AIBU to be annoyed about my new shower?

[Kittybythelighthouse]

Hi, I just got a brand new shower plumbed in and the handle is cracked - just a cosmetic ceramic piece but annoying all the same. The plumber said it was like that when they opened the box. I did look at it when it was delivered and I’m sure I’d have noticed that, but it is possible that I just didn’t notice it. If it was cracked when they went to install it I’d have expected them to say something so I could have returned it. As it stands they didn’t say anything, went ahead and installed it, and now I can’t return it. It’s not the end of the world of course, but it does bother me. The shower was over £300. Am I being unreasonable? What would you do? Is it possible to get that little ceramic bit replaced? I think it’s just going to bother me every time I see it now.

Ah I see. You might want to present a united front when you confront the builder.

Also I’ve found that some builders work better when you’re around and checking up on them every hour. Terrible in know, it shouldn’t be necessary.

OP,

Please don't be bullied into paying.

The work is appalling.

A right cowboy job.

Take lots of photographs and post them to the contractor and tell him he will not be paid.

I have no doubt the chipped the shower and then fitted it.

Cowboys.

The tiling is shocking.

Are you going to be living there a while?

This will bug you everyday and work like that devalues your home.

I wouldn't touch a house with such shoddy work.
I would be wondering about work I couldn't see!

Stay strong.

This is the unfinished form of what they should have done. My dad’s a plumber - the work you have had done is wholly unacceptable.
I wouldn’t allow them back in my house, as pp have said, I’d be getting quotes to fix, withholding any further payment until it is out right. If necessary I’d even be considering small claims to have them pay to put it right if it is more than the 7k you have yet to hand over.

Put, not out, sorry 😳

He’s left the keys in the letterbox today and that’s them done. He’s expecting me to pay the balance today. I won’t. I don’t expect to have a Barney. I’m simply going to email him pics and say “I’m not paying as the work isn’t done to a reasonable standard”. There’s no way he can argue otherwise. Let him try it!

Is there someone who needs final sign off like someone from the insurance company?
It doesn’t need to be a row. Don’t be emotional. It’s a shabby finish. You want it redone ASAP.

TBH, they shouldn't have installed it, as it's so very obviously broken. Or if a new part wasn't immediately available, offered to come back and install the new one.

But based on the quality of that tiling/grouting... Perhaps look for a new plumber to finish the job. That grouting is an absolute MESS. I wouldn't have signed off on the job with it looking like that.

OP ... please don’t pay him any further money ... that is beyond terrible!
I hope you get this sorted. You deserve the beautiful finish/house you dream of

Don’t worry everyone, there’s no way I’ll be bullied into paying. I’m quite chill about it today because it’s so egregiously bad. It would be very hard for him to argue that it is a job well done.

PETRONELLAS the insurance already paid out months ago. Only sign off would be from us.

Good luck OP- you stand your ground. I wonder if they think they can get away with it as you're so nice and a woman?!

I do think it’s because I’m nice. I’m nice but I am not stupid. I guess as a woman you have to be hardcore the whole way through or they will just take the piss. My father in law is super nice, loved by everyone. No one ever pulls shit like this on him. Wonder why!

Kitty, Im so pleased that you are being strong about this. The job finish is not just shoddy, its obviously really bad. Would love to see the bosses bathroom tiling, bet its perfect..............

Thank you. I don’t like confrontation (who does?) but I like being taken for a ride even less. Really appreciate all the advice. It’s helped a lot.

Good luck Kitty
I really, really hate confrontation too so would find this kind of thing very hard to deal with, but this is such a shoddy job that you couldn't put up with it I'm sure.
Plus you may well end up with another leak from tiling done as badly as that, its not just about the aesthetics. We had our ceiling come down as a result of a slow leak from the poorly tiled shower put in by the previous owners of our house. Water had been seeping behind the tiling very gradually and building up under the shower tray until disaster struck. We assumed it was a burst pipe initially but there was nothing wrong with the plumbing at all, it was all down to the tiling. So don't let them fob you off!

That finish is horrendous op.

I've never seen tiling this bad before.

I hope you get it sorted op.

Oh my gosh! That sounds awful! We are clueless as this is the first home improvement job we’ve undertaken and it was a huge job. We aren’t idiots though and won’t be accepting this standard of work, particularly knowing what can happen down the road as in your case!

Shameless placemarking. I want to see how this ends. It’s one of the worst botches I’ve ever seen.

Well done OP for not being bullied. Send him every single one of the appaling photos.

You definitely could not recommend a contractor who would stand over such work.

How are they going to fix such a shit job is the question.?
Are they going to take all those tiles down again?

I don't know how it can be fixed.

If your FIL is a strong character, perhaps ask him to have a look.

Getting a reputable tiler in to give his opinion would be a good idea.

A reputable tiler will tell you can it be salvaged.

It may not be.

Have you gone back yet?

Husband says the remaining balance is ~5k. Reckon this would be enough for a total redo if we have to? 🙈 we aren’t paying them another penny. Father in law said he’s coming round later. He works in the business and knows what he is talking about. He is astounded by the pics and said do not give them a penny, so we won’t.

Not gone back yet. Working for husband to finish a work zoom.

*waiting for husband to finish work zoom I should say.

Regarding the toilet (see pic) he told me last night that this gap is because the previous toilet was an older toilet (perhaps 80’s) and the soil pipe isn’t close enough to the wall. Is that a real thing? Shouldn’t they have said that to us?

It’s a big gap. I can easily fit both my hands in there prayer style 🙏🏻