Building work overrun gripe

[nicknamealreadyinuse]

Having an ensuite bathroom refit (included some very minor structural changes but then all the usual stuff - new floor, new suite etc) and it was supposed to take two weeks, we are now on week four and it's not going to be ready for xmas. This means we will have to sleep in the spare room over xmas, half our stuff is in the wrong places etc. I've also had to have the builders in for four weeks (plus whatever extra after xmas - at least a few more days) instead of two.
My impression of why it's overrun so much is that they have been distracted by another job or maybe they under-estimated the scale of the job- not sure. There has been one or two people here each day.
Should I be complaining to the builders or is this one of those things?

Anyone? Trying to work out whether to complain at the builder tomorrow

I think you can complain a bit. But you presumably want them to finish the job so tread gently, if you moan too much they will never finish. Accept that it won't be finished now for Xmas, but try to agree targets for smaller tasks.

I think I will ask them to have a good clean up before Xmas eve. Seems fair. Don't see why I should live with the mess over xmas when it's overrun by 100%

If there have been one or two people in every day the job should be nearly finished. What are your payment arrangements? Have you paid for it yet? What work needs doing?

I would have the boss round tomorrow and go through what needs to be done for Christmas and what will be done after ( so you feel you know what is going on).

Our build was meant to be a 16 week build. 20 weeks later and we have someone here every day still doing something. And this will continue after Christmas for at least another month. They've been here since July. It's been a big job but it should have been over with. The build is great but the builder had another job on and it took them away from our build.

It is annoying but try to think of the bigger picture that when it is done it will be great. It's more irritating when it's Christmas but believe me there is nothing worse than a sulky load of builders in your home.

I agree that one or two workers should have sufficed. Actually it has mainly been one guy thinking about it, but even then. Not paid yet. Obviously I won't pay until it's done. The builders were highly recommended and apart from this have been great but this slowness and the not finishing for Xmas issue are annoying me now.

Ah, over-running builders. Ours started in March this year for a 14 week job and tomorrow is their last day - hurray! Admittedly their work is beautiful and we will be enjoying it long after we have forgotten how slooooooooow they were, but fuck me they are the slowest workers I have ever EVER come across. No amount of chivvying, cajolling, or any other means has made them work any faster.

Sorry!

Gosh that's dire poor you backin thebox. What were they building all that time?!

It's a 4 room extension on the side of a Grade 2 listed cottage. It's partially timber framed and partially brick. It has all had to be done in the same style as the 400 year old bit of the house. Where they cut through into the old bit upstairs it made us realise we needed to fix up the bit on the old side, so that is where they are now.

At one point last summer we all ended up sleeping in one room together. And I had a broken leg, and still the builders came and hammered and banged and shouted. Happy, happy summer that was!

Today is the last day of builders though. Yay! Friends keep saying 'ooh, when you've finished this house you'll want to sell it and do up another one.' Let me think about that one? No!

It sounds lovely but what a nightmare, especially with the broken leg! How did you manage to climb over the inevitable builders' debris?

Is it two extra rooms upstairs and two down then?

At least it HAS to be in keeping with the house. I fear a lot of people who have added glass/ steel boxes onto the back of non-listed period houses in the last year or two will regret it in ten years' time when it looks hideously 2010/11 and dated.