Bodge,bodge, bodge!! Why do they do it?

[Squidgems]

Gap behind kitchen wall tiles large enough to put tip of finger in.

Grouting floor tiles after putting plinth heater in.

Cutting shorter plinths lengths first then having to put a join in longest plinth length.

Knowing that laminate flooring to be laid in lounge and hallway but doing them separately so now need a threshold strip. Also angling flooring to go next to the architrave instead of under it.

Why oh why did they do these things? And then worst of all make you feel that you are being petty for noticing these things and bringing it to their attention.

What things have workmen done in your house that they thought was acceptable but clearly wasn't?

I can totally see what you mean about the flooring OP. And the skirting. And the cupboard. Good that they have fixed some.

It seems to me they've gone for the quickest and easiest options to get the work done. Rather than doing it properly .... and probably that they have little visual sense. There really is no excuse for not following reasonable client instructions.

Oh you poor thing. I see what you mean about the floor. It shouldn't be laid in a pattern like that unless you specifically requested it. Was it a pack of random lengths? If it's really bothering you now is the time to have it changed. Once you get furniture back in you really won't want to go through the whole shebang again.

Like another poster above, I tell tradesmen that I'm a stickler for detail and Eagle-eyed.

For future, some suggestions that may make it easier.

Do a detailed list, your own schedule of works, that includes the detail, e.g., move socket to appropriated height to accommodate skirting boards.

For recommendations try Street Life, it's a gold mine. I got the most amazing (lady) plumber from there.

Also try asking someone like a Chartered Surveyor if they have any recommendations as they will see the work of many tradesmen and will often be commissioning tradesmen. Also consider using a Surveyor as a project manager as you avoid all this shit you get with lazy tradesmen and the whole, oh but you didn't tell me that's what you wanted crap.

Lastly, consider sacking the lot of them, paying them for what they've done and get some good tradesmen in to finish off.

I'm obsessed now and instead of catching up on the forum I have been constantly looking to see how wood/laminate fĺoors have been laid. And it's not in that stupid rigid H pattern!

I feel for you Ahousemadeofcheese. To have to deal with other people's sewage due to bodges of the highest order is not nice. And the fact that your plastering has long outlasted the professional's says it all.

Thanks Shurely and Deux! I was thinking at times that I was being ultra fussy. The planks in the pack are all the same size. According to the guys they try to save their clients money and avoid waste laying it in that pattern and besides they think it looks better that way!!

Unfortunately too late to sack them and besides I'm useless at it as I feel guilty upsetting them by saying that they haven't done something properly.

Much sympaties, as I know how we all spend much stress and money on these things and all we ask is that they are done in a professional manner.

As I understand it with strip (laminate / wood / Amtico) flooring, you start laying down one length. When you get to the end wall, you obviously cut the flooring to fit. You now have a little bit left over. You start the next row with this little bit so the planks are not regimented. When you get to the end wall with the second row, you will have a different length bit left over. You start the next row with this bit. In this way, the laying pattern appears random and there is minimal wastage.

Time to take a deep breath. Decide if you can afford the stress and financial implications of getting someone else in to re-do.

Up thread it was suggested bringing in furniture and see how it all looks after that. That's a good suggestion . Perhaps get Christmas over with and see how you feel about it in the new year. Hope it all works out

Thanks everyone. Will ignore room for now. New itch to scratch is why worktop isn't level. Changed a fuse in a fuse spur socket and put old one on worktop and it promptly rolled from the back to the front of the worktop. So the way to take my mind off things is to have a different bodge to focus on!

worktop isn't level

Oh no :-(

This is why I do stuff myself, I can live with bodges if they are my bodges but damned if I'm going to pay someone to do it

As Shortlass describes is the way to lay flooring, the way they have done it must've created more wastage not less? However I think once you have your furniture in you won't notice it so I would concentrate on the other bodges for now!
Almost every tradesman I have ever used bodges something, I must just look like a cheapskate but I wish they'd ask instead of bodging, I'd always rather pay more for a proper job.

I'm another one with a perfectionist tradesman father and now I see bodges EVERYWHERE. Fortunately I worked with my Dad a few summers as a teenager and learnt a lot about how to do things so I am pretty self sufficient, but the number of bodges in our house drives me mad (yes, we've also had to deal with other people's waste...)

We had a shower power cable that wasn't even insulated, just a normal bog standard piece of cable like you would use on a lamp, a fireplace and 'wall' of bricks that were built prior to the cement flooring going in - so just a deep muddy hole underneath. The electrics on mixed circuits - so lights with plugs, etc. A glass and wood 70's wall which it turned out was holding up some of the top floor as the main beam didn't reach all the way to the end of the house - not even to the extension. Most of this had been done by the builder of the house.

Oh Jesus. I am similarly picky (well, I want things done RIGHT, I don't know if that's picky!). Like a pp I tell all builders that upfront. I say I really notice detail like crooked screws, gaps etc and I will ask for it to be sorted. I say if they have a choice then ask me first - I am pretty much always contactable during building work.

There are people out there who have very very high standards for their own work. I had one builder who was even pickier than me and looked horrified at a couple of snagging things I said I'd live with They do charge more though.

We found all sorts of bodges when we moved in. Unused bathroom pipes under the floor and not even capped off. We couldn't tell where the smell was coming from at first .

I suspect there are a lot of customers out there who would be ok with the results you've got as long as they get a good price or get it done quickly, so the crappy builders stay in business.

I always try to go on word of mouth recommendations and see previous work. Appreciate not always possible but preferable by far.

Hope you get as much fixed as possible. The least bad is the flooring layout, not ideal but not actually a bodge, I think I'd live with and reckon it will be ok with furniture.

After listening to al you wise Mumsnetters I have calmed down over the floor layout now and will live with it. I sill can't get the fitter to understand about cutting the bottom of the architrave when fitting laminate. He thinks I'm quite mad 😞 even though I tell him it's all over the internet and youtube about how to do it.