Expensive bathroom mistake- desperate for advice!

[ChoristerQuestion]

Hello,

After 15 years we saved for a new bathroom which was a big deal for us as over £6k. The plans were carefully printed and given to the builder and unfortunately we couldn’t stay while the work was going on so kept up to date over the phone.

When we arrived the bath was beautifully installed the wrong way round to the many -very clear -pictures so that you now have to shower where the slope end of the bath is ie can’t stand securely. It also means the taps on the wall are now in the wrong place as meant to be in easy reach when lying on the bath.

The problem arose because the bathroom shop who designed and sold the materials sent the wrong bath so the waste pipe was on the other side to that which it was designed to be.

The bathroom shop refuses responsibility as says the builder should have rung and they’d have swapped it . I agree he should have but to some extent they are to blame to as this expensive mistake would not have happened if they’d sent the correct Bath we ordered.

The builder is resolute he did the right thing as says he position the bath the only way he could as the waste pipe is too big and doesn’t fit otherwise.

It is a nightmare as it doesn’t work as is and yet is apparently another weeks work to correct Now the tiling is immaculately done round it.

Does anyone please have any advice?

Huge thanks

Also we haven’t paid the builder his final amount as that is due soon on completion - i have no idea what to do as he has worked so hard and I just can’t understand why he didn’t ring to discuss the bath and changing from the plan when we were in daily touch.

The builder is absolutely at fault, don’t pay another penny until he’s rectified it! How bloody dumb do you have to be to try and ram something in “the only way it would fit” rather than recognise that you’ve got the wrong thing?
If the cash you’ve withheld doesn’t cover the cost of putting it right, file a claim in the small claims court and then pay someone else to do it.
So many bloody cowboys about...

Definitely the builder at fault - he has to rectify it at his own expense.

The trouble is it’s a whole weeks work to start again . I feel so inhuman as know he needs work . I can’t ask him to fix that level of mistake at this stage and new tenants start tomorrow so we sort anything until they are on holiday or something . I could cry!!

Another one who agrees the builder is absolutely to blame. If there was a small sense of uncertainty, he should have rung you and it would have been sorted.

From what I gather he knew the bath was wrong but decided to fit it as best he could rather than enquire with you or the shop?

Sorry but having just spent £k on a new bathroom myself and had similar (albeit less costly error), builder is at fault

Don't pay his final amount until rectified

I guess I have the bathroom shop on my side that it is a mistake as he didn’t agree it isn’t ok and they agree the bath absolutely can’t stay that way round. You can’t stand on a slope to shower.

I would turn this around as appreciate you feel bad for the builder and 'can't ask him to fix this level of mistake' but he can ask YOU to pay to 'fix this level of mistake'

It's easy to blame the bath shop as they're removed from the situation and faceless rather than have a difficult conversation but, honestly, there's no way this doesn't sit squarely with the builder. Reason being, the bath shop should have swapped had they known and the cost to fix wouldn't be what is it now...

Thank you all so much . It really helps as i find it so stressful when it feels so personal and he’s put so much into it.

The builder is at fault for installing the incorrect bath.
We've just had our bathroom redone and the bathroom shop sent the wrong toilet. It wasn't until the fitter was trying to fit the framework for the toilet (and realised it didn't fit) that he called the bathroom shop, who checked the order and confirmed the reason it didn't fit was because it was the wrong toilet!

Surely the builder should have acknowledged that the way he was fitting it was not the norm and confirmed it with you/the shop?

I totally agree I can’t understand why he didn’t raise it. It is awful it has reached this stage as now so hard to rectify

Builder is at fault totally but IMO you were daft to go away given this was such a big outlay for you...presumably this was the first time you’d used this builder too? He ought to have just stopped work once the wrong part arrived and he decided to use ‘initiative’ in your absence.

I agree- but he had such completely unambiguous plans and our contract was for him to follow these. You are right we still made a mistake and I just didn’t have anywhere to stay to supervise. Plus he was sending photos but the mistake wasn’t clear until we arrived

Builder's fault for installing wrong bath. Get him to rectify.

It doesn’t matter how hard it is to rectify . It’s his problem, not yours.

The builder is responsible for the mistake he took it upon himself to continue without consulting you the customer regardless whether you were present assuming you left clear instructions for fitting and contact details he breached his contract may of been better had you of used a plumber not a builder that aside I wouldn't be paying him and I would insist he corrects his work failing that you get a plumber to do it and bill him directly the law is on your side providing you gave and left clear information.