Good day Build Hub Family

 

Attached is the contact I have drafted and intend to sign with the bathroom fitter.  I would value your comments on the payment terms (highlighted) in red print for ease of reference and other parts of the contract.  I have seen his work and he comes recommended by two previous clients.

BUILDING HUB - DOMESTIC RENOVATIONS CONTRACT.docx

From a quick skim my immediate question is how are you defining the "halfway point of the scope of works" for the second payment?

 

And have you already discussed these stages/instalments with the fitter / have they given any indication of their normal practice?

 

How well do you know the installer? I guess you've already had discussions about the extent of works?

 

My concern is that there are a few areas open to interpretation that could allow shortcuts to be taken. For example, 'prepare walls reading for tiling (special plasterboard...) and 'prepare floor for tiling (boards etc.). I once had an installer lay plywood as the bathroom subfloor on top of exiting floorboard saying it was a great job only to find that once he'd gone, the floor flexed as he hadn't bothered to screw done the plywood at the required 100mm centres as specificied by the floor product manufacturer and the plywood should have been thicker. He also bent the plywood over a dip in the floor instead of filling it. Within 6 months we had to get it all re-done.

 

I would re-look at the specification of works to make sure there is no room for interpretation, providing specs. of the subfloor and even the type of plasterboard you require as the substrate for tiles, bearing in mind you might need to take into consideration the weight/m2 of the tiles on the boards. Is plasterboard the best option or could a fresh plaster and skim suffice instead?

 

I would personally be inclined to specify the overall wall and floor areas for tiling - e.g. is it just the sink splashback, half wallheight around sink/bath, full wall height somewhere else?

 

Also, don't give your installer the cart blanche freedom to buy materials for re-imbursement, define a controlled process of request, approval and purchase that gives proper oversight and works for all of you.