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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not have the decorator back?

87 replies

SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 18:26

We just had a new bathroom fitted at what was (to us) a lot of money. Only thing not included was painting of the inside door, frame, and ceiling, we used someone our neighbour recommended.

I wasn't there when it was finished.

Next day in daylight and when it had dried, I was gutted. Paint splatters everywhere (including gloss and some anti mould paint), broken grout between the floor tile where apparently he dropped the paint can, and the cutting in is terrible.

He also didn't sand down the door or frame first / very well, and he got a bit of paint on the carpet on the landing.

I've tried to clean off the paint with some success but not been able to get it off everywhere. The bathroom fitters kindly came back and redid the grout for me, and said that using anything more abrasive on the bathroom furniture risks taking the coating off - so at a loss as to how to remove the paint.

I've sent him pictures of the cutting in and he has offered to come back to correct, but i'm scared him causing more damage.

I do not want this decorator back.

I do however want to correct the cutting in, and have been quoted £90 plus paint to do so (cleaning the ceiling edges, re-cutting in, and blending in to the rest of the ceiling). I think it's reasonable that he refunds me this cost and would like to request it.

The decorator who quoted me today also tried to get the paint off and said she was stumped.

So, AIBU for not wanting him back? Or should I let him back and risk further grout damage / paint splatters?

If IANBU, WIBU to request a partial refund? I paid him £380 initially - that was for the above work in 2 bathrooms, 2 half days work.

Please be nice as I don't want to be a dick here, I will listen to replies, and am genuinely upset at the lack of care taken for something that has taken us a long time to save for.

To not have the decorator back?
To not have the decorator back?
To not have the decorator back?
To not have the decorator back?
To not have the decorator back?
OP posts:
Fruitlips · 18/09/2025 18:28

Have you paid him anything?

If not, don’t but no way ask him for £90 on top of not being paid op

how odd that he was recommended by your neighbours

SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 18:30

Fruitlips · 18/09/2025 18:28

Have you paid him anything?

If not, don’t but no way ask him for £90 on top of not being paid op

how odd that he was recommended by your neighbours

I paid him in full once the job was completed - I was working away at the time.

OP posts:
SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 18:30

Fruitlips · 18/09/2025 18:28

Have you paid him anything?

If not, don’t but no way ask him for £90 on top of not being paid op

how odd that he was recommended by your neighbours

He did two bathroom ceilings for us - the other one is fine! A few paint spatters but all cleaned off easily. It's so strange.

OP posts:
Nearly50omg · 18/09/2025 18:31

I’d be wanting a FULL refund PLUS cost of having to get someone in to get the spilled paint on carpet etc cleaned off! Now another painter needs to sand all that mess down! Double the work

Fruitlips · 18/09/2025 18:32

SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 18:30

I paid him in full once the job was completed - I was working away at the time.

You paid him before you saw the finished job??

apostrophewoman · 18/09/2025 18:34

JFC the doorframe and hinges 😱
He’s slapped that paint on and didn’t give a fuck, you need all your
money back, OP, he’s no painter. Why did your neighbours recommend him?

SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 18:35

Fruitlips · 18/09/2025 18:32

You paid him before you saw the finished job??

Yes, firstly it was nowhere near as obvious in the dark (when he finished), secondly the door had wet paint so couldn't go in - this is according to husband. We had agreed to pay on completion and so fulfilled our end of the bargain.

Honestly I'm still finding paint splatters a week later, and the grout damage he hid under a bath mat.

I managed to clean the carpet as that must have been the water based paint. Still a lot of my time and upset. These things upset me more than they should.

OP posts:
SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 18:36

apostrophewoman · 18/09/2025 18:34

JFC the doorframe and hinges 😱
He’s slapped that paint on and didn’t give a fuck, you need all your
money back, OP, he’s no painter. Why did your neighbours recommend him?

this has made me cry, thank you so much for validating how i feel, i was thinking i was a crazy person

OP posts:
Fruitlips · 18/09/2025 18:39

SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 18:36

this has made me cry, thank you so much for validating how i feel, i was thinking i was a crazy person

Do you live alone?

SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 18:40

Fruitlips · 18/09/2025 18:39

Do you live alone?

no, with husband and kids, just been a difficult 12 months and I question myself constantly. and tradespeople have been an anxiety trigger for years

OP posts:
Fruitlips · 18/09/2025 18:42

SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 18:40

no, with husband and kids, just been a difficult 12 months and I question myself constantly. and tradespeople have been an anxiety trigger for years

What is your husband saying about it?

user593 · 18/09/2025 18:46

That’s an awful job OP. I would ask him for at least a 50% refund to cover the cost and hassle of getting someone else in and also that bit extra for trying to get the paint off. You have my sympathies, tradesmen give me awful anxiety too. I’m so fed up with having problems with them I rarely stand up for myself but know I should do so more!

Yamap · 18/09/2025 18:56

Your neighbour has some answering to do here. Why did s/he recommend a lazy cowboy? The door is really, really shit. Are you sure your neighbour didn’t recommend a family friend who needed work, rather than someone who’d done good work for him/her?

The best way out of this is to just pay for the remedial work. Additionally I would show the door photo to neighbour and ask why s/he recommended this twat.

No way would I let twat man back in the house.

C152 · 18/09/2025 18:58

I've been in the same situation OP, and it's shit. Don't invite the original decorator back - sometimes it's best to just cut your losses, as galling as that is.

SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 19:00

Fruitlips · 18/09/2025 18:42

What is your husband saying about it?

That i should have chosen a better decorator? Agrees the cutting in needs fixed but not fussed about getting money back. But i have an overdeveloped sense of fairness.

Do you mind me asking the reason behind your questions please?

OP posts:
SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 19:02

Yamap · 18/09/2025 18:56

Your neighbour has some answering to do here. Why did s/he recommend a lazy cowboy? The door is really, really shit. Are you sure your neighbour didn’t recommend a family friend who needed work, rather than someone who’d done good work for him/her?

The best way out of this is to just pay for the remedial work. Additionally I would show the door photo to neighbour and ask why s/he recommended this twat.

No way would I let twat man back in the house.

In fairness the other bathroom is fine, not amazing but fine. So if her job was like that I can see why she would recommend. And he is a nice guy, if a bit too 'make me a cup of tea and lets stand around a chat' for my preferences. Definitely no relation.

I'm definitely paying for the remedial work, I just wanted to know if that was unreasonable of me. And the more I think about asking for a refund, the more sick with anxiety it makes me feel, so I think thats my answer there.

OP posts:
AllrightNowBaby · 18/09/2025 19:07

Definitely do not have this “decorator” back but it would be worth paying someone else £90 to fix.
Would scraping really gently with a razor blade, like you would do on a window work.
Try on one spot because you can’t leave it like that can you?

Fruitlips · 18/09/2025 19:11

SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 19:02

In fairness the other bathroom is fine, not amazing but fine. So if her job was like that I can see why she would recommend. And he is a nice guy, if a bit too 'make me a cup of tea and lets stand around a chat' for my preferences. Definitely no relation.

I'm definitely paying for the remedial work, I just wanted to know if that was unreasonable of me. And the more I think about asking for a refund, the more sick with anxiety it makes me feel, so I think thats my answer there.

The other job wasn’t great either op

and You’re saying that you would have recommended on the basis of the other, also a bit shit, job?

Fruitlips · 18/09/2025 19:12

A few paint spatters but all cleaned off easily.

that was the other bathroom. Not someone I would recommend

Helga55 · 18/09/2025 19:14

Did you pay cash? If so, there’s no point trying to get anything back, he’ll ignore/block etc, even if paid by bank transfer, it could be difficult to get anything money back, as effectively you’ve paid for the job being complete and despite you not being there at the time, it would appear to the bank you were happy with the quality of it, he could also argue you were, as you paid in full 🙁 Unfortunately I think you just have to chalk it up to experience, as awful as it is, and find a decent decorator to correct it

SaulHudsonDavidJones · 18/09/2025 19:18

Completely agree with you op, I wouldn’t be happy with this. If you’re brave enough ask for the £90 to pay the other person. He might refuse and just force the issue of him fixing it though.

SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 19:25

Fruitlips · 18/09/2025 19:11

The other job wasn’t great either op

and You’re saying that you would have recommended on the basis of the other, also a bit shit, job?

I haven’t shared pics of the other bathroom and I assume (hope) he did a better job for my neighbour

OP posts:
SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 19:26

Fruitlips · 18/09/2025 19:12

A few paint spatters but all cleaned off easily.

that was the other bathroom. Not someone I would recommend

No I wouldn’t but I can’t speak as to the quality of the work he did next door

OP posts:
SENsupportplease · 18/09/2025 19:26

Helga55 · 18/09/2025 19:14

Did you pay cash? If so, there’s no point trying to get anything back, he’ll ignore/block etc, even if paid by bank transfer, it could be difficult to get anything money back, as effectively you’ve paid for the job being complete and despite you not being there at the time, it would appear to the bank you were happy with the quality of it, he could also argue you were, as you paid in full 🙁 Unfortunately I think you just have to chalk it up to experience, as awful as it is, and find a decent decorator to correct it

BACS 😭

OP posts:
Chattanoogachoo · 18/09/2025 19:26

The door frame is horrendous but the cutting in work does look a bit difficult, was there mould ?
Assuming you're physically fit you would have done as good a job yourself.