Can I Knock Out the Bathroom Guy?
Discussion
Seriously - I'm gonna headbutt him.
He supplied and fitted a bathroom suite along with kitting out a downstairs loo and rads throughout the house.
Job went on for much longer than it should have, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt (that being that he's a lazy lard arse). All that's left: silicone the tile edges to the ceiling; test the lights; screw on a shower head (for the tub) and fix a toilet seat to the downstairs loo (pan has to come out for it). Our retention - as he seemed like a nice bloke etc, was 200-quid.
To add to the problem, he's fitted the wrong radiators. They're under-rated downstairs and over-rated upstairs for the required spaces.
He agreed to complete / fix / do whatever.
He procrastinated.
He came up with a variety of excuses.
Now I've come to the end of my patience, he's denying everything.
"Not my problem"
I want to spark him out. Done.
Paid cash for about half the job and cheque(s) for rest... no contract. Have I got anything to go by if I did this the right way?
Or can i just go and do a number on him??
He supplied and fitted a bathroom suite along with kitting out a downstairs loo and rads throughout the house.
Job went on for much longer than it should have, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt (that being that he's a lazy lard arse). All that's left: silicone the tile edges to the ceiling; test the lights; screw on a shower head (for the tub) and fix a toilet seat to the downstairs loo (pan has to come out for it). Our retention - as he seemed like a nice bloke etc, was 200-quid.
To add to the problem, he's fitted the wrong radiators. They're under-rated downstairs and over-rated upstairs for the required spaces.
He agreed to complete / fix / do whatever.
He procrastinated.
He came up with a variety of excuses.
Now I've come to the end of my patience, he's denying everything.
"Not my problem"
I want to spark him out. Done.
Paid cash for about half the job and cheque(s) for rest... no contract. Have I got anything to go by if I did this the right way?
Or can i just go and do a number on him??
You paid for the job in full before it was complete? Live and learn, I've done the same thing; it seems to be an all-too common occurrence nowadays that tradesmen are all too willing to rip off the customer. I used to live in the wilds (-ish) of Cumbria and the tradesmen there were excellent, really top quailty and cheap too. I since moved to Lancashire where they are all s
t.
My advice is certainly NOT to headbutt him, but to kick him in the balls. That way there's no mark and it's your word against his.
t.My advice is certainly NOT to headbutt him, but to kick him in the balls. That way there's no mark and it's your word against his.
Edited by carmonk on Monday 13th October 15:09
Glassman said:
Seriously - I'm gonna headbutt him.
He supplied and fitted a bathroom suite along with kitting out a downstairs loo and rads throughout the house.
Job went on for much longer than it should have, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt (that being that he's a lazy lard arse). All that's left: silicone the tile edges to the ceiling; test the lights; screw on a shower head (for the tub) and fix a toilet seat to the downstairs loo (pan has to come out for it). Our retention - as he seemed like a nice bloke etc, was 200-quid.
To add to the problem, he's fitted the wrong radiators. They're under-rated downstairs and over-rated upstairs for the required spaces.
He agreed to complete / fix / do whatever.
He procrastinated.
He came up with a variety of excuses.
Now I've come to the end of my patience, he's denying everything.
"Not my problem"
I want to spark him out. Done.
Paid cash for about half the job and cheque(s) for rest... no contract. Have I got anything to go by if I did this the right way?
Or can i just go and do a number on him??
Is he a company, or just "ey up mayder, cash in 'and eh, say n'more wink wink"He supplied and fitted a bathroom suite along with kitting out a downstairs loo and rads throughout the house.
Job went on for much longer than it should have, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt (that being that he's a lazy lard arse). All that's left: silicone the tile edges to the ceiling; test the lights; screw on a shower head (for the tub) and fix a toilet seat to the downstairs loo (pan has to come out for it). Our retention - as he seemed like a nice bloke etc, was 200-quid.
To add to the problem, he's fitted the wrong radiators. They're under-rated downstairs and over-rated upstairs for the required spaces.
He agreed to complete / fix / do whatever.
He procrastinated.
He came up with a variety of excuses.
Now I've come to the end of my patience, he's denying everything.
"Not my problem"
I want to spark him out. Done.
Paid cash for about half the job and cheque(s) for rest... no contract. Have I got anything to go by if I did this the right way?
Or can i just go and do a number on him??
Glassman said:
Mc Lovin said:
Is he a company, or just "ey up mayder, cash in 'and eh, say n'more wink wink"
He runs two shops nextdoor to each other; one is a bathroom store, the other is a plumbing and heating supplies shop. In London.Trading standards, then small claims. Beating him to death will be satisfying but it'll land you in the s
t and he'll get off the hook.Live and learn. You gave him the benefit of the doubt and he played you. If it's any consolation it's probably down to the fact he's lazy rather than a practiced fraudster.
I had a similar experience with a decorator a couple of years back.
Not much you can do now you have paid him most of the money. You can tell him to Foxtrot Oscar and keep the rest of the money, but it will cost you more to get someone else in to finish the job. Alternatively you could stick with him. He'll probably do the job, but in his own time. Personally, I'd put it down to experience and tell him to F off.
Never ever pay all the money until all the job is done and make sure you withhold a substantial amount until every last bit has been completed. Enough to make it worth his while to come back and finish the job properly. Any decent workman will agree to this.
Good luck
I had a similar experience with a decorator a couple of years back.
Not much you can do now you have paid him most of the money. You can tell him to Foxtrot Oscar and keep the rest of the money, but it will cost you more to get someone else in to finish the job. Alternatively you could stick with him. He'll probably do the job, but in his own time. Personally, I'd put it down to experience and tell him to F off.
Never ever pay all the money until all the job is done and make sure you withhold a substantial amount until every last bit has been completed. Enough to make it worth his while to come back and finish the job properly. Any decent workman will agree to this.
Good luck
Glassman said:
Simpo Two said:
So he did 90% of the work and you paid about 90% of the price?
You could say that and I can probably get the stuff finished for less than 200. What I'm not happy about most is that the radiators he fitted are wrong. Very wrong. I'm very fussy with my own DIY work and find that tradesmen rarely do anything as neatly as I would - the bloke who did my kitchen floor for example - 'It's not level Mr Tradesman' 'Oh if you want it level that'll be extra...' - but there are times when you either don't have the knowledge or don't want the responsibility. And the moment you delegate stuff, the risks begin, unfortunately. But one thing I do know is that you generally get further by being nice and not nasty.
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff