Gut feeling?

[Bobleponge]

What do you think? I received a call a couple of days ago to come and look at a job. The job is to finish off a lot of things that have been started by another plumber, almost to the end of the job but then apparently the plumber just upped and left.
1. 2 rads downstairs and a towel rad upstairs are on walls but not connected to the CH system. Pipework (PER) has been laid to rads and at other end to boiler, no connections made.
2. Toilet is fixed in place but cold feed not connected.
3. Hole for outside tap has been drilled, but nothing further.
4. Couple of other small bits and pieces.

There are a couple of things about this that don't ring true. The work that takes the time has all been done so why would a plumber just bugger off and not finish the job. I asked the client but was told that plumb just didn't turn up, and they've tried to contact but no joy. Work isnt falling off trees at the moment so I'm dubious in the extreme. Secondly, this job is about 45km's away from me. Possibly not that rare in the UK but I've never had the like before here in France.
I'm thinking its either a money issue (they didn't pay previous plumber and he's got the hump) although if he wasn't paid for his work he should have taken anything that was his back with him, or possibly they've done the work themselves to save cash but don't know how to actually fit.
The problem with the latter case is that over here I am forced to have a 10 year insurance policy which costs a lot, but if any faults are discovered later I dont want it coming back to me.

Any gut feeling thoughts would be appreciated, cheers.

 

[secret squirrel]

Go with you instinct here, most trades are reliable, turn up etc.

If the quality of the work you've seen is good then I'd say the old plumber hasn't been paid or theres a dispute between the two of them!

But I'm synical.:thumbs_down:

 

[SimonG]

It's a diy job. Just detail everything you do, add in the 'not gauranteeing any existing work' and first you would pressure test any existing pipework.

Only done this twice, once as the plumber had fallen down some stairs and was unable to complete but he came for 1/2 a day on my first day on the job to go through everything that had been done. The second time was on a big extension that had 1 days work done and I stripped out everything that had been done (not a lot).

 

[Rodolphe]

It's a diy job. Just detail everything you do, add in the 'not guaranteeing any existing work' and first you would pressure test any existing pipework.

I completely agree. Document all the work already done (even keep pictures for your own files) and have the customer sign an addendum making them agree to the fact you only cover the work you do and those specifics are NOT covered.

Either they are happy with this and you have no problem
Or else, they moan about it, which could be a red-flag. In that case you can always offer to re-do the whole work and cover all of it under your guarantee.

 

[Bobleponge]

Went and looked at the job. Either he's done it himself or the previous plumber went to the Stevie Wonder school of plumbing. The "normes" over here are building/water/gas etc regs over there and none of them had been applied, at all. Told the customer I couldnt connect, as nothing conforms, would have to take it all out and start again. I could feel the deflation in the room as I was talking. Will be sending them the estimate today but dont expect to be hearing back from them.
Cheers for the replies.

 

[hammers4spanner]

Went and looked at the job. Either he's done it himself or the previous plumber went to the Stevie Wonder school of plumbing. The "normes" over here are building/water/gas etc regs over there and none of them had been applied, at all. Told the customer I couldnt connect, as nothing conforms, would have to take it all out and start again. I could feel the deflation in the room as I was talking. Will be sending them the estimate today but dont expect to be hearing back from them.
Cheers for the replies.

Thats best way imho,
they wont accept your offer tho i would not have thought but either way at least you wont get stung and secondly can ask for payment of materials upfront to see if you get any mponey .

10 year insurance is a biggy tho!