AIBU to bin off nice but not very good decorator?

[Ivebeeninlockdowntoolong]

Hi I'd welcome MNs advice please.

We have just commissioned a decorator to paint most of our house, he's a very nice person and we've agreed a pay as you go arrangement; his daily fee at £130 is all agreed and all is fine.

But he is mid-way through painting our living room, and frankly, he's not done a great job. The ceiling has lots of stipple marks, he's missed bits out, and ditto on the walls. Also some of the paint has caught the alarm monitor. We asked him to redo the ceiling this morning, and though it is better than it was, we can still see the flaws.

So our thoughts are to let him finish the room (correct the unsatisfactory bits ourselves); pay him off and then not ask him to come back to do the rest of the job. Any ideas on how to approach this situation, ie broach it with him?

Let him finish a room first, he might be aware and tidy it all up at the end then if you don't like it ask him to correct the work and don't ask him back.

I'd be sacking him off, doesn't matter if he's nice, you're paying him to do his job which it sounds like he can't even do properly

The room's walls and doors look okay. He's coming back to do another gloss coat on the woodwork tomorrow.

We have already asked him to redo the ceiling, it's still not great but we can remedy it.

Nice chap but I think we will pay him up for the work to date and try and find someone else. Back story - we have struggled to find any decorator that has been even willing to come and quote - all recommended ones we contacted appeared to be too busy to bother!

DP is a decorator and he is insanely busy. Has been throughout the pandemic (oddly enough as this is a trade that suffers quickly in economic downturns) so I wouldn't be too scathing about other people being too busy "to bother" to quote you. They may just be too busy! My DP couldn't take on a whole house at present so wouldn't waste anyone's time by quoting it.

Start looking for a new decorator now. Get the current one to finish the room and make good.

Best of luck.

That's why I've never had anyone do it for me. I'm quite fussy and want it perfect so prefer to do it myself. Although lots of my house needs painted and I've 2 wee ones so we will probably need to get someone in.

My mum got one recently and he did a really gd job I'd be happy to have him do some work for me. He's probably booked up until forever too 🙈