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Original poster

Shit plastering

25 replies

madcatladyforever · 01/07/2020 23:37

I'm having all the artex skimmed as it's really ugly. I chose a plasterer really carefully, got home and he's done the worst job ever.
I cried, there was plaster everywhere - he didn't use a single dustsgeet, all over my two sofas which i can't move, up the stair carpet. It's taken two whole days of scrubbing to get it off everything, all over the blinds which I've had to throw away and the windows, it's over everything.
He's left great big patches of ceiling out and hasn't dropped any of the ceiling lights just badly plastered around them. It looks awful.
i haven't paid him and I don't want him back to make good because it's obvious he isn't up to the job.
He wants £300 and I don't know what my rights are here. I've taken photos of everything but it will all have to be done again by a different plasterer.
Am I allowed to not pay - who do I make an appeal to as he is self employed. I don't know where to go from here.

OP posts:
Smallgoon · 02/07/2020 00:10

I wouldn't pay. By the sounds of it, he's done £300 worth of damage, not to mention the cost to you for putting it right. Did you have a written agreement in place? Did it take into account that he would be paid upon completion of works that were approved/signed off by you as acceptable?

Smallgoon · 02/07/2020 00:11

Out of interest, when you say you chose plaster carefully, what does this mean? Obviously it didn't work, so I'd be keen to know why you selected them in the first place.

Twillow · 02/07/2020 00:28

God it's a nightmare getting a decent tradesman!
And a decent one would have put dustsheets and polythene down.
I think you have to have a discussion with him about the mess and the poor finish. You can expect the odd splash (and fresh plaster should clean off hard surfaces fairly easily) but soft furnishings shouldn't be damaged.
Expect him to offer to put it right with a reduction for damage to blinds etc.
If he kicks off or makes excuses then don;t ask him back and don't expect to pay as you will have to get someone else in to do it properly.

Rhica · 02/07/2020 01:38

Sorry no advise but this happened to my sister except she naively paid before she had seen what a hash job the plasterer had done. Her builder father in law who was working on the house thought it was OK 🤦‍♀️- the plasterer the redid the work said it was the plastering he had ever seen so it definitely wasnt.

No advise but at least you have the upper hand

Rhica · 02/07/2020 01:45

Or advice*

BitOfFun · 02/07/2020 02:32

I have the same questions as Smallgoon. I sympathise though- I'd be really upset too.

MarieG10 · 02/07/2020 08:25

Don't pay a penny. Photograph it all close up and the write to him explaining why you won't pay and also if you chose what damages you want from him..ie cost of putting it right (you may think this is too much hassle)

If he is self employed and not limited I would take him to the small claims court. Minimal cost and if he doesn't pay any damages he will have a CCJ active for 6 years

Original poster
madcatladyforever · 02/07/2020 08:37

I went to checkatrade, he has 20 years experience and a list of people on the site who said he did a great job and he had a book of photos of work he had done before (clearly not his) and personal references. He had agreed to fill some holes in the wall. He did about half of them so badly it looked like he had stuffed plaster in the holes and just left it sticking out, not even sanded down.
I'm partially disabled and don't need this, I was up until midnight cleaning. He obviously thought , a stupid middle aged woman, she won't know what a good jon is.

OP posts:
Original poster
madcatladyforever · 02/07/2020 08:38

job thank God I didn't pay up front.

OP posts:
Thisbastardcomputer · 02/07/2020 08:52

I would always prepare the room myself beforehand, dust sheets for over furniture and cover carpets, take down curtains and blinds. They're men, they work on building sites where no care is taken. Plaster is a bastard it gets everywhere.

CarolVordermansArse · 02/07/2020 08:54

CheckaTrade is full of fake reviews. Many of those sites are.
It is better to ask a neighbour that has had work done or try on one of your local groups for personal recommendations for work that has been done.
Even then you can get a 'wrong un' so need to check them out very thoroughly elsewhere.

Happydaysforever123 · 02/07/2020 09:10

thank god you didn't pay. I would always clear the room and lay down dustsheets myself. I never trust chekatrade as I've left good reviews myself and no one has ever checked that I'm a genuine service user.

You need to get a personal recommendation, so ask all your friends, neighbours and work colleagues if they have anyone they'd recommend.

DeeplyMovingExperience · 02/07/2020 09:22

If he has caused damage and destruction in your house, I would sue him. All decent tradespeople should carry insurance.

Smallgoon · 02/07/2020 09:46

If he is self employed and not limited I would take him to the small claims court. Minimal cost and if he doesn't pay any damages he will have a CCJ active for 6 years

Does this mean those with a limited company can't get a CCJ?

TooGood2BeTrue · 02/07/2020 09:56

Have a read through this: www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-to-complain-if-youre-unhappy-with-building-work

It might also be worth putting your question on a consumer forum such as Moneysaving Expert.

I would imagine that a) You don't have to pay and b) Could even sue him for damages.

Fuss · 02/07/2020 12:46

This happened to us years ago.

We'd hired him to replanted the hall, stairs and landing over the artex and had him in whilst we were away. Expected to come home to just a freshly plastered hall. It was a building site.

Like yours he'd ruined the carpet, it was all over the bannisters, the neighbour complained he'd been sunning himself on the shared flat roof all week flicking cigarette ends into her garden and to top it all he had attempted to clean up by vacuuming wet plaster with my 6 month old Dyson.
By the time we'd factored in the cost of the carpet and the Dyson plus cleaning he owed us but because at the time he was something to do with a contractor list at DH's work he paid him to keep the peace.

Revenge was had when he was quietly removed from the approved contractor list later that week and lost tens of thousands of pounds worth of work.

fedupandlookingforchange · 02/07/2020 12:55

I have had a lot of building work done and always make sure everything is covered/moved first and I always pop in and out whist they are working if I haven't used them before to check its going ok.
I had similar happen with joinery once and I had used the tradesman before and he refused to put it right but he didn't bill me and he didn't damage anything. It was just a really bad job. Had to get someone else to out it right.

MarieG10 · 02/07/2020 13:46

@Smallgoon

Does this mean those with a limited company can't get a CCJ?

Yes...and the Op,can do but they can just close the company. I,would do,it but then again I'm familiar with doing it

Original poster
madcatladyforever · 02/07/2020 18:26

Thanks everyone, I rang checkatrade and they said he had been properly vetted but they can't guarantee the review aren't fake. They said list everything this has cost you to repair and deduct it from his total. They will also speak to him and they do have some leverage.
He turned out not to be insured. I asked him about dust sheets and he said he always brings dust sheets and puts them over everything. He didn't bother on the day.
I asked him if he wanted me to call an electrician to lower all the lights he said no I can do that but he did not unscew one light fitting. Plastered around and all over them.
I am now listing what the repairs are going to cost me and texting it too him. If he is not happt with it he can take me to court, I have loads of photos all showing what a rubbish job he did.

OP posts:
Smallgoon · 02/07/2020 20:27

@madcatladyforever He won't have a leg to stand on. Do let us know what he comes back with...

Gra18 · 03/07/2020 09:03

Sadly reviews can be fake, I have a relative through marriage on similar app and a lot of his reviews were his extended family. I was quite surprised and disappointed as I thought the app would be useful if I needed it. Although we’ve used him in the past and his work is very good and some I assume we’re real.
We’ve also had a terrible tiler we had to get rid of after one days work, he did terrible work but thankfully our builder noticed and let us know. But as it was already tiled we could only fix some so we had to live with some of his terrible work. Think subway tiles not aligned 😐

Skyliner001 · 03/07/2020 19:23

Hope you got it sorted!

Original poster
madcatladyforever · 05/07/2020 11:16

Hi all, thanks for your interest. I've had a new plasterer round that my neighbour recommended who lives in our street and has a good local reputation, he came over and immediately said what cowboy did this?
Then got the broom and hit the ceiling a few times and it all started falling off - previous plasterer had not used any unibond which he swore to me he had.
they are coming on Monday to strip all the old plaster off, remove all the light fittings (they have their own electrician) clean everything, fill all the holes and do the whole job again at a cost of £500 for living room which is sizeable, hall and downstairs loo.
Checkatrade rung the first plasterer for me and said I won't be paying. He's sent me a few bitching emails to say "people like me" always want something for nothing so I told him why I wasn't happy and that I have lots of photographs, can get a statement from the new plasterer and intend taking this to small claims to reclaim the extra £200 (I can't actually be bothered I'm too busy) and I have not heard from him again.

OP posts:
Original poster
madcatladyforever · 05/07/2020 11:16

I've learnt my lesson and will only use reputable local tradesmen in future.

OP posts:
Smallgoon · 05/07/2020 11:45

He's sent me a few bitching emails to say "people like me" always want something for nothing

Idiot.

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