- Joined
- 10 Mar 2016
- Messages
- 41
- Reaction score
- 4
- Country
Yes I feel my new kitchen and bathroom installation has been a complete disaster!
Let me explain...... I decided to have a new kitchen and bathroom so I thought i took the correct 1st steps and found a local builder with a good reputation and came highly recommended by friends.
I wanted a kitchen similar to a friend of mine who got her kitchen with a well know kitchen trade company.
I made the appointment and the local kitchen planner came along and we agreed to a kitchen plan and the style of units.
So far so good.
But, as most of you are aware- this is trade so my local recommended builder had to place the order via his account.
The builder told me he was not making any money on the units being that it was already planned and that it was just one phonecall to get the units delivered.
So far so good.
The units arrived with a kitchen fitter and also a plumber to start the removal and installation of a new bathroom. A good idea to get it all done at once.
The price I was quoted for the complete work was not the cheapest but at the higher end which I didnt mind considering this is a master builder with an excellent reputation?
The kitchen consists of 15 units which came rigid- not flat packed.
There are also the appliances and sink which needed to be slightly moved and some isolator switches installed above the worktop.
I was told originally that the removal and installation of the kitchen would be £2700 not including the electrics which was £800 and tiling (5 sqm) £600 and i had to supply tiles and grout etc.
Now the bad bit....
Stupidly I paid the builder 12k in cash upfront as partial payment.
The workmanship is very shoddy and has taken 15 days so far and yet the kitchen is finished yet.
I cant even tell you how bad the problems are. The mitre joints are terrible. The worktop slopes. The wall units have had large screw drilled through them and ruined them in my opinion. There is so much more I just wished I could post photos.
I asked for a meeting with the builder who became very offensive. He eventually turned up and I pointed out the bits Im not happy about.
For instance, the isolation switches have been placed behind the base drawer units.
The plug socket for the washing machine and dishwasher has been placed in the unit under the sink directly below elbows in copper piping. I had asked for the switches to be placed above the worktop.
The electrician who turned up became very offensive and insisted it was all acceptable and I was being too picky.
I had to ask him to leave.
On further investigation as to why my fridge and freezer was working i found switched sockets under the units screwed into the floor towards the rear of the base units. A cable went from this double socket to one of the isolation sockets behind the drawers.
I am worried about this socket for several reasons. One of them is that it wont be that easily accessible if needed behind the kick boards.
I have since found out that the builder has made just over £4500 on the mark up on the units despite him telling me that he hadnt made a penny.
The electrical work i believe is shoddy.
The installation of kitchen is the worst Ive seen ever.
The builder has now become threatening and asking for another £7000 for labour.
I have ordered him off site.
Now for those who are thinking i agreed a price then yes i did but what i did not agree to was nothing more than a bodgeit job.
He has said he will not carry out any remedial work until i give him another £7000.
What do I do???
Help!!!!!!
Let me explain...... I decided to have a new kitchen and bathroom so I thought i took the correct 1st steps and found a local builder with a good reputation and came highly recommended by friends.
I wanted a kitchen similar to a friend of mine who got her kitchen with a well know kitchen trade company.
I made the appointment and the local kitchen planner came along and we agreed to a kitchen plan and the style of units.
So far so good.
But, as most of you are aware- this is trade so my local recommended builder had to place the order via his account.
The builder told me he was not making any money on the units being that it was already planned and that it was just one phonecall to get the units delivered.
So far so good.
The units arrived with a kitchen fitter and also a plumber to start the removal and installation of a new bathroom. A good idea to get it all done at once.
The price I was quoted for the complete work was not the cheapest but at the higher end which I didnt mind considering this is a master builder with an excellent reputation?
The kitchen consists of 15 units which came rigid- not flat packed.
There are also the appliances and sink which needed to be slightly moved and some isolator switches installed above the worktop.
I was told originally that the removal and installation of the kitchen would be £2700 not including the electrics which was £800 and tiling (5 sqm) £600 and i had to supply tiles and grout etc.
Now the bad bit....
Stupidly I paid the builder 12k in cash upfront as partial payment.
The workmanship is very shoddy and has taken 15 days so far and yet the kitchen is finished yet.
I cant even tell you how bad the problems are. The mitre joints are terrible. The worktop slopes. The wall units have had large screw drilled through them and ruined them in my opinion. There is so much more I just wished I could post photos.
I asked for a meeting with the builder who became very offensive. He eventually turned up and I pointed out the bits Im not happy about.
For instance, the isolation switches have been placed behind the base drawer units.
The plug socket for the washing machine and dishwasher has been placed in the unit under the sink directly below elbows in copper piping. I had asked for the switches to be placed above the worktop.
The electrician who turned up became very offensive and insisted it was all acceptable and I was being too picky.
I had to ask him to leave.
On further investigation as to why my fridge and freezer was working i found switched sockets under the units screwed into the floor towards the rear of the base units. A cable went from this double socket to one of the isolation sockets behind the drawers.
I am worried about this socket for several reasons. One of them is that it wont be that easily accessible if needed behind the kick boards.
I have since found out that the builder has made just over £4500 on the mark up on the units despite him telling me that he hadnt made a penny.
The electrical work i believe is shoddy.
The installation of kitchen is the worst Ive seen ever.
The builder has now become threatening and asking for another £7000 for labour.
I have ordered him off site.
Now for those who are thinking i agreed a price then yes i did but what i did not agree to was nothing more than a bodgeit job.
He has said he will not carry out any remedial work until i give him another £7000.
What do I do???
Help!!!!!!
Did you get a written quote? or estimate? (what does it say)? Does the Builder have any terms & conditions (what do they say)? £12k is rather high for a normal kitchen deposit. How much are you still owe them/would be owe them if they finished? Generally you have to let them finish the job, ordering off site may not have been the wisest decision. You should have gotten in writing where the electrics were to be going (did you?). The only thing actually wrong with the electrics I can see is that earth wire not connected. It's permitted to have sockets behind a plinth. Don't know where about in the UK you are(?) but in Scotland it's 'should' rather than 'must' have switches above-counter. None of it is of a high standard though. Live wires shouldn't be left hanging out of a wall. Has there been any changes made at the fuseboard/consumer unit?