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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
doublehalo · 27/02/2021 14:52

"I told my builder to get rid of it."

                                            <strong>THE END</strong>
Sapho47 · 27/02/2021 14:55

I feel it was a bit underhand as it just happened without my knowledge

Without your knowledge? It was you who told him to do it?

What did you think he was gonna do take it and pay to dispose of it as commercial waste and bill you?

YouWereGr8InLittleMenstruators · 27/02/2021 14:57

My neighbour is a scrap metal man. When I was having my boiler and washing machine replaced, I had told him he would be able to pick them up outside my house at noon. It's not much, but a nice, neighbourly gesture.
I was really irritated when the plumber's own scrap metal friend rocked up with his truck mid morning and began to load them up. I had to get really shirty with the plumber to get them to stop hoiking my stuff onto the truck. At no point had we agreed that he could make arrangements for the scrap to be taken away. Now that IS cheeky.

1forAll74 · 27/02/2021 14:58

I am sure this happens quite often, where someone want's to get rid of something, then someone takes it, and makes some money out of the item,or items. Bad for you, but good luck for them !

littlepattilou · 27/02/2021 15:05

@Designjunkie I can't believe you are even asking this.

Of COURSE YABU. You told him to get rid of it and he did.

You're obviously sore and pissed off that he made money off you, but it's just tough.

Reminds me of a friend of mine who bought something off a work colleague, (for £75,) kept it for a year, and then sold it on ebay for £475.

She was daft enough to tell the colleague, and she never heard the last of it. She was the devil incarnate for doing it, and the colleague demanded half of the £400 profit... My friend told her no, and she caused such a fuss and ranted SO much about it, and tried to turn everyone against my friend, that my friend asked to be moved to another site, to get away from her.

Obvious bad loser is obvious. Wink

katy1213 · 27/02/2021 15:10

You'd have preferred him to take a hammer to it?

Youllbeoldertoo · 27/02/2021 15:11

@Designjunkie

Gosh you must be a nightmare to go work for. I feel sorry for your builder.

ifitpleasesandsparkles · 27/02/2021 15:12

I also hate when people do what you ask them to do.

Cunts.

Runnerduck34 · 27/02/2021 15:12

You told him to get rid if it, that was your mistake, but storing it at your house then getting the person who he obviously sold it to to pick it up directly from you is really very cheeky.
I would be tempted to mention it to him when you next see him.

roses2 · 27/02/2021 15:15

£1,500 is what you might expect to pay in an upmarket neighbourhood for a fully refurbished fireplace. If you'd sold it to a salvage yard yourself you would only have got £200-300 depending on size and condition.

If it really bothers you ask the builer how much he got for it and see if he'll knock something off your bill.

Nith · 27/02/2021 15:24

@JohnLapsleyParlabane

Yes you call your builder and tell him he owes you the price received as it wasn't his to sell
Yes it was. Effectively OP gave it to him by telling him to get rid of it.
Botanicals · 27/02/2021 15:35

You have taken this with good spirit op Star

BillieSpain · 27/02/2021 15:50

@FurrySlipperBoots

I sold my Great-Gran's jewelry at a car boot sale. It was hideously ugly and it just didn't occur to me it might be valuable, so I literally just gave it away for a couple of quid. The excitement of the buyer was evident and I realise with hindsight it must have been worth something. I've been kicking myself since, but I can't blame the dealer who bought it. She recognised a value in it that I didn't, at the time I just wanted rid. We were both just doing what we considered was best for us at the time, just as you and your builder were. Move on, OP, is my advice, as dwelling just makes you bitter.
OMG Shock

You sold your Great Grandmothers jewelry at a car boot?

Lord.

haggisandmarsbar · 27/02/2021 15:57

@Lindy2

You told him to get rid of it so he did exactly as you asked.

If it's a nice Victorian fireplace I'm very glad he sold it so it will be preserved and reinstalled in someone else's house. It would have been dreadful if it had just gone on the skip - but it sounds like you think that would have been ok...

You could have sold it yourself but you chose not to. He doesn't owe you anything and he doesn't need to be spoken to - unless you really want to piss your builder off unnecessarily mid job.

This. It's good that he's sold it not binned it.
AnExcellentWalker · 27/02/2021 16:02

Lol this is like the adult version of cutted up pear.

adventurealice · 27/02/2021 16:32

Honestly I do see OPs side, it's like when you give something away on the local free site Facebook group and then they are selling the item in a different group hours later. It's the ethics of it.

MarthaWashingtonsFeralTomcat · 27/02/2021 16:39

Honestly I do see OPs side, it's like when you give something away on the local free site Facebook group and then they are selling the item in a different group hours later. It's the ethics of it.

See that depends. Often I give stuff away for free because I just want it gone. If it's free I have more control over the timing of getting rid, and people are more motivated to come and collect it immediately.

If they then sell it... well, it isn't mine to sell anymore Confused

It pisses me off more when people are fannying about asking if I've got the instruction booklet or if I'll deliver. No, if I was going to that faff, then I would sell it myself!

Pennethorne · 27/02/2021 17:10

Do you realise what 'get rid of it' even means?

Would you have been delighted had he took it to the tip? Which would be a shitty thing to do, really, Victorian fireplaces are in demand as people put them into stylish homes. And with tiles too! You had a treasure and you chucked it. I hope the builder's delighted with his bargain find :)

Whammyyammy · 27/02/2021 17:13

He done exactly what you asked him to do

islockdownoveryet · 27/02/2021 17:24

I think the arriving at 7.30 on a Saturday would of annoyed me in fact I would of ignored door if he didn’t say he was coming .

DoubleTweenQueen · 27/02/2021 17:46

I can understand your feeling put out if you had thought about selling it yourself, decided against doing that as it might take a while and be a pita - then asking builder to get rid, and he sold it very quickly and easily.

Probably made you stop and think you might have been able to do the same and put the money towards your renovations which I imagine are not inexpensive.

It’s fine to feel a bit put out about it, and if a similar situation comes up again you will be more savvy in your own favour Flowers Wine

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 27/02/2021 18:05

READ

THE

F[IREPLACE]

THREAD

PEOPLE

OP

AGREES

SHE

WAS

BU

Grilledaubergines · 27/02/2021 18:07

@JohnLapsleyParlabane

Yes you call your builder and tell him he owes you the price received as it wasn't his to sell
Yes it is. He was told to get rid and he did that. Unless OP specifically said “get rid, but don’t sell”.
Puzzledandpissedoff · 27/02/2021 18:16

You sold your Great Grandmothers jewelry at a car boot?

People do though, Billie; at the one I used to go to there was a woman who went from car to car as they arrived, sqwawking "Got any gold??"

I do actually, but like hell I'd take it to a boot sale ...

grey12 · 27/02/2021 18:18

You got annoyed because you couldn't be bothered to call the fireplace company. Sorry next time you won't make the same mistake