Any advice for dealing with builders who don't turn up?

[noitsachicken]

Hi,
We have been having our garage converted and new kitchen installed. Job estimated to take about 4 weeks.
All started off well then they stopped turning up each day, giving excuses all the time.
Its now week 10 and its still not finished!
Some weeks they have been here a few days some just a few hours. When you ring its always the same woman who can't give a a straight answer and never knows what is happening. The guys in charge never reply to messages I have been asking for them to call me for 4 weeks. E-mails are not replied to or texts. I can only speak to office woman who says she will get back to me.
It is very nearly finished now, they were supposed to come Friday but didn't, then said today but haven't shown up. As ever I am being told, I'll get back to you.
We have been polite, angry and upset on the phone, we have been to the office to speak to them but no approach makes any difference. I am just resigned to passive aggressive comments now!

We are so fed up and getting no where

Ahh posted too soon!

I don't know what to say or do to get them to finish the job.

We still owe them money which will not be paid until its finished. The work is very good, but they are taking so long and we don't know from one day to the next if they will turn up!

Id be tempted to tell them that you are going to start looking for other contractors to finish the job, and that you deduct the cost from what they owe you.

Where are they based? Can you go down there?

that should be deduct the cost from what you owe them. .

ask them where you can post comments about them for others to read ? you can still praise them if you feel they deserve it - but you can also point out that the project has taken almost three times as long as it was supposed to !
to be fair - it's Silly season at the moment - with everyone wanting things done in time for Christmas - but that's not an excuse to leave you waiting !!

( says she... who's also waiting - but for a showroom to email over this weekends drawings to be done - wish they'd hurry up ! I don't want to be working all night !!! )

so with you was expecting work to be started on garden today complete renovation - just phoned to tell me its a no show today. Various excuses but really fed up.

it's so frustrating. I hate this about builders and so many seem to do it.

I think you need to issue them with a deadline and if they don't meet it say that you will not be paying them.

Also be sure to leave them a stinking review on sites like Rated People and Problem Solved.

My builders show up but then leave by 2pm. I don't know if they've got another job on somewhere? I can't help but think things would go quicker if they worked a full day. They left at midday on Friday. It's so frustrating but I haven't found a way of kicking them up the arse yet.

Thanks everyone, its nice to know its not just me!

We will have to start getting tough and giving them an ultimatum, but they just don't seem to care.

We plan on writing a stinking review once its all finished.