Last year we decided to build an extension and sorted out the builders etc. My Uncle had recently qualified as an electrician and we asked him if he would be interested in doing the electrical work on the extension. I asked him for a price for the work after showing him the plans but he didn?t come back to me with one. He was asked again for a price when the first electrical work was to be started but again didn?t come back to me with a quote.
To cut a long story short, he still hasn't finished after more than 12 months work (although the actual build was signed off in January) and has been responsible for a catalogue of disasters including cutting through a water pipe on his first day, forgetting to put cables in and switches on walls, breaking lamp shades and sockets, and generally bodging a lot of the job. In addition he only comes for one or two half days a week when he spends more time sat on the chair drinking tea and eating lunch we've made him than working and practically has to be dragged off the chair to do anything at all. He often rings up to cancel coming at very short notice as he is working on jobs for other people, which all take priority over our job.
He has held up our decorating work and caused endless frustration and stress. In addition he has used DP as a labourer, used DP's tools as he never seems to have the right tool for the job, uses materials meant for us on other jobs and never tidies up any of the mess he makes. Also DP usually has to go round after he's gone making things good and ensuring fitments are level etc.
If he wasn't related and we had employed him with an agreement in place, we would have fired him from the job at least 6 months ago.
The reason we have put up with all of this and remained patient and good natured with him is we presumed that he was doing the job for nothing, especially as he was prioritising other jobs before ours and fitting us in around other work.
We have paid for materials as and when needed, including equipment and materials needed to repair his bodges.
Today he asked DP for £1000 for the work he had done. DP was a bit stunned and told him that he would discuss it with me later. If we had been told beforehand by him that the work would cost £1000, we would have demanded the job be given priority and finished well before now. We also wouldn't have put up with any mess or mistakes either.
We are both gobsmacked that he has asked for this money and are not really sure how to handle it. We feel that he has not earned this sort of money from us at all and our initial reaction is to tell him to take a running jump. Any opinions and advice would be welcome.
WWYD?