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Property/DIY

What's the process if you have had substandard work done?

6 replies

SunnyUpNorth · 28/07/2014 12:45

We had our driveway done last November. We had indian sandstone laid. It cost us £12k, and we actually ended up going with the most expensive quote as we thought he seemed the most professional, does quite a bit of work locally, was very approachable etc.

We really did research it, shopped around, got lots of quotes and then delayed work by a year to save up enough for the finish/materials we wanted.

Anyway, 6 months on and slabs are coming loose, the grouting is all cracked. We had a couple of people around to quote for some work we need doing in our back garden and one of them spotted this. He lifted a slab and said it hasn't been laid properly at all. He asked me a few questions about it and it would seem they have done a really shoddy job.

We are gutted as it cost so much and we really thought we had got it right with this guy, not gone for the cheap option.

The guy who did has been around to look at the loose slab a few months ago as we wanted him to quote for the work on the back garden. He said he would come back to measure up for the quote and would then also repair the loose slab. He acted really shocked and like it was just one unlucky one. I have since been chasing him for weeks, he keeps saying he will come to have a look on a certain day and then doesn't turn up.

I don't know how to move forward with this. The other guy who spotted it says really it needs to all be taken up and relaid. But if I can't even get him to commit to a time to come and quote or a fairly big job on the back garden (obviously I won't be using him now), then how am I going to get him to commit to redoing the work, that's if he ever actually turns up.

Is there any one I can report him to? I am really not sure what the next step would be if he either never turns up, or comes but refuses to repair it.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

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wowfudge · 28/07/2014 17:08

I'd speak to the CAB for advice, but you can take him to court if he won't put it right.

You'll need to do something along the lines of writing to the guy who laid the path and setting out the issues, dates of conversations and what was agreed, but hasn't been done then give him 14 days to arrange a date to come and put the path right with the threat of legal action if he doesn't. Send the letter by a method which is tracked and has to be signed for. If he doesn't respond to this letter or you arrange a date with him and he doesn't stick to it, then use the small claims procedure to sue him for the cost of putting it right, including any additional materials which need to be purchased.

You should probably get up to three quotes in order to have a fair figure for making good in your claim. You can also claim for your costs incurred in getting these quotes.

If he doesn't turn up to court, you win automatically.

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SunnyUpNorth · 28/07/2014 20:54

Thanks, that seems like good advice. I hope it won't come to that, or to having to threaten that, but he is just so tricky to pin down.

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MrsTaraPlumbing · 28/07/2014 21:25

You could also ask local trading standards.
Also - when he gave you the quote was he a member of an professional body?
These might offer routes to a solution.

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SunnyUpNorth · 28/07/2014 22:32

I've checked and he doesn't list any professional body on his website but he is a recommended installer of two paving products. That should at least prove that he knows the correct way to lay the slabs even though we used a different brand.

Thanks both.

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wowfudge · 28/07/2014 23:18

Good luck Sunny - it feels like you've been robbed when you have this happen. With any luck he'll see sense and sort it.

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SunnyUpNorth · 29/07/2014 16:20

Thank you both, I've done a bit of googling and the method he used is fully advised against on many websites. They must have known that it was wrong (the cheap, quick way). I'm just really bad at being assertive in these situations, I switch from nice as pie to being overly confrontational as I can never manage the firm in between stage and get all panicky.

Fingers crossed.

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