Roundtuit

Apologies; I realise I've been vague as the question was more about what an appropriate solution is rather than the nitty-gritty of the job. In summary, it's a driveway & garden lighting job, plus a couple of single sockets, with the lights to be switched from an existing photocell on the house via a timer next to the consumer unit (on when it's dusk, off at midnight). I think he's forgotten to run SWA with enough cores to do all jobs (through adequate pre-installed ducting), and rather than putting it right has installed a $hit work-around I can't live with. I've paid 50% pending further negotiations. He's offered some discount, but not enough to cover putting it right.

The stress is already incurred unfortunately: being screwed over, and the thought of the hassle of trying to get someone else to pick the job up, not really the money. I'm really after a bit of justice I suppose. We're talking UK qualified electrician, limited company, and his quote is details what we'd agreed the job was. The only reason it has gone on for so long is that my generosity of spirit allowed him to fit it around other jobs; 45 minutes here, two hours there, weeks between visits... I honestly can't think of anything I could have done differently to achieve a better outcome, other than standing over him and tw@tting him on the back of the head when he went off-piste. As it happens, when I told him his work wasn't acceptable, he gave me another quote (for about £500) to complete the work as originally planned, so that will be the basis for a retention if that's the way this goes.

To be fair, he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but it was crystal clear; it's in black and white on his quote, and documented in subsequent emails. Hence my frustration...

I think he's forgotten the original brief, not made provision for a key element, and instead of fixing it has implemented a second-rate workaround dressed up with a load of excuses. It will need putting right, at my cost if not his, as it's not really functional as intended. This was a 2 day job that has taken 5 months to get to this stage... Tbh, it's now more about a point of principle than the money. House is finished, so pissing him off is unlikely to impact on anything.

I'm currently in dispute with a tradesman on a job worth <£2k. I've paid half the invoice to show willing, but for the rest, I'm torn between paying it off and moving on, and pursuing it to the end of the earth and beyond. The galling thing is that I've been right on top of this: quotation scrutinised and amended, clarifications and outstanding work documented on email, and yet he still delivers something different and unacceptable with a load of bull$hit excuses, and has declined to do as per the agreed quote. I've complained to a 'trade body' he's a member of, but they apparently don't do 'contractual disputes', and he's claiming any changes to the original plan were agreed, which again is bull$hit. I'm confident that I've enough documented evidence to warrant withholding final payment to get someone else to put it right, so the question is, if I do that, what's the worse that can happen, and is it worth it for a few hundred quid?

Put some ducting in 😉

Hope you managed to get it sorted out amicably. So is that a 5% reduction on the quote? Possibly with -0.5% chance of getting them back for snagging or warranty work?

On the basis that the additional changes and dicking about probably cost your builder* more than the marginal saving in materials, I'd suggest just paying up. * 'specialist window/door company': are we talking conservatory?

Pack the reveals a bit. You may have to pack around fitting brackets anyway. Or use 15mm plasterboard + skim and take your time taping to be accurate.

Hi Henry. Welcome aboard. Plenty of experience here in renovation and garden buildings so ask away and chip-in where you can!

As above, graphite spray is recommended for locks I believe as it's 'dry' once the carrier has evaporated so doesn't get gummed up with dust and crap. I got some hideously expensive Interflon stuff, but only ever use it for locks/hinges/window mechanisms so it lasts OK.

I think I'd extend that downpipe above and drop it directly into the gutter too.

That's the stuff for the job. Thin is good so it folds round the battens reasonably neatly. It does fray so doesn't want a lot of handling, but once cut, stapled and clad, it's not going to be a problem. As @Russdl says, be prepared to to be spiked by it, even through gloves...

Not sure what other routes are available, but I wrote to our local councillor with a reasoned argument and asked him to call our (free go) application in. Before the scheduled meeting the LPA backed down so I didn't get the 'Parish Council experience'.

Sounds like you need a bit of a re-set with your builder. Looking at your posts re: drains and brickwork, I'd have to say his work looks a bit $h!t, and you're obviously lacking confidence and trust in him. Has he under-priced the job maybe, and is trying to claw some money back? Over-committed and trying to save some time? Bitten off more than he can chew in terms of competence? You've got a long way to go with your build, so for the sake of your sanity I'd suggest you need to get the relationship back on track or part company (as difficult as that might be either way...)

Yes, folded up behind the battens. It was on to blockwork with a cavity, so I didn't bother with a membrane. I'll be doing another one in the not-to-distant future on a timber frame and plan to slide the lead under the membrane. You can just see the lead on this:

I experienced what sounds like a similar relationship with architects and topo surveyors: jobs for the boys.... Was there a spec for the inspection? Not sure there's much you can do, but if it's that poor I'd be expressing my disappointment with the quality of the report, looking for an alternative builder, and maybe thinking about having a chat with whatever professional body the SE is registered with.

That's going to limit your audience a bit I'm afraid. Whilst we're lucky enough to have a number of professionals who keep us on track, this is more where the half-a$$ed amateurs hang out when we're not trying to rectify the last job.

Probably. Depending on gauge and condition, you can get through it with a spade and some determination!

Mini-digger to scrat it out, or just leave it in and work round it. I've done a bit of both; less disruptive to leave it in to rust away if you can.

Sometimes life throws the reset switch and gives you the space to re-evaluate and go again; well done for embracing it! Great progress on the house; love the manifold!

Ah...you're the one that uses them! Got a box full of unused ones somewhere I think if you need some 😄

It's not unusual to see some deflection in old roof timbers, particularly where the original slates or clay tiles have been replaced with heavier concrete tiles. Assuming there's no need to replace the roof, then maybe all it needs is some additional internal bracing to stop any more deflection.

Agreed. There isn't a 'need' as the ashp is more than capable, but lighting the stove and banging some extra heat into the house of a winters evening does lighten the load on the Smart meter the next morning.

Should only be condensate at the fresh air intake side I think, unless there is anything dripping back from the exhaust where it passes through a cold loft space maybe.