How do you argue with a tradesman over poor work?

[Sleetwaves]

We’ve just paid a lot of money to have our bathroom completely redone; work has included moving the door, knocking out an internal cupboard, full tiling, plaster and new bathroom fitted etc.

My DH is extremely proficient at DIY and has completed lots of jobs including a kitchen extension but we wanted to pay for someone to come and do this room from start to finish as I’m heavily pregnant and we are frankly sick of DIY!

So there have been a few issues that we’ve raised such as; he has tiled directly onto plasterboard not backer board, couldn’t get the tiles we wanted to had to find an alternative etc. We’ve let these slide as we just want it finished.

Today he has told us the work is practically finished except he hasn’t painted the ceiling or door trims and has no intention to. This has made me so angry as with the full tile it will be a nightmare to paint the ceiling (it needs must coating too) without ruining the tiles. It feels like we’re being really short-changed. We expected a finished bathroom and now have to find time to do this extra work.

My DH and I are at a bit of a loss as to how to approach it and argue our point. In this scenario do you just refuse to pay the remainder of the balance until the work is done? The guy has lots of 5* reviews and customer pics with painted ceilings so I’m unsure why he’s not doing ours as we made it clear we don’t want to do any DIY work and we’re happy to pay for it to be done.

Yes, I would refuse to pay the balance until the work is done. Unfortunately, I think if you (or your husband) know what you are doing, you need to keep an eye on the work as it goes. And it depends how much of a fight you are up for. Good luck

Yeah, always keep some money in reserve until the job is properly done.

We also started getting everything in writing (email) on exactly what we wanted done. Not all tradesmen, but a lot, will cut corners if they think they can get away with it. Having the list in email in advance for estimated X fee is such a handy tool to go back on.

Was painting ceiling documented in the scope of works? Our tradesman argued that it wasn’t

Just don't pay him till he does it

If it wasn't in the spec (get a spec next time) then tell him you are happy to pay for him to do it, and as you expected it would get done, he won't get the rest of the balance till he does it.

You don't need to argue, just lay it out.

@theunbreakablecleopatrajones good idea - however there may come a point where you just want to get rid of the person as trust has broken down

What did he quote for?
A “finished bathroom” is very vague and if you went with the lowest quote, it’s likely to be based on cut corners and less expensive materials.

Did you get an itemised quote that included backer board, as well as painting the ceiling and trim?

It all depends on what he quoted, not what you expected.

I had a full kitchen rip out then bathroom built in h the space from scratch and new kitchen in the other space... non of it came with painting.

Literally every tradesman I spoke to (and there where several - first never showed for start day due to illness, 2nd/3rd never completed quote, the one that did it + several more I spoke to online) all where very clear that painting was not part of the job.

Tradesmen (even the multi- trade tradesmen) seem to view decorating (painting, wallpapering, carpets) as a completely different 'specialty' all together.

I doubt it.

If hes not a decorator he won't decorate... thats like saying offer to pay your electrician to do your plumbing, they don't do it for a reason because its not part of the job or skill (nothing to do with money).

Obvious question, but did the agreement include painting? We've had 2 bathrooms and a kitchen completely redone recently - the man who did all 3 did a great job, but decorating is a completely different skill and so he didn't/couldn't do that. We then got a painter and decorator in who put plastic sheeting everywhere and painted around it - not a speck of paint on our new tiles or floor.

I had a new bathroom done recently and the list of work explicitly excluded any decorating, so we knew in advance we’d have to do the ceiling and other bits ourselves. Check what your quote says to see if this work is covered. If it is, you have a good case, but I suspect it may be the norm to exclude it.

Unless it's itemised in his quote, then I definitely wouldn't expect a bathroom fitter to deal with painting and decorating unless expressly agreed, or included as part of his subcontract package. However in my lived experience I know it can be like pulling teeth to obtain even a vaguely itemised quote/fixed price from some trade people, so I can see how it happens. Although, especially if your husband is competent, there is no reason why paining a ceiling should ruin tiles at all.

Decorating is a specific job and I wouldn't assume its included unless that was explicit as part of the agreement.
You might not want a plumber / fitter doing your painting ( ask me how I know 😬 )

I wouldn’t have assumed they would paint

Also to the OP I see you say your reasoning is his pictures have painted ceilings... so do our 'before and afters' pictures on their website, but WE painted them though not him.

Most of it was fitted and we painted them over the weekend then they came back to do snagging job and take the final photos.

If you don't want to paint the ceiling then you could ask for paneling, it will cost extra but all bathroom fitters will likely offer paneled ceiling as an option. Its not expensive we had plain white 'super 7' fitted to our shower ceiling and it was only like £7 a sheet or something. Paneling is a good water resistant option.

The trim is just something you'll have to do yourself or hire a painter (but if you hire a painter might as well get the ceiling done too).

You should have gotten a list of exactly what finishes were included. Sometimes they include a painter to finish off a bathroom in the quote, sometimes they don't.

If he has done what you’ve paid him to do, you need to pay him otherwise you’ll be in breach of your contract. Did the scope of works include decoration?