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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To keep quiet for the sake of Niece

35 replies

Konmariconvert · 01/09/2018 16:27

Nieces partner of 4 years has recently started his own landscaping business. To help him out with work l asked him to quote for taking an old shed down (was about to fall down) and put one in its place.

Replacement shed was second hand in 6 pieces so just needed erecting. He quoted me £120 day rate and said it was a full days work. He arrived and was here a total of 3 hours, one of those hours he was sat in his van on his phone.

To top this off, he definitely rushed the job and hasn’t put the roof back on properly so shed isn’t water tight!

I’ve asked him to come back and sort but he’s dragging his heels and l honestly feel like I’ve been ripped off.

Should l just keep quiet to keep the peace?

OP posts:
TheEmmaDilemma · 01/09/2018 16:28

I wouldn't. If I was your Niece I'd hate to know my Partner had let you down and would make sure he fixed it.

Merryoldgoat · 01/09/2018 16:35

Nope! I’d definitely tell her. I’d be mortified if I were her.

RayRayBidet · 01/09/2018 16:35

I would insist he comes back to fix it.
I wouldn't tell her unless she asks if he did a good job. Then I would be honest

Fireworks91 · 01/09/2018 16:36

Nope, this works both ways. He wasn't afraid to rip you off despite your relationship so you shouldn't be afraid to call him on it.

Original poster
Konmariconvert · 01/09/2018 16:39

My messages have been nice so far but l really want to let rip! I’ve since rung around a couple of local handymen and they have both quoted much less than l paid 😡

OP posts:
SparklyLeprechaun · 01/09/2018 16:49

Don't let it go, keep asking him to come back. As for the price you paid, that's not important, he gave you his daily rate and you accepted it. It's just that the job could have been done just as well by a handyman. It's like asking an electrician to change a lightbulb, you can't ask them to do it for a quid because that's what you'd pay a local kid.

Charolais · 01/09/2018 16:54

I didn’t know landscapers did construction as well. Maybe he was on the phone trying to get some steady landscaping contracts.

InfiniteVariety · 01/09/2018 16:54

There's no way you should accept a badly done job just because he's family. Insist he returns and finishes it properly.

PollyFlinderz · 01/09/2018 17:03

OP, Id let it go on the basis that if he was capable of doing the job properly he would have done it in the first place.

Just say something along the lines of you're getting someone who knows what he's doing to come back and fix it.

That would sting more than a load of text and phone calls.

TwigTheWonderKid · 01/09/2018 17:14

I'd tell her. If he can't even be bothered to do a job properly for you AND overcharges you for it then it doesn't really bode well for the future of his business, does it?

Charolais · 01/09/2018 17:17

This reminds me of just after my manufacturing business got started and I was flooded with purchases orders. I was in a panic because I needed more space & more equipment to keep up when my mother-in-law phone me and asked me to make her a large mirror in a frame - not at all what my business did - she carefully gave me the measurements. She thought she was helping me out - I ignored the request.

Maybe this is what happened in your case. In the U.S. landscapers don’t tear down sheds and construct new ones. He probably didn’t know what he was doing and did it was a favour, charging you his going rate for actual landscape work.

Mummyoflittledragon · 01/09/2018 17:28

I don’t agree about the comments that he’s done this to the best of his ability. Perhaps he didn’t know he’d put the roof on incorrectly but now you can see an issue, he needs to come back and put it right.

If he’s serious abut landscaping he should know how to do this properly. How else is he going to install pergolas and retaining walls?

Don’t keep quiet. Call him.

grumiosmum · 01/09/2018 17:32

have you paid him yet OP?

If not, don't pay until the job is done to your satisfaction.

AnoukSpirit · 01/09/2018 17:34

How exactly would keeping quiet help your niece in this scenario?

Original poster
Konmariconvert · 01/09/2018 17:35

Oh he knows what he’s doing, and he knows the roofs on wrong as he’s positioned the one he built too closely to my other shed and not left enough space for the roof to sit on properly and has tried to cover the large overhang on one side with a piece of the old shed ( none of which l noticed until after he had gone). He’s definitely rushed the job!

I agreed to the day rate as he specified it would take him a full day, not the 2.5 hours it actually took him. I suppose if he had done the job correctly it would have taken him longer.

OP posts:
Original poster
Konmariconvert · 01/09/2018 17:36

And yes, l paid him (through gritted teeth) on the day, it was only after he had gone l noticed the problem with the roof 😡

OP posts:
Dollymixture22 · 01/09/2018 17:39

Treat him like you would any other person you paid to do a job.

It doesn’t actually matter how long he spent doing it - you pay for a job not by th hour. What matters is the verbal contract -£120 for a properly constructed shed. He did not honour his part of the bargain.

Tell him either he fixes it or he refunds you part of the money. If you get no joy then cut your losses and get some one else in.

Don’t involve your niece, but don’t use him again!!

AnnieAnoniMoose · 01/09/2018 17:39

No, don’t keep quiet and if I was your niece I’d want to know about it!

Mind you, I’d like to think I’d have a better idea of the man I was with after 4 years.

Get the shed sorted & tell him you think he’s clearly miss quoted too.

NewYearNewMe18 · 01/09/2018 17:40

Unless your niece is a partner in his business it has sod all to do with her - unless she specifically asked you to give him trade.

Would you like it if your employer phoned your partner to whinge you hadn't don't you job properly? of course you wouldn't.

Mummyoflittledragon · 01/09/2018 17:42

So you’re saying he needs to take it to bits and move it a little. Hmm

Can you text him explaining the situation factually? If he ignores you then I’d ask your niece for help. Idk if he could remove the roof and shorten it very slightly to make it water tight.

One things for sure you won’t be recommending him in a hurry!

OlennasWimple · 01/09/2018 17:46

Leave your niece out of it - it's nothing to do with her. If she asks you about the job, then be honest, but don't try to involve her in getting things put right.

OTOH don't ignore the fact that you have paid for a job to be done that is not yet finished. Keep getting him back until he does the work to your satisfaction

Original poster
Konmariconvert · 01/09/2018 17:46

He clearly realised when it came to putting the roof on that it wouldn’t sit on the 4 sides properly having positioned it too close to another shed. So yes he should have moved the shed approximately 6 inches to allow him to sit the roof correctly. He clearly thought “sod it” and decided on a bodge job instead. This is why l am so miffed!

OP posts:
Melliegrantfirstlady · 01/09/2018 17:50

I don’t think £120 to dismantle a shed and build a new one is too bad.

Maybe he thought it would take a day?

You are seething but how long ago did you notify him the roof wasn’t on properly?

A few mins? Hours?

Original poster
Konmariconvert · 01/09/2018 17:50

Oh l don’t plan on involving Niece, but when l have to keep contacting him she will find out eventually. She would be mortified if she knew.

OP posts:
Original poster
Konmariconvert · 01/09/2018 17:54

I spoke with him as soon as l noticed the problem and he said he couldn’t come back that day and promised to call in this week. Every time I’ve contacted him he’s either ignored or said it won’t be today. The job was done two weeks ago so yes I feel a bit miffed now.

OP posts: