need advice on sacking my builder or not

i’ll start again 😳

agreed a new project with a local builder for the house earlier this year – a new bathroom refurbishment, i’d supply the fittings and fixtures (tiles, taps, furniture etc) he’d do the rest

it was a pain to find people to quote to be honest, but after over ten enquires i eventually qot three decent quotes, did my research etc and went with someone with good feedback and a decent history of past jobs – great!

but things are progressing poorly now, the builder intially suggested three weeks of work, and its been four weeks now – walls have been relined, the old ceiling replaced, skimmed and painted, the first fix M&E in, show tray in, underfloor heating in, about 99% of the floor tiles down – but please bear in mind that this is a 9 sq.m bathroom not a palace

the missus has moved out and won’t come back until the house is clean and tidy and the work done, and progress is on an evolutionally scale now (its taken a week to put down the floor tiles ffs) and todays progress was a farce (when he did turn up) – half a dozen wall tiles, before i went to work he promised to install the wc, which wasn’t done when i got back this evening (open stack left in the bathroom) and wc sat next to it unconnected

how the hell do i get him to **** get on with it!, he has obviously got too much on, his timekeeping is very poor, he never achieves his programme, said he’ll work this weekend but never turned up – constant excuses some of which include bad back, trips to hospital with sick mother, emergency call outs, food poisoning – not had the broken down van one yet

utterly stressed out now, i’ve not paid him yet, but it’ll take say two weeks to find someone else to quote and probably have to wait 4-6 weeks until they are free

options
1. write to him formally ending the agreement asap, and settle up somehow (don’t to how to agree what he’s owed though) probably 80%

2. pursue some other quotes now for the remaining works (finish tiling, 2nd fix M&E and install fitted furniture, bath, shower enclosure, vanity unit, new door/architrave) to test the water

3. talk to him, agree a realistic programme and put up with it for an unknown period because he is so unreliable

tbh it stresses me out because i don’t understand why it is taking so **** long – i want to scream, get pissed and go to bed and discover the bathroom fairy has finished the work!!!!

Is his quality of work good though?

i am a tiler , u might find it hard to get someone to “finish someone else’s work ” i wouldn’t unless price was rite !!!

its been acceptable so far, but the floor tiling was okay – not great

u might find it hard to get someone to “finish someone else’s work

that is a concern – particularly on the electrics

what area?

i would have a “formal chat” with him. tell him he has X amount of days to finish any time after that will be on a sliding pay scale. and he wont be paid until the job is finished.

how long do you think it should take?

Have you sat down and talked to him about what is causing the delays and how stressed it is making you? That is have a conversation, rather than giving orders / expectations? It sounds like he has some issues – maybe you could help him out? TALK TO HIM

you will find a spark to do the 2nd fix as you get builders who will run the cables (1st fix) and are not allowed to do any more than that. they will normally contract in a 2nd fix.

i would have a “formal chat” with him. tell him he has X amount of days to finish any time after that will be on a sliding pay scale. and he wont be paid until the job is finished.

Yeah – that’ll work, especially if you haven’t specced that in the contract.

Option 2 …

You see you do not owe him a living and if he cannot be honest about his ability then there is no point continuing with your stress.

The way I see it this “tradesman” is holding you to ransom indirectly as he knows he has more power over you now once he is in.

(not related to building industry etc but similar mentality)
As one of the fruit seller said to the camera looking ahead to the other fruit seller in the BBC documentary “… they were once kings here (sellers dictating to customers) …”, while the other fruit seller closed his store for the one last time. It has been there for generations but no more.

🙄

a week to tile a 9m2 floor? Jesus H! his rate must be good if he’s on a price, I’d want words with myself if I hadn’t finished that in a day!

Speak to him about your concerns and agree a plan of action to move the job on including what will happen in case things still dont get any better.

He’s a builder. Abandon all hope

If you’ve allowed hi to get away with it for 4 weeks already it is very likely to improve now

Get another quotation to finish the work from a reputable builder – don’t worry too much if it’s a fairly high price. Tell your current builder that he has, say, ten working days to finish the job and that if he fails to make proper progress during that time, you will get the other builder to finish the work and that he (the original builder) will be paid, as an absolute maximum, his original quotation less the cost of the second builder’s works. Put it in writing, and he’ll know you’re not mucking about.
Might be worth getting a formal contract in place if you have work done again in the future. I think the Federation of Master Builders have a standard one.

Hope you get sorted soon – seems to be putting a lot of stress on you. Good luck.

frankly he s using your job as fill in now. ie between his day to day work hes squeezing yours in piece meal. tell him that” you want it finished by X. if not you ll get abc in and deduct thier charges from his quote..”
140 a day for a bathroom fitter and 35 a sq meter for tiling.. i can send my boys down if you d like manchester/ NW

tbh – i think he does have issues, in the last week its almost like he isn’t up for it anymore

i reckon his programme is blown now, and he has other projects on the go that should of started and he is still messing about with this one

i’m over a barrel because it’ll take so long to arrange a replacement, and we just can’t have a bathroom and working wc for say another 6-8 weeks

reckon he’ll take a least two more weeks to finish, everything is here to finish the job and has been weeks before he turned up, just want the house back, finished and cleaned, its a tip

more i think about is option 1 is out, 2 isn’t my fav, therefore 3 is the one left – don’t wish to piss him off by amending the final amount on a sliding scale tbh

Getting a working WC is really simple assuming water available and soil stack in situ

I’d sack him tomorrow unless he agrees to work 9-5 on it until its finished – and the first time he missed that he would be sacked and told to whistle for his money ( but be prepared to pay quote – cost of another builder to finish it)

Why the hell would it take 6 weeks to find a replacement? You’ve already had one offer from here…

Ring the local Plumb Centre and ask for some numbers – someone will do it for you.

Thanks for the replies so far

Signing off for tonight (need to chill out a little) and will start again tomorrow with a few calls and a polite chat with him