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.

It is not up to you to solve their work challenges.

A professional doesn't do a shit job and explain it away by details being difficult.

They solve problems and if there is a problem that will impact the job finish, they inform you beforehand.

The standard of work is appalling.

Believe me OP, you would have noticed if that shower piece was cracked.

They are untrustworthy.
The contractor is a disgrace.
He obviously thinks you are some dim little woman who can be fobbed off.

Tell him to go to the tiler for his £5,000🙄

I can hardly believe a trained tiler would do such an appalling job.

Oh that's really annoying! You would have noticed that for sure!

Crikey, the shower tiling and flooring behind the toilet is really poorly done. I'm so annoyed on your behalf, op.

So they should have replaced soil pipe connection, that's a totally unacceptable finish, I did better with my dad and YouTube helping me diy on my first house!!

Hope you get sorted op

I feel your pain. We are currently waiting for our new front door and window being replaced after their cock up plus more faults than one can even imagine a door having. And to make matters worse is the parents of Ds best friend

We had problems with a dodgy plumber who left us in a mess then billed us. The legal advice we got was that you can't legally refuse to pay them. But you can withhold the money until it's rectified. You need to tell them this - in writing - with a date to which they must complete it by. You are fully within your rights to do this.
We also got GasSafe involved but that would only work if he's a GasSafe plumber.

I had a plumber round to look at a bathroom recently. The WC is on a wooden plinth. I asked him why it was like that & what he could do about. His answer was that it was just lazy plumbing, easier to raise the WC than adjust the drainage (or something like that). Unfortunately you seem to have had a plumber cut from the same cloth as the one that did this installation originally. There’s no excuse for what they’ve done. If they’ve done any electrics or anything else that could compromise your safety can you get it checked out by an independent source? I’d be really worried about potential problems they may leave behind. I also had a shower that had had been leaking since the day it was built, like a previous poster has mentioned & mine was in a brand new house. Stick to your guns and hopefully you’ll get this resolved soon.

So we just went round to check the ‘final’ product. It’s worse than we realised. Loads of issues in the utility too that we hadn’t noticed.

Glad you're withholding the final fee OP - what else is wrong with the finish?

Gaps around lightsockets and the underfloor heating controls. Skirting not flush to the wall in multiple areas. Raggedy rough plasterwork. No plaster at all on part of a new stud wall. Loads of messy sealant left all around expensive new fixtures. Tiles a mess generally. Some of them are fired earth tiles too, so not cheap. Just in general a shambles. At first glance the utility looks ok but my FIL has noticed fifty things we didn’t.

Hole in the wall where they had wired a light at the wrong height and had to move it. Didn’t even fill it in properly. That’s right at eye level.

Too much to even show really. I’m so angry. They also wiped (what looks like concrete?!) on the front of my lovely Smeg fridge.

This is shocking OP. I would not only with hold remainder of the payment, I would be looking at clawing back other payment.
This is a very poor standard indeed.

Feel like crying now tbh.

Wow, they are trying to rip you off like a band-aid. Fight back.

Uneven sockets just to add to it all, so sorry OP

Loving your tiles @ShalomJackie! Nice neat job, too.

Wow, @Ihavepatrick, what an amazingly neat job! If your DH isn't a professional tiler, he's missed his vocation.

I'd start looking at preparing paperwork for small claims court. Hopefully you won't need it and you will manage to get this resolved somehow. It will be easier to build your case for claim if you start preparing it while everything is fresh in your mind. Keep a record of every conversation/communication, date etc and especially of giving them every opportunity to correct their work. DH has had two successful results from small claims including one from B&Q which a barrister friend told him he had no hope of winning 😂.

Wow. I agree with pp about get ready for court. Wouldn't be surprised if he's taken one look at it all this morning and decided it will be easier to write off the £5k.

I'd be annoyed too, particularly since you see the crack every time you use it.

I’ve sent him an email with pictures and told him I’m not paying. Will see what the response is. My mother nearly had a heart attack when she saw the pictures.

The thing to remember is that there is absolutely NO WAY that any of those people doing the job would accept that standard in their own homes.

I absolutely hate people who treat the homes of others like this and this industry needs a lot more regulation and there should be easier recourse for people who are pressured into paying a lot of money to incompetent bastards.

I’ve had this shit pulled on me. It upset me for years and I actively avoid getting any work done unless it’s absolutely necessary. People can be such utter shits.

I'm so sorry to see those pictures, really awful work.

Looks like small claims court could be a good solution to clawing back money.

Underfloor heating can be very tricky I believe and easily messed up, especially under tiling.
Make sure you have checked out that it is working well.

@Kittybythelighthouse

Feel like crying now tbh.

Oh, bless you, Kitty. I've had this happen. It's awful. But you'll be able to get it fixed, and hopefully without spending any additional money.

Looking back, you'll probably see this as a turning point in being able to be more assertive. A shoddy experience certainly helped me to a) find my voice, and b) keep my eye on things to make sure they didn't go astray.