Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 13 14

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

HappyasLaura · 27/02/2021 09:39

Your annoyance is misdirected. You’re annoyed with yourself because you could have called up the fireplace specialist company had you thought of it. Frustrating. YANBU to be annoyed. I get it. But YABU to be annoyed with the builder who only did what you asked him to do.
I suppose if he’d done it discretely then you’d never have seen with your own eyes why you could have done yourself, had you thought about it and you’d have been none the wiser which I agree would have been preferable for you. But the builder is definitely not in the wrong.

Original poster

Designjunkie · 27/02/2021 09:39

I would have expected him to let me know what time someone would be showing up at my house, especially as 07:30 on a weekend is outside of working hours. Common courtesy ?

OP posts:

Nanny0gg · 27/02/2021 09:41

@Designjunkie

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.

How was it sneaky?

He did what was asked!

OhCaptain · 27/02/2021 09:42

@Designjunkie

I would have expected him to let me know what time someone would be showing up at my house, especially as 07:30 on a weekend is outside of working hours. Common courtesy ?

Ok but you didn’t seem to have a problem with that until everyone said YWBU

WorraLiberty · 27/02/2021 09:42

It's not sneaky at all.

I know 3 builders and they're always selling or giving things away that their clients have asked them to get rid of.

Much better than it going to landfill.

Viviennemary · 27/02/2021 09:42

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

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 27/02/2021 09:43

It's not remotely sneaky
But 7.30 on a Saturday, no-one's coming in my house then, except the emergency services.

Mrstwiddle · 27/02/2021 09:44

I think I can understand where you’re coming from OP with the “sneaky” behaviour.

It was the fact that the builder didn’t make it clear that he was hear to take the fireplace, just referring to it as “stuff”. Obviously they didn’t want to give you the chance to change your mind as you may have done otherwise, particularly were you to see the fireplace specialist outside.

I don’t think he did anything wrong but I also think it was sneaky and wouldn’t be very happy about it either.

Mrstwiddle · 27/02/2021 09:44

“Here” not “hear”

luxxlisbon · 27/02/2021 09:45

@Designjunkie

I would have expected him to let me know what time someone would be showing up at my house, especially as 07:30 on a weekend is outside of working hours. Common courtesy ?

It isn't that outside of normal working hours if they are there most Saturday mornings. Is it mildly annoying to be woken up at 7:30 if you wanted to sleep in? Sure but your OP doesn't suggest that is why you are annoyed, you said it was underhanded and wanted to speak to him about it. It could have been arranged for another day and this was it being rescheduled at the last minute.

LalalalalalaLand123 · 27/02/2021 09:45

When we have had work done, there was tons of stuff that we told the builder they could take if they wanted, basically 'get rid of it', bin it, keep it if you want. They kept loads - mirrors, tiles, carpet, wooden stairs, furniture and appliances we no longer needed. What they did with it was their concern. YABVU.

Clymene · 27/02/2021 09:46

It would have been much sneakier if he had taken it out and met the fireplace guy down the road so you didn't see he was selling it. Not giving you advance notification of an early call to collect it is perhaps annoying but it isn't sneaky.

Original poster

Designjunkie · 27/02/2021 09:47

No I thought that by arranging it outside of working hours made it appear underhanded. BUT I think you are all right. I’m annoyed with myself. 🤦🏻‍♀️I think I knew it from the beginning which was why I wrote this post. Thanks for making me see sense.

OP posts:

Subordinateclause · 27/02/2021 09:47

I'm surprised no one has pointed out that he actually saved you money - when a builder skips something, you're paying somewhere along the line for that whether it's direct or not. Commercial builder vans can't just take things to the local tip like you can, they should be paying to dispose of things. Fair play for admitting your mistake though.

TatianaBis · 27/02/2021 09:48

They’re very difficult to sell, you’d have ended up donating it it to an architectural salvage yard and they’d have lined it up with all the other fireplaces.

I love period houses, but I loathe fireplaces in bedrooms (unless they’re pre 1820 or so), as they just take up dead space without being particularly aesthetic. I don’t think you were wrong to remove it.

viques · 27/02/2021 09:48

@Designjunkie

So if he had hoiked it into the back of his van at 10.30 am and driven round the corned and transferred it to the fireplace persons van you would have been happy.

Just imagine that’s what happened .

sunflowersandbuttercups · 27/02/2021 09:49

Why should he give her a chance to change her mind?

She asked him to get rid of it. He got rid of it. She's just annoyed because he got money for it.

UsedUpUsername · 27/02/2021 09:51

Why ask for it back? You said get rid ...

Murtaghjames · 27/02/2021 09:51

Are you serious??? you told him to get rid of it!!!

Cocomarine · 27/02/2021 09:51

@Designjunkie

I would have expected him to let me know what time someone would be showing up at my house, especially as 07:30 on a weekend is outside of working hours. Common courtesy ?

Can you really not see that that is clutching at straws to be cross with him?

thosetalesofunexpected · 27/02/2021 09:52

This Post thread is the height of total Lockdowns madness.!😕

Just like that Post thread before on taking it out bins day etiquette debate.

GiveMeNovocain · 27/02/2021 09:52

@Designjunkie

I've done things I kicked myself for later too. I'd assume he has good contacts and it would have been a nightmare to sort privately. May not be true but I give myself an alternative that makes what happened seem ok,

Original poster

Designjunkie · 27/02/2021 09:54

We have given him a few things already which I know he’ll sell on and that is fine.

OP posts:

Original poster

Designjunkie · 27/02/2021 09:57

GiveMeNovocain - Yes!

OP posts:

glassshoes · 27/02/2021 09:58

Came onto say what you have already concluded, that you are annoyed at yourself

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 13 14