My F**king Builder.

[PavlovtheForgetfulCat]

He took all his tools last week, after receiving an agreed additional payment (from the final that we owe him) To clear the loft for the final lot of plastering he said. To be able to gain perspective he said. (he did not do this last time he plastered and there is only remedial plastering to do now up there, the rest is on the stairs, hallway etc). He talked to us about this and that, all nice.

After about 30 mins, I became a bit suspicious, again that he might have done a runner as he took everything apart from a yellow bucket. He took is ladder, why would you do this if you were plastering at height? Anyway, I am naturally suspicious. It is part of my job, it is part of my make-up. DH was a bit worried too, but we put it down to being nervous about this job. And I reminded myself of his reassuring conversation about him completing and DH and I agreed we were being unecessarily suspicious.

He was not coming in monday he said, bank holiday, out with the kids, he said.

This morning, he did not show. Did not answer his mobile. DH and I have been panicking. Eventually at 11am he phones.

And he said:

His younger brother has been rushed to hospital, is critical, collapsed lung (he only has one apparantly) and next 48 hours are critical. it had only just happened. He would try to get his plasterer mate to help him out.

Now. I am very cynical. DH said, initially, he appeared genuine. But DH is a very forgiving person and sees the best in everyone. I don't. DH started to doubt whether this was the truth or a blag. But, we are very nervous about whether this is true or not.

I actually want it to be true, so he that it means he has not done a runner with most of our money and left us in a hellhole. Does not make me a nice person I feel But then I also think he is very elaborate with his stories, has been so far and this smacks of some bullshit.

Either way, this week is dead for any work. and I am getting closer to my due date. And now, calm, chilled relaxed DH is starting to pull his hair out.

Sorry. Half of you probably won't even know what on earth I am banging on about but I needed to vent as I am so annoyed and upset and stressed and fed up it is unreal. I have no space. I am not sleeping as I am sharing with a toddler who talks in her sleep and a DH who is smoking too much and therefore snoring.

Big things or little things? Has he got to THE BEAM yet?

eeek

OK small list:

hatches need to be insulated in loft. Fine.
Doors need to be put o - knew that fine.

Thats it.

Apart from the BIG FUCKING BEAM THAT IS NOT SUPPORTED BY ANYTHING in our hallway.

It is already 'deflecting' ie dropping down due to weight. He said it is not likely to collapse or anything but it is bad worksmanship - he ripped down some of the ceiling to look inside (alternative, rip the floor up).

Good news - it is the structural engineer's fault, which means we are perhaps more likely to get a positive resolution. More likely, but not guaranteed. He did not include anything in his plans to suggest how to support this beam/this floor section.

Building inspector is going to phone him this afternoon and tell him the work is unacceptable and that it is his fault and he needs to put it right for us, somehow. He will suggest he gets someone other than our present/recent builder to do it and either foot the bill/sort it out with builder if he does not agree.

The building inspector said the workmanship is shocking. He cannot beleive that people can work with such little pride.

I have spent the last half hour in tears and now DH and I are going out to spend money we do not have on lunch as I have not eaten since this morning. But oh well. its a tenner. It will not hurt any more than this is already.

Building inspector said he would do what he could to resolve this for us to our satisfaction. At least someone can do their poxy job.

OK we are off out for an hour, see if I can calm down at all.

That is about the best resolution you could have hoped for...hope you enjoyed your lunch (((hugs)))

thinking of you, hope the nice lunch really helps x

Oh dear, so sorry to hear this.

But at least the beam is the structural engineers fault!

Please don't let it spoil your first few weeks with your new DC though.

Pavlo - so sorry to hear it's not good....BUT (pops on positive fairy hat) it's not a list as long as your arm and there looks to be a responsible party.....the architect/engineer

Hopefully he'll have his personal indeminity insurance to cover him (fingers crossed) as I think they may (don't quote me and DP isn't around to ask!) have some sort of liability with regards to safetly/structure etc. I think it's a bit like being Corgi registered.

I'm very annoyed for you though that the builder's work was shoddy....I mean, you would have hoped that a recommendation from the architect would have meant his skills were good

OK - so now you've got to concentrate on getting this beam sorted which probably won't be as big a job as you think and then tidying up the rest to make it right.

Hope lunch went ok ....sorry it's all turned out like this....but you're on the home straight to getting it put right x

Pavlov,

How horrid for you - why would someone who is a structural engineer and should know about such things (the hint is structural!)think it is ok to cut through a supporting beam. I would imagine you would have a good case for complaint and compensation. If he is a member of a recognised authority then there should be a complaints procedure.

Thanks all.

The building inspector said he cannot beleive someone would work so badly. His attitude was it takes the same material and just as much effort to mess something up as it does to do it well, so why do it badly in the first place? He critisised much of the work, even stuff that has passed, and has been great at suggesting ways of us remedying lots of it at no/little cost. He is just absolutely gobsmacked. He knows the structural engineer and said he should work to put it right as he has his reputation at stake and that in itself should be enough. I asked him about legal options and he said to allow him to talk the structural engineer and find out what on earth he was thinking and what he will do for us, and then if we reach a dead end we can look at the next steps.

So, we text the builder and this is what I said 'it is not convenient for you to show up tomorrow. We will contact you when we want you to come back'. On the basis we would prefer not to sack him and tell him to disappear only to then find that the engineer insists on using him and us having to have him in our home again (also, not at all bothered about messing him around for a few days).

He called, I ignored him. he called back, so DH spoke to him. The builder said along the lines of 'you have made it clear you don;t want me back, I will be taking the text you sent to my solicitor and I want my money' DH said 'i have said no such thing. Yet.' he asked why we don't want him there tomorrow then and DH said 'none of your business at the moment'. And he said 'so you want me to just wait around for you to decide when you want me back do you?' and DH said 'yes, thats it, you got it in one'. He also mentioned the money, apparantly we owe him, he also got arsey that we did not pay the electricians, apparantly we promised we would pay him more money each week and that we were wrong to not pay the electricians. DH went a bit mental at him about that!

So the builder is all fired up. Good. And DH is talking to the structural engineer as we speak.

Flipping heck!

And I feel better for eating, for DH and to spend a few minutes without DD having a late lunch. We rarely do it, even though it was not fancy and then we went to do a bit of much needed shopping, without DD - bliss. Just a chance to take 5.

Tucker

Pavlov, you messed my joke up

I got it! I took out my post

Pavlov - I've been reading this thread with my jaw dropping ever lower and growing fear about the doer-upper we just bought!

Is the structural engineer the same man as the architect?

Structural engineer is coming around, well now, to discuss ways forward. He told DH not to worry about the beam, he would sort it. As for the rest, we will discuss how we wish to proceed, but I have told DH that I want to go down the line of never letting that shit into my home again, and see how we go from there. I do not want the engineer to think there is any leeway on that. We can have leeway if we have to, but he will not need to know that yet.

He also said he spoke to builder yesterday and he was acting/speaking very strangely towards him.

Anyway, got to go. He is here. Best make him a coffee

It would be a shame ti mix the sugar with the salt...

I didn't get the joke.

Now, I didn't get that though?

The Tucker joke???

ok, so, the beam is apparantly redundant. It does have supports, the building inspector is apparantly being picky as he wants a double trimmer along the edge of the ceiling, but one is sufficient, as the beam does not actually support anything. He said it does not even need to be there and might satisfy the inspector better if it is removed completely. He said the way it looks is due to the builder walking on top of it before the supporting structures were put in and that is why it is 'deflecting'. As such it is not structural, and it looks ugly because the builder made it look ugly. So he is not accepting liability for 'fixing' it, but will call the building inspector in the morning and reassure him that removing it completely is fine. Then I will talk to the building inspector (did not tell him that bit) to check this is correct. It might be true, or it might be a fight with the engineer too.

Aaaaanyway. The builder also put the door in the lobby upstairs in the wrong place. Again. He could have saved us a good treads worth of room up there. And he fucked it up. But that is definitely the builder's fault.

So, we have 2 options.

1. Get another builder in to do it, lose the additional money it will cost to get the beam removed, and get the door moved if we desire. Write to the builder and tell him that we are formally terminating the contract due to his poor quality of work, poor attitude and inability to advise of a finish time, and tell him no monies will be owed. If we do this, we can, should we desire consider taking him to court for the additional sum although we probably won't get it back if he is broke.

1. Get the builder back in to rectify his faults, at his cost. Also, write to him with a fixed period of notice, to state that he needs to complete the work as per our quote/contract within x period of time. No further monies to exchange until the work is complete to a good standard. He will need to give written confirmation that he agrees and if he fails the contract will be terminated.

so, problems with 1. Other builders do not like to finish of other people's work. He has recommended someone, who is very busy, but will come and see what work needs doing. He said he might not want it as its repair of another builder's work and not enough money in it for him. Also if we terminate, builder could in theory try to sue us for the money if he feels we are being unfair. It could be timely as good builders are generally very busy. It will cost more money than the retainer because of the remedial work. BUT, it means never ever having to see him again and the work will be done to good standards and quickly once work is started.

problems with 2. It means seeing the builder again. it means having him in our home for an indefinite period of time. It means him writing a contract that is not worth the paper it is written on. It means him finishing off with shoddy work as he has done all along. He has no money so cannot guarantee he will do the work at all. He will cut corners and it will be very very stressful. BUT, it will not cost more than our retainer.

I think we will be going with option 1. I have no issues with him taking me to court. I am sure the fact that he is working while insolvent, and not declaring tax will be enough to just leave that money alone.

I just cannot, cannot bear the thought of seeing that man again.

Removing this beam should literally be a case of cutting it off at the wall, and then plastering, the wall needs plastering anyway so it should not cost much - as long as the building inspector agrees it can go.

Well, that sounds promising...that the beam isn't supporting anything. I think your plan to talk to the inspector to follow up the architect's chat is a good idea.

So long as the contract you've signed doesn't state a period of time that the builder must be allowed to put right the wrongs....and that written conformation of dismisal must be given (that's what my DP's contract states) then I reckon option 1 sounds best. But please, please double check that contract as if there is a notice period then you'll be hung out to dry if it goes to court...even though you are the one who has been wronged Just double check...pretty please Some of these contracts really do let sh*t builders get away with it

jeanie double, triple checked, not a single line about timings, all it states is what he will do work wise, and total cost inc VAT. Not a jot about timings. So, fingers up to him.

So we need to do:
Remove spare bit of beam.
Fire doors. Building inspector confirmed we no longer need closers due to little children trapping fingers in, nor do we need tumescent (sp) strips or smoke strips (whatever they are called).
Plastering - a reasonable amount, in hallway, side of wall upstairs, touching up here and there. About 2 days work, max. Oh also need 3 rooms skimmed/touched up whatever is needed to make ceilings good after hammer drill damage.
Carpentry - insulated hatches in loft, skirting put back, gaps in floor sorted (he has messed the floor up by ripping it up at corners and breaking bits, but should be easy to fix without replacing), some coving replaced in hallway, some skirting in hallway.
possibly moving wall and door forward by one treads width - this depends on how the stairs were put in, but might be simple (would have been fine if done at the time stairs were put in, but difficult now as stairs need adjusting a little, and they are now fixed).

Then
painting, carpeting, flooring down (we might put wooden floor upstairs afterall).