Dispute with kitchen fitters

[Omoplata]

Need perspective please.
New kitchen, hired fitters (knew 1 of them) and quoted a day rate per person.
Kitchen wasn't fully complete, a lot of snagging issues such as extrator, cupboard lighting not done, external hole made and stuffed with a plastic bag, non secured worktop etc. They also fitted a faulty splashback which has needed to come off and a new one fitted, completely trashing the walls we just had plastered.
Chased and finally got them back after 5 weeks. They wanted paying for the snagging work today, we didn't agree. We were going to pay for the extra work, but not the work that should have been done when the kitchen first went in. Were we wrong?

No, not wrong at all. They should have completed the job to the expected standard, why should you pay extra for things they should have done within the original agreement. Can you tell we’ve just had a similar situation with a tiler and I’m still seething?

DH has a flat and has just been having a very heated conversation with the person who fitted the bathroom.

That's what we thought, there were so many issues and the job wasn't that great. They even put the splashback on, and cut around the old light switch they could see we were replacing, then the new one didn't fit and we had a corner missing from the splashback.
I feel your pain, I am still seething. The things they were saying to me as well! I paid them in full, in cash, and expected the issues to be resolved.

Never, ever pay in full until the job is complete! It's fine to hold back a percentage until any 'snagging list of issues has been finished and to an expected standard. Otherwise they have you over a barrel.

Good luck with it all, it's so difficult when things go wrong in your home. We have issues with windows that have been fitted poorly and I'm trying to remain calm with the company so we get a good resolution.

It's a difficult one.

You say you are paying them a day rate? That means each day they work you pay.

I guess you would come back with 'you didn't do it right in the first place so why should I pay for you to fix it.'

They would say 'If you wanted a price for the job then you shouldn't have agreed to a day rate.'

Try and come to a compromise.

I genuinely didn't think it would come to this. We knew 1 of them, I saw no reason not to withhold the money or part of it.
I don't expect to chase for 5 weeks to finally get a fully functioning kitchen, to then be shouted at and have them storm out my house.
They tried telling me it was normal to have a big hole through to the outside, stuffed with a plastic bag and told me other people don't mind?!

Yes we agreed a day rate, and agreed 4 days. It took 6, and they only worked 9 - 3, leaving even earlier on one of the days to go price up another one.
We wasn't quibbling the cost, just the fact they wanted to be paid for coming back today to complete the job. I've paid for a fully functioning kitchen that I've not had until today. I was fully prepared to pay for the extra work, just not what should have been done in the beginning.
They both wanted their day rate for today.

9-3 is not a days work! 8-4:30 with an hour for lunch is 7.5 hours = standard 37.5 hour week.

So if you agreed 4 days then that's 30 hours. If they did 6 at 9-3 and took an hour for lunch then that is also 30 hours. So they did on paper give you their 4 days work.

I do feel your pain. Workmen are a law unto themselves. When I get them in I write down exactly what I expect from the job and any information they should know. I monitor it during the job so I can correct any misunderstandings - but this is hard won knowledge, believe me.

Try and reach a compromise with them. If you do fall out then its unlikely you'll get the job finished and you'll end up having to get another tradesmen in to complete it - a real pain.

The job is finished, now it looks great. There were some extras and some materials we were going to pay for today, but expected the lasting issues to be resolved because they didn't do them before.

Things like the wires hanging out of the wall because he 'forgot' or the kickboard that catches everytime you open the dishwasher, that he knew he had to fix, but thought that could wait.

The job was rushed, it was badly fitted and today was the first full day they spent on it. As I said, it wasn't the money or the fact they took longer or didn't work full days, it was they ballsed up, didn't have any intention of returning to fix it, had an attitude and got my to write a list of the issues so they could 'tick them off', and then expected all that money when if they had worked full hours in the first place, there would be hardly anything left to sort. Also when he promised to be in one sat to sort the issues, but then decided he didn't work weekends.