To not have the decorator back?

[SENsupportplease]

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.

Explained this upthread, thanks

Not sure why you are so keen to make DH the bad guy in this scenario but other than him having nearly as many challenges as me when it comes to trades, he isn’t in the wrong here and you aren’t going to get anywhere

OBVIOUSLY it was daft to pay, but the problems are much less visible at night, especially when you can’t open the door fully because it’s wet! we kept to our agreement with the decorator. Stupid yes, nothing to do with DH!

Agreed, my foolish error

Good grief everyone, please stop hectoring the poor OP about her relationship with her husband. It's just goulish.

I completely understand why you are upset OP and I would not let the idiot decorator back into the house. Ever.

NB I don't know the first thing about decorating, have no clue what cutting in actually is. I am fortunate enough to afford to pay people to do this kind of work and have absolutely no intention in my 60s of learning a craft that I would almost certainly be crap at. We've got people coming in soon to completely renovate our hall and stairs. It's going to be a big job and of course I'm anxious that they do a good job. But they seem to be pretty professional and we'll just have to roll with it and see how it goes.

Edited for typos

if you weren’t there I wonder if he did it or sent someone e else

I was there first day and morning of second, just had to leave before he finished on second day. DH was there whole time. It was the same guy both days.

Fuck me, another thread turned into man bashing. Good grief, would you weird unhappy women give it a rest.

OP, just write it off, you sound very similar to me, i'd be so upset with the work and my DH would be similar and say lets just get it sorted. For £90 its not worth the confrontation and stress its causing you. Just remember next time pick someone with a proven track record and work you can see x

‘Barkeepers friend’ might shift the paint. Try it on a small inconspicuous area to make sure it doesn’t react with you surface ( even if it doesn’t work on this, it’s magic on pans and pretty much anything else, so you won’t waste your money. (Amazon or online outlets).

Doesnt matter if your DH was there, its what you're happy with and you arent happy! Thats all that matters.

I feel gutted for you. What should have been quite exciting, having a shiny new bathroom, has been tainted by a shitty tradesperson. Absolutely not your fault. Trusting word of mouth is akin to a glowing review. I would totally trust a neighbours review. Poor you. Sadly I think that like others have said you’ll have to chalk it up and get someone else in to sort it out 🤷🏻‍♀️

The standard of work is shoddy and unacceptable . I would be putting a review of his work online if he didn’t rectify it to my satisfaction.

Did he get somebody else in to do the second ceiling for him? It sounds likely, and isn't what you paid for.

I found Decorator's Wipes got the paint spatters off everything after the previous occupants clearly couldn't paint properly. Or you could try white spirit in an inconspicuous area. I'm horrified he didn't put down cloths! I had someone destroy my patio so I sympathise.