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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My builder just took my fireplace

342 replies

Designjunkie · 27/02/2021 09:09

I am currently having some building work done and a fireplace in the bedroom had to be removed. It is a very pretty tiled Victorian one. I had intended to sell it but with lockdown and not having any place to store it I told my builder to get rid of it. At 07:30 this Saturday morning my husband answers the door to one of the builders saying he needs to take some stuff from our site. He doesn’t say what he is taking. We weren’t expecting them today although they usually work on most Saturdays so we weren’t surprised to see one of them. It’s only when my husband sees a van from a fireplace specialist outside that he clicks that the builders have sold our fireplace. By then it is too late to go and stop them as they leave before my husband can go talk to them. AIBU to be annoyed my builder didn’t tell me what he was up to or am I being ungrateful as I told him to get rid of it ? I feel it was a bit underhand as it just happened without my knowledge. Should I say anything to my builder or let it go ?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
AndOffFlewMyLastFuck · 27/02/2021 09:19

Of course you must go after him, hold him down and demand your fire place back. How bloody dare her get rid of your fire place after you told him to
The bare faced cheek of him
I'd report him too, I'm not sure who to, but it appears to be the standard advice on here
Hope this helps

Bluntness100 · 27/02/2021 09:19

Why are you ripping out original features anyway?

Cocomarine · 27/02/2021 09:19

I want to petition MN for a YABVVVU voting button!!!

🤦‍♀️

You told him to get rid. He did. By calling the very same fireplace specialist that you could have done.

🍇

CherryValanc · 27/02/2021 09:20

You told him to get rid of it. He did.

You can't control how he got rid of it. He went to the effort if arranging to sell it.

Just because you are now annoyed that you couldn't be bothered to even look into selling it doesn't mean he shouldn't have.

Porcupineintherough · 27/02/2021 09:20

You knew it was saleable and you told him to get rid of it. What did you think he was going to do with it?

luxxlisbon · 27/02/2021 09:20

"My builder just took my fireplace ...I told my builder to get rid of it"
What exactly is your issue? You literally told him to get rid of it and now you are annoyed that he has? Why were you even thinking about trying to stop them collecting it?

SchrodingersImmigrant · 27/02/2021 09:20

Who are that 1q% yanbu😂

Bluntness100 · 27/02/2021 09:21

I'd report him too, I'm not sure who to, but it appears to be the standard advice on here
Literally every response is not that..,so hardly standard. 😂

DinosaurDigestive · 27/02/2021 09:21

I cannot believe that you were happy to just get rid of it!!

That's a sin to just throw away as they are so lovely and old!

Least now it can hopefully be placed elsewhere and appreciated.

Fireplaces are beautiful. It all comes down to money... that he has sold it as you didn't get around to doing so. Better that it is still used than dumped.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 27/02/2021 09:21

I really hate it when people buy an older house then merrily rip out the original features.

CompleteBarstool · 27/02/2021 09:21

You are joking, right?

BluebellsGreenbells · 27/02/2021 09:23

So you’d rather he destroyed a Victorian fireplace then sell it to someone else?

Jackie2022 · 27/02/2021 09:23

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Who are that 1q% yanbu😂
only explanation is they just wanted to see the results 😂
NoseOfJericho · 27/02/2021 09:23

@SmidgenofaPigeon

I really hate it when people buy an older house then merrily rip out the original features.
Me too. Trying to find one to buy that hasn't been buggered up is becoming impossible.
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 27/02/2021 09:23

Were you expecting him to eat it?

Porcupineintherough · 27/02/2021 09:23

Why are you ripping out original features anyway

I presume because she didnt want it. It's a house, not a museum.

Itslookinglikeabeautifulday · 27/02/2021 09:23

As PPs have said, you told him to get rid of it. He did. Having a sign-written van turn up at your house is hardly underhand. Did you expect it end up in landfill instead?

QueenoftheAir · 27/02/2021 09:23

YABU. You asked him to get rid of it.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 27/02/2021 09:24

He got rid of it, like you asked. He did it in a responsible way. Yabu.

User1511 · 27/02/2021 09:24

This is what happens when you’re being lazy.

You can’t get upset because he’s disposing of it in the best way. He spent the time finding where it should go, arranging collection, pictures, removal etc. Good on him for not throwing it in the skip.

ScoobyBlues · 27/02/2021 09:24

So you only wanted him to get rid of it if he smashed it to smithereens?

MissMarpleTheMurderer · 27/02/2021 09:24

I'm sorry but this has really made me laugh. You wanted him to destroy a piece of history?
I'm renovating a Victorian house, I won't tell you how much I just paid for a fireplace. But you are being vu

Cocomarine · 27/02/2021 09:24

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Who are that 1q% yanbu😂
I was just about to ask that! 100% in the comments. I’d love to see someone justify this 🤣

If I had asked my builder to just get rid of a valuable item, he would actually have said, “there’s money in that”, but then I was actually shagging him 🤷🏻‍♀️ But OP knew it was worth money. So OP you’d have said to your builder, “thanks I know, just don’t need the hassle.” And then you still would have complained 🤦‍♀️

Original poster
Designjunkie · 27/02/2021 09:24

Fair enough. I think I am more annoyed with myself. It was more the way it was done. A knock on the door at 7:30 and not telling us what was happening. I think if he had taken it away himself it wouldn’t have appeared slightly off. Made it seem he knew it was a bit sneaky. Anyway, you’re all right. Just needed to hear it from someone else.

OP posts:
Solina · 27/02/2021 09:25

Not sure what you expected him to do after you told him to get rid?

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