Hecateh

My argument too. The quote didn't include them but it didn't exclude them either. However, it did say it excluded a few things. Planning, design, council fees etc. Landscaping and boundary wall detail. However it also stated 'Any additional work not included in the above project descriptions. Any additional works required will be discussed, priced accordingly and agreed prior to commencement. On this basis I have got him to drop most (not quite all) of the allegedly extra work that he did without consulting with me. I got about 6k reduced on that. His argument is that I gave him the quote details (not price) to quote to, so it is my fault they are missing. He really didn't do it deliberately but that doesn't change anything now. If I get too shirty with him he will just down tools and walk out. At the moment we are nearly to gable height at the front, just above pan height at the back and there is still the gable to put on the porch. I want to keep him on side until at least the roof is on. I feel I could take over project management at this stage and save myself some money. He initially said he didn't want me getting other quotes as he was already out of pocket, so I asked him if he was planning to load the quote to compensate at which time he backed down and said he was happy for me to get quotes for individual aspects. He's a nice guy but somewhat traditionally male in that (- I suspect women will understand -) If I plant a seed and back off, a little later he'll come back with a great idea. I won't normally play those games but until I get the roof on - I don't care whose idea he thinks it is so long as I get what I want. I suggested that we look at the work that still needs doing, divide it into priority one (Roof, soffits, windows and external doors) Priority 2, that would enable me to 'camp' in the property. And priority 3 - that can wait until I have sold this property. I had prepared a printout of a bit of an excel sheet showing all that needed to be done, hilighted in different colours as to whether it was in the quote or not. I also changed the type to red for what I thought were priorities. He went to sit in his van for a whole to match things up with what he had and have a think and came back with the idea that we should do exactly as I had suggested and after that when I had the money I should get quotes but give him a chance to quote to for the individual jobs. He has also changed from his view on Monday - which was I could only have a couple of workers at a time, to 'I'll throw everything at it for the next week and the place will be a full shell by the end of next week. I think this was due to me saying that, once the new place didn't look so much like a building site I can get to properly marketing this place and the sooner I can sell this the sooner there can be a resolution.

Thanks I know I'll get through this - it was supposed to fund me for the next 3 years until I get a state pension and then just top that up. All depends now on what I manage to sell this for but I sure as hell ain't going to get the more comfortable retirement I was planning on. That's exactly what has happened. I did my 'hard nosed' bit as far as I could last weekend and it has cleared the air and although there is still a ot of working out to be done, we are civil again and able to talk to each other That's exactly what I am doing. That was what was supposed to happen - also, if we had sat down at the beginning and done what we are doing now, money could have been saved on various bits - there would still have been extras but not like this Not quite like that - We had been working well together, mainly, the bad weather was frustrating everyone and my neighbours were regularly having a go at them which also added to the tension. I was getting very concerned about finances as it was clear that there was not enough left in the pot to finish everything that completes a house. I mentioned it to him and he went through all his records then came back with a list of variations he had already done without letting me know that they were extras (which is against the contract and the quotation) and an even longer list of variations, including windows, doors, floors, walls, doors, retaining wall on driveway that were not detailed in the quote. I asked him for prices for these, which he promised 3 times he would be doing as a priority, in the meantime he was avoiding me and basically hiding his head in the sand because he didn't want to face me with the costs. Although I have 5 days to pay the weekly bills I have always paid them immediately - within an hour or so. Every week since the beginning of December. Knowing I had these extra costs but having no idea how much was making me ill. How would you have gone about getting him to face up to the fact that he needed to give the costs so that at least I know what it was I had to find#/

On a number of previous posts I have been very pleased with what I was paying with a fixed price quote and contract in place. Variations allowed for unforseeable items only - so I thought! Initial estimate from builder was 75 - 85k to be looked at in more detail when Building Regs drawings were available. I had a quote from another builder that was in much greater detail and substantially more expensive. I asked builder 1 to quote to this spec, without prices, so that I could compare like for like (My first big error). The new quote included electrics in great detail. That was the only major thing that was specified not covered by estimate from builder 1. Building regs came in, and as discussed elsewhere on here with ridiculously extensive foundations,(double depth, double width and other details) Extra cost came in at 13k - and builder was very keen to get this as low as possible for me and took some of the hit believing he could make it up later I think, and of course the weather put paid to that.. Then I also had to cough up another 3k for a pump as no easy access to sewers - being under the property and garage of a less then friendly neighbour. Out of the ground I believed we were in the clear and not much else could be unexpected. 3 weeks ago, money going out the budget in a steady flow, I stopped the builder and said that I didn't think there was going to be enough left in the budget to finish and he said he would have a look. 3 days later I get an email, detailing 2 largish variations (6.5k and 1.7k) for work already done but not included in the quote and a list of other things not included and not yet done The main ones being; internal walls: internal doors; external windows and doors; soffits etc and that only half the drive was covered. Uh oh. I do believe it wasn't deliberate but it doesn't alter the fact that this was a huge shock. I asked him to get me the cost of these asap. This was just before Easter and he promised he would do this over the weekend. Nothing happened, I spoke to him as he left the site on Wednesday lunchtime. 'I've had no internet access but I am going home to do 8 hours of paperwork now' he said ' your prices are priority'. Still nothing. On Friday evening I got an invoice for the weeks work, with a comment that he had just got internet access back. I normally pay his invoices more or less immediately as he is a small business and has to pay the team. I was busy Friday evening as my sister arrived for the weekend. Wine started flowing rather early and I wasn't having a confrontation then so told him I was out. On Saturday, I told him that, I hadn't been retaining the 3% agreed in the contract and that I was now going to retain 3% of the whole amount paid so far (less than 2k but I had to do something to make him focus. He then started saying he couldn't quote because he hadn't had enough information. At this stage I had still paid nothing towards this bill. Technically I have 5 days to pay. I really don't have access to any more money, so I wasn't sleeping or eating and was feeling constantly sick. To cut a long story short it had the desired effect but really put his back up. Along with the 'variations' I got a long rant about all the things I have allegedly done wrong. (Like asking questions and complaining about the length of breaks taken at times) It was hard but I ignored the rant. I could counter every point and make more of my own but I have an unfinished shell and now is not the time to fall out. Having got the prices I paid the weeks invoice as I always intended to. The extra costs however came as another huge blow. Whereas I was worrying about it possibly being 15k it came in at 45k. Whoah! We had agreed to talk them through on Monday morning and whilst there could be some saving made I still had (and have) no idea where I am going to get the extra cash from. We agreed that we wanted to maintain a working relationship, we agreed that we both wanted a finished house that looked good and that we were both feeling upset and disappointed. He won't admit any responsibility. In my view, as the builder, he should have ensured that we made sure everything was covered before work started. I know the cost would still be there but there are things that I have chosen the more expensive route which I wouldn't have done if I had any idea about this. I accept some responsibility for giving him quote details to match BUT a builder should have spotted missing things than me doing this as a 'one off'. BIG LESSON Having now had some time to go through it (eleventy billion times to be exact) I have got some suggestions for him. I have also been getting external quotes for some of the things not covered although I will have to have him do some of them as they are part of other things that are quoted. Saga to continue - I have another meeting with him later today

I think they look quite sturdy, if they are put together properly should be fine for a few years and easy to replace if damaged.

Who defines which is the 'front' door. In the 18 years I have lived here less than 10 (I remember 3 and one of those was a drunk who was lost but that's a whole different story) people have come to the 'front' door. From the only way the house can be approached you have to walk past the house, along the back (front) and up 12 or 13 stone steps.

I'm sourcing mine separately as I have a 3.7m run which they don't do and a 1200 sq island. which they also don't do. Better to source separately than have unnecessary joins.

Agreed Best before's smell, taste - or the appearance on mould growing somwhere. Ues before - I work on a half life system. If generally production to eat by is 1 day, I'll give a few hours; a week I'll give it 10 days, a month and it gets about 6 weeks At least 3 - could be 6. I have no idea how long I have had it. Did you laugh???

There are a variety of frames and I chose on price rather than brand. I don't think everything I've chosen is Hudson Reid. I chose what I liked at a decent price. Their system makes it easy to just look at Hudson Reid stuff if you want though. Some of it might be a bit more expensive that my overall price but still much better than what you have been quoted. That price is just for basic sanitaryware, not loo roll holders, walls, flooring or that kind of thing,

Worse than that. 5th of 7 - the only one without a degree and 2 millionaires in the family at least - If we count property values they are probably all worth over a million. Last one to retire and if the builder adds on much more I'll be going back to work

You don't owe them that kind of loyalty. At worst - price it up and ask for their comments - you should at least get a decent discount if they think you may go elsewhere. To me, them charging so much extra means that they can afford to lose one or two anyway. How much loyalty would they show you? My sister, (who has a lot more money than me) is just in the process of paying out 17k for one shower room. That is for everything and includes fitting but still ridiculous in my view.

and you meant the boards - must admit it sounds better - however we are (me and my builder) already in dispute of what comes under the quote and what is going to be charged extra. And - as he's the builder I am probably going to be even further over budget - so no more extras.

If they are charging 277.50 If they are charging £277 for a showerhead I suspect that all their other prices are ridiculously high too. Take a look at http://www.britishbathroomcompany.co.uk/showers/fixed-shower-heads. I am kitting out 2 shower rooms and a cloakroom for not much more than £1.000 and it is quality stuff. That's including 3 wall hung toilets and their frames. The majority of their shower heads - with reputable named manfacturers - are under a hundred with onlly 2 coming in at over 200 To directly answer your question, as far as I know plumbing fittings are generally standard sizes.

Aren't sarking and felt the same thing?

Looks smart - Not ordered yet. Need to draw down more of my mortgage money before I order anything and at 13% interest I'm not doing that until I have to. I'm having mine on a stalk

All up ready for felting tomorrow

Building getting there and the first joist up this morning. Couldn't get the delivery vehicle down the road so had to be handballed off the truck and then individually carried down the road and or lifted up to the roof. Could job it is only single floor from this side,

Suspect it is an end of line (but I'm ordering it too.) Getting most of my stuff from British Bathroom Company, they do lots of Hudson Reid stuff but not this one

I'm still using some I bought over 3 years ago

Totally off the wall - but is there a way of sounding an alarm (loud and uncomfortable) after 10 mins rather than stopping the hot. If I was 'rinsing' I wouldn't appreciate either one, but could hurry it up and at least get rinsed off. Or at least some warning when the hot was coming to an end

Oh ffs sake - I haven't even looked at this yet Tomorrow is Bank Holiday etc etc - so that is Tuesday's job

FFS I'm glad this wasn't the page I opened up to and that I know what this site is like. OH - and that I'm a nurse so don't give a monkeys Not a pretty sight! ... (as opposed to the mostly pretty sites we get on here_

This 'lady' is just buying and couldn't give a monkey's about the design of the plate If they are - it's because they can.

Reading the info it could also be better for clothes because it runs at a cooler temp

suspect you may be right, the angles are well worked to dispel that. Balancing is possible but getting there ???

The fact that as I am getting older I occasionally stagger on a flat floor??? What intrigued me though was, How the &*&*& he got up there?