Kitchen horror

[CleverClogs]

Re: Kitchen horror

Swifty, you cant imagine how the horror is unravelling. I had 2 fitters over today. The second one paid particular attention to all that had been done. There are no filler panels at the ends. At one end there is a gap wide enough for your hand to fit into it and it is wider at the top than the bottom. Its hard to tell if the wall isn't straight or the fitting.

It's probably the wall, though a decent tradesman should be able to "scribe" a fitting or a filler panel so that there is no gap, regardless of how uneven the wall might be.

At the other end of the run there are 2 tall units on either side of a side by side fridge with a lift up unit linking them. The tall units are not plumbed - they are closer together at the top than at the bottom.

Yikes!

Had that moron never heard of a plumb line, a plumb rule or a spirit level?

This is kindergarten knowledge!

[CleverClogs]

Re: Kitchen horror

I've had a look at the photo's

Where?

[Golconda]

Re: Kitchen horror

Would someone like that have liability insurance? Clearly this is the kind of question I should have asked him the first time I saw him.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Kitchen horror

Would someone like that have liability insurance?

He might, but he's probably too cheap even to have considered it.

If he is a member of The Guild of Master Craftsmen, he might have some insurance cover, but I'd then be asking why they'd accepted such a duffer as a member.

[wales01man]

Re: Kitchen horror

Not so sure a liability insurance covers bad workmanship,dountful if any thing he may be a member of will out either,looks like he does the job properley or its small claims court

[Golconda]

Re: Kitchen horror

I'm trying to figure out how someone like that can work for 25 years and still get work. Another problem has now surfaced. He did not allow for a water pipe in one corner of my kitchen. I've ordered units on the basis of his plan and now either a couple of the units need to be cut down or replaced with smaller units or someone else suggested fitting a plasterboard against the wall to bring it forward to the level of the pipe to avoid the obstruction. Either way I'm going to pay extra because of his initial error. Again, do I really have to offer him the opportunity to make good? Can I not just write and ask for compensation implying that I'll sue for damages?

[wales01man]

Re: Kitchen horror

How did you get hold of this walking disaster area?

[Golconda]

Re: Kitchen horror

A couple of years ago someone gave me his number and it was sitting in my drawer all this time, I thought I'd give him a ring. He seemed really sharp and seemed to know what he was talking about.

[ostell]

Re: Kitchen horror

Rather than give him the opportunity to make good you could say (you are saying) that he is so incompetent that any further work would result in even greater losses.

[Golconda]

Re: Kitchen horror

Thank you and how do I quantify what I'm claiming eg I've received a quote now for £3250 to redo and complete the work. What proportion of this can I reasonably claim from the cowboy?

[wales01man]

Re: Kitchen horror

What on earth are they gonna do for 3grand plus id love to see the plans and the quote does it include electrics and plumbing?

[Golconda]

Re: Kitchen horror

Actually it does seem high. Yes it includes electrics and pIumbing and there are 2 of them who together charge £325 per day for 10 days work. I asked for a quote to refit the side that the bozo has done and to fit the other side where all the appliances are. On top of that there is about 4.5 sq m tiling. Because of the error that the bozo made in measuring up, he did not take the existence of a water pipe into consideration and I've already ordered and received the cabinets. In order to remedy, a plasterboard needs to be fitted about 5cm or so in from the wall to avoid the pipe so that is some of the additional work which is not straightforward. Its not such a massive kitchen - just 3.7m x 3.7m with units running along 2 sides only. I guess I need more quotes. I had another one for £2,500 but this guy wanted to cut down 2 units to overcome this pipe issue.

[ostell]

Re: Kitchen horror

All of it if the new fitter has to start again. Slightly less if he can leave some of the fittings in place, but then from your description that may not be possible.

You seem to have already questioned the standard of work with the original fitter so he has already had a chance to correct the defective work.

This was a response to your message about how much to claim. Must look for page 2 in future!

[Golconda]

Re: Kitchen horror

Wales Man, Shame you are not based in London. Please pm me with your email address and I'm happy to send you a pdf copy of the plan.

[swifty]

Re: Kitchen horror

I'm guessing the pricing is "London rates" but I can't see why it would take two people 10 days to put a kitchen it?
For a kitchen with those dimensions and without seeing the plans I would hazard a guess of 5 days tops