wooden that you can see in your photo - it’s the framework of wood that will be behind those, to support them and hold them in place. So where it bulges out, you put a screw through the bulging part and “force” (gently!) it straight back in line by screwing it into the batten (frame) behind. That’s why I asked if it was finished - or whether that was still to be done.

Lmnop22 · 02/08/2024 08:27

You have to pay him.

You gave him wood and asked him to build a fence with it. He did so.

For all he knew you’d deliberately chosen this shape of wood for some sort of effect.

AlwaysFreezing · 02/08/2024 08:27

Ooof, that's bad.

I'm not surprised you're unhappy. I can't belive he didn't see that it was so bad, early on, and come and talk to you.

How many posts has he attached to? Did he install the frame too?

Original poster
Stouffer123 · 02/08/2024 08:25

ByCupidStunt · 02/08/2024 08:22

Because if it is, my god you must really hate your next door neighbour lol.

Her 10 foot high fence has been there for years, I just matched it

OP posts:
Original poster
Stouffer123 · 02/08/2024 08:25

Testina · 02/08/2024 08:23

Is it finished?
It looks straight horizontally, but with quite a low of wood bowing outwards. If there’s battening behind, he should be able to screw the “bulges” back into place.

Yep there’s bowing outwards but also lots of crooked areas. It actually doesn’t look too bad on first glance but when you focus you can see each batten is crooked

OP posts:
Testina · 02/08/2024 08:23

Is it finished?
It looks straight horizontally, but with quite a low of wood bowing outwards. If there’s battening behind, he should be able to screw the “bulges” back into place.

ByCupidStunt · 02/08/2024 08:22

Because if it is, my god you must really hate your next door neighbour lol.

ByCupidStunt · 02/08/2024 08:21

Is that the finished picture OP?

Original poster
Stouffer123 · 02/08/2024 08:19

Sunshineboo · 02/08/2024 07:59

maybe he thought you wanted it that way? if you supplied the materials you can hardly blame him
for the quality of said materials

I’m disabled and all the wood was purchased and left for him to sort.

OP posts: