Messy Builder

Hi everyone,

I got some work done on my bathroom (retiled) while I was away and basically it seems that builder/tiler has taken some liberties - i.e. eating food, breaking and damaging things, not cleaning up properly. Don't ask why but he has already received full payment. Before I approach him to see if we can all be adult about this and sort it out amicably, has anyone experienced something like this before? Do I have any recourse to get some compensation from the builder? I reckon it's about €300 between damages and missing stuff.

Hope there's some good news out there.

If there is stuff missing is this not theft and something that should be reported to the Gardai?
The builder, if you had your contract with him, has responsibility for all people he brings on site.
I wouldn't be so concerned about a mess but I would be livid about damaged items and missing items.

robertmccart said:

... Don't ask why but he has already received full payment. ...

Click to expand...

That's why

A little older, a little wiser mathepac.

Niceoneted, the stuff that was taken was more likely thrown out. I don't think there's a huge market for secondhand rusty bathroom shelves

I'd say he might have thought he was doing you a favour by removing something you might otherwise have had to dispose of yourself - unless you wanted them put back?

ONQ.

I'd say put it down to experience, and in future only pay for any work upon completion

I'm confused how did you come to a figure of €300?

All i have got so far it he got rid of rusty bathroom shelves.

What exacetly did he eat, if you hadn't of been away would you not of offered a few cups or tea/coffee maybe a sandwich. Did he invite all his friends around and clear out the freezer?

Also what is damaged? You haven't said.

As for being messy.... well thats builders for you, did he at least try and clean up or was is not the standard you would do yourself, blokes generally have a different idea to what clean is than us girls.

To be honest unless you give more information on what he did/didn't do, i dont really see why you would take 300 euro away from him, especially if he did a good job on your bathroom.

How do you conclude that €300 worth of stuff is missing, considering that you decribed the items as "rusty bathroom shelves" which have no second hand value?!!!!

If the work was done well give the fella a break!

As always, my attempt to paraphrase has led to confusion rather than clarity. €300 worth of stuff wasn't stolen. I agree that stuff was probably thrown out but some clothes were destroyed with gloss paint and about €100 worth of groceries rendered inedible due to dust/paint. It was very messy and contract cleaners had to be engaged to break the back of the cleaning (dust in computer equipemtn, layered on bookshelves, all over bedclothes, in wardrobes etc....). A few dust sheets would have gone a long way...... it's amazing how quickly the numbers add up to €300.

Also, he didn't really do a good job - there are a couple of snags that need to be addressed - some of them quite significant. Anyway, the original question remains - has anyone experienced something similar to this in the past and how did the builder respond? Am I wasting my time even talking to them in your opinon?

first of all since he has already been paid you dont really have anything to bargin with. If there are problems with his work I would bring this up.

But as for everything else i really cant say as i'm even more confused now than i was before!?!

Is your bathroom in your kitchen/bedroom/front room? It sound like something out of faulty towers, how in the world did he manage to get dust and paint all over the food, computer, bookshelves, on the bed covers and 'in' the wardrobes?

you have to expect dust when your getting building work done,why not try cleaning yourself instead of contract cleaners?

he seems to have cut tiles in the front room - it's a small one bed apt so not difficult to get dust everywhere!

I'm not shy of a bit of work and have spent the last few days cleaning. Dust keeps settling.

Anyway, that's not the point. the question remains - has anyone experienced something similar and had a good result with the builder?

Thanks everyone.