To expect contractor to inspect materials before he uses them???

[Stouffer123]

So I purchased a lot of wood for a fence for my contractor to make. One of those slat fences that’s so popular right now. I left him to it, which probably was mistake number 1. He came to shout me when he was finished. When I’ve come out, it looks a complete MESS - all of the wood slats are crooked so that they look like waves! My mind boggles why he’s used these materials and not thought “hang on, these aren’t straight, let me go and tell the client” and instead he’s continued to use them and expect to be paid!

Am I being unreasonable to expect my contractor to check before using materials that they are fit for purpose and be annoyed he hasn’t told me that all the wood was crooked?

I do agree it’s a bad job, but I tend to think it’s the lack of adequate frame that’s the issue more than the wood. It’s hard to tell from the photo but the wood looks OK - was it sold as suitable for this type of fencing use?

Where did you get the fencer from? Are they actually a fencer or joiner, or an odd job type person?

was it speciified to begin with the design etc ?

Horizontal fences never look good, but you supplied the materials OP.

OP, I think this is an installation issue, not a materials issue. I think he hasn't put in enough vertical battens. If they're too far apart, the horizontal slats will inevitably slump, and wonkiness won't be corrected. Get on to the supplier and ask them what they recommend as the distance between the vertical battens to which the fencing is attached. Then check what he's done.

I think contractors should check the materials even if you've supplied them.

The company that did our bathroom 16 years ago twice rejected shower board on the basis it was bowed out of shape. (We were both at work when the deliveries happened).

In the end they suggested a different company and allowed us to use their account to buy the replacement product which was then cheaper, nicer to look at and better quality than we'd selected as well as NOT having the bent shape.

It meant they could deliver a good product and be happy with the quality of their work.

That's my take. He should have used a higher number of vertical battens and fixed the lengths properly. We've used a lot of those slats - they're thin and as bendy as bananas (lots of flex) without the right support. The battens look fine but the fixing method doesn't.

I think even if the strips were flat it wouldn't look very nice.

A more tradional fence would have been better as it would match the fence of the right.

I’ve walked 3 of these fences today and had a look. All of them had vertical fixing approx every 2-3ft.

I voted YABU before I saw the photo. It’s a bad job OP, I’m not convinced the wood is the problem. As PPs have said you need intermediate supports between the posts. It’s badly built.