Hi all - apologies in advance for the essay.
Posted a week or two ago about a botched shower job and had some really helpful replies (tray installed too far back so enclosure is too big for tray and overhangs it; plasterboard also sitting on top of tray rather than tray being butted to boards which go down the edge of the tray).
I'll ask my question right now in case you don't want to read my monologue below. I understand since 2018 building regs say plasterboard in a shower area has to be tanked before tiling. I'm pretty sure (though not certain) that this wasn't done in my case. Do you know if the building regs make this mandatory (or mean that the 'reasonable care and skill' requirement of the Consumer Rights Act hasn't been met if not done)? Because the fitter is pushing back on what needs to be done to rectify the situation, I thought this may the easiest way to justify starting from scratch (I haven't raised the tanking point before as I've only just looked into it). There is currently some missing drywall exposing the plasterboard with doesn't look/feel tanked (photo included) and I can see where it goes behind the tiles and it doesn't look tanked there either (but the tile adhesive makes it difficult to see).
I outlined all the issues to my fitter (again, except the tanking) and he said he'd 'work some things out and get back to me'. Interesting that he didn't even ask to come over and inspect the issues I'd raised, or even see photos (most of the work was done by two employees who he later told me he'd sack as they kept botching jobs - but insisted mine had been done right...)
Anyway I chased him twice more last week and he kept saying he was still working things out, so finally yesterday I got tougher with him and he said he would refund me £500 for someone else to sort it (I assume because he hasn't got the staff now) which he claimed would be more than enough to rectify it. I asked him to clarify what he saw rectification involving as I thought it would need doing from scratch and £500 wouldn't be enough. He then suddenly changed tactic and said he would come and 'move the tray'. I said I didn't think it was as simple as that as tiles needing removing etc (I assume he envisaged some method of moving the tray forward without disturbing tiles and keeping the plasterboard resting on top - he isn't a tiler and outsourced that part of the job).
I suggested that I get some quotes to rectify the issue and we take it from there and he suddenly changed personality (or showed his true colours) and told me he wouldn't be held responsible for that (even though his £500 offer for someone else to sort it was apparently 'more than enough' - so if he's right why is getting quotes a problem?). He also refused to respond to my points that I felt more invasive action was required and he said 'you're not a tiler or bathroom fitter so it's irrelevant what you think.' I thought as the customer what I think does matter but I guess not...
Anyway long story short I kept pressing him on HOW he intended to fix the issues and what his response was to the specific problems I'd listed, but he wouldn't it got heated (I probably inflamed the situation by telling him I didn't trust him any more to fix it competently, but when he said my concerns were irrelevant I was agitated). The possibility of the county court came up (but I did say I didn't want to go down that road) and he said he wouldn't communicate with me any more and it would have be via solicitors. So obviously this has reached an awkward impasse.
I thought my next move should be to get some other tradesmen to confirm what's gone wrong and quote me to rectify it, and then write to him asking for that sum or giving him one more chance to fix it (I don't want to offer the latter option as it would be an extremely awkward encounter but I suppose I'll have to).
Grateful for any advice. I know I've probably been too trusting/naive throughout this process so be gentle 🙂
Posted a week or two ago about a botched shower job and had some really helpful replies (tray installed too far back so enclosure is too big for tray and overhangs it; plasterboard also sitting on top of tray rather than tray being butted to boards which go down the edge of the tray).
I'll ask my question right now in case you don't want to read my monologue below. I understand since 2018 building regs say plasterboard in a shower area has to be tanked before tiling. I'm pretty sure (though not certain) that this wasn't done in my case. Do you know if the building regs make this mandatory (or mean that the 'reasonable care and skill' requirement of the Consumer Rights Act hasn't been met if not done)? Because the fitter is pushing back on what needs to be done to rectify the situation, I thought this may the easiest way to justify starting from scratch (I haven't raised the tanking point before as I've only just looked into it). There is currently some missing drywall exposing the plasterboard with doesn't look/feel tanked (photo included) and I can see where it goes behind the tiles and it doesn't look tanked there either (but the tile adhesive makes it difficult to see).
I outlined all the issues to my fitter (again, except the tanking) and he said he'd 'work some things out and get back to me'. Interesting that he didn't even ask to come over and inspect the issues I'd raised, or even see photos (most of the work was done by two employees who he later told me he'd sack as they kept botching jobs - but insisted mine had been done right...)
Anyway I chased him twice more last week and he kept saying he was still working things out, so finally yesterday I got tougher with him and he said he would refund me £500 for someone else to sort it (I assume because he hasn't got the staff now) which he claimed would be more than enough to rectify it. I asked him to clarify what he saw rectification involving as I thought it would need doing from scratch and £500 wouldn't be enough. He then suddenly changed tactic and said he would come and 'move the tray'. I said I didn't think it was as simple as that as tiles needing removing etc (I assume he envisaged some method of moving the tray forward without disturbing tiles and keeping the plasterboard resting on top - he isn't a tiler and outsourced that part of the job).
I suggested that I get some quotes to rectify the issue and we take it from there and he suddenly changed personality (or showed his true colours) and told me he wouldn't be held responsible for that (even though his £500 offer for someone else to sort it was apparently 'more than enough' - so if he's right why is getting quotes a problem?). He also refused to respond to my points that I felt more invasive action was required and he said 'you're not a tiler or bathroom fitter so it's irrelevant what you think.' I thought as the customer what I think does matter but I guess not...
Anyway long story short I kept pressing him on HOW he intended to fix the issues and what his response was to the specific problems I'd listed, but he wouldn't it got heated (I probably inflamed the situation by telling him I didn't trust him any more to fix it competently, but when he said my concerns were irrelevant I was agitated). The possibility of the county court came up (but I did say I didn't want to go down that road) and he said he wouldn't communicate with me any more and it would have be via solicitors. So obviously this has reached an awkward impasse.
I thought my next move should be to get some other tradesmen to confirm what's gone wrong and quote me to rectify it, and then write to him asking for that sum or giving him one more chance to fix it (I don't want to offer the latter option as it would be an extremely awkward encounter but I suppose I'll have to).
Grateful for any advice. I know I've probably been too trusting/naive throughout this process so be gentle 🙂
