AIB a bit too Reasonable re builder?

[Millie1]

We used one main contractor to build our house two years ago. Lovely man, reputable firm. Anyway, fast forward one year, and we notice the architraves are lifting away from the walls - not all but a fair number. Builder came and looked and said the joiners used a nail gun rather than good old hammer and nails. Nail gun not strong enough and he would get someone in to nail them back to where they should be. The work is being done tomorrow (my fault it's taken so long, not his). Anyway, we have a lot of internal doors (about 15) and maybe 2/3 to 3/4 will need some attention.

It's obviously going to leave the paintwork in a shocking state with the tops of nails needing filled and then the architraves needing repainting - and skirting too cos you couldn't do one without the other. DH and I are not painters (we're a disaster) so we will have to get someone in to paint. We can't afford to pay out that much money right now so will be left with messy architraves until we can. My question (after all that!) is, are we right to be taking this cost on ourselves when it was poor workmanship which caused the problem in the first place?

Thanks!

Of course you shouldn't pay for the re paint. I can't believe you're asking this to be honest.

Maybe post this in legal to see if anyone can help answer this? Mi immediate thought is that they should cover most of this at least?

Yes you're right

The builder is making his part right and if you and your husband can't put paint on the wood afterwards, that's not really his fault.

Also, if you feel the skirting needs doing...again that's not down to the builder.

Hmm, I would have thought a few strategically positioned blobs of glue wouldn't have gone amiss. If it had been glued, it wouldn't have come off.

The builder sounds reasonable. He's admitted responsibility re nail gun v hammer and nails. With that in mind, I don't think YABU to expect any 'cosmetic' work you have done since to be put right, as a result of something he's admitted to.

It would be different if he'd cited wear and tear or some similar bollocks. He sounds like a really nice guy so far, I would mention it in a non-defensive manner, before he starts any remedial work. He will probably be expecting it, tbh!

My friend's plumber botched something up that caused a tiny leak in the ceiling and they ended up with the whole room being re-done! Then again, they are a lot cheekier than I could have been!

We hadn't planned to ask him to cover the cost but my BIL, who also works in the building trade, did mention that we shouldn't be out money for repainting. We are the type of people not to ask and to do it ourselves and, in the past, have often probably been total mugs taking this approach to any potentially awkward situation. The builder is being v reasonable and always has been but one thing is that were it not for this problem, we wouldn't be dreaming of repainting all the architraves just now - and paint itself costs money! We will end up taking on the cost of it but I was just interested to see what the MN consensus is!

No the builder should definitely make good

Why, Millie? Your BIL is right, and like I said, I think the builder would be amazed and relieved if you don't mention redecoration costs! Could you ask BIL to be there when builder visits? I bet he'd mention it for you, if you don't feel comfortable? I hate to think of people being taken advantage of!

Dunno thebeansmum - probably because we always want to avoid any ill-feeling. I certainly wouldn't expect him to meet the cost of all the re-decorating if we chose to do the skirting board so as to keep all the woodwork fresh, as opposed to repainted architraves and scuffed skirtings but in an ideal world if he met us half way it would help enormously. Maybe we should sound him out tomorrow. Also, there is a bigger problem with something supplied by a third party but installed by the builder which worries me more and I don't want to rock the boat re paint when we might have to rock the boat re this other issue! .

Fair enough, good luck anyway