Dealing with contactors' honest mistakes

[Aaron Fude]

Hi,

What's a good way to approach the situation where the contactor overlooked something. I understand that a contractor cannot foresee everything and that some unfortunate things will happen.

In my situation, the contractor put an outlet where it will become inaccessible after a wall heating unit is mounted. The contractor was familiar with the unit before the job was started. The wall is now finished and painted and the whole thing just looks wrong.

It hard for me to imagine that the contractor would be willing to open a small section the wall up, remove the electrical box and put in another in a more appropriate place, retape and repaint. What can I do here? Insist that he does it?

Also, in a situation like this, can the contractor say "well, you didn't notice it either and you even told me you liked it's location".

Many thanks in advance!

Aaron

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Did he know in advance about the location of heating unit? Or did you give him blue print? If not, to me it's your mistake.

[Aaron Fude]

He knew the exact location of the heater

[RBM]

If the location was chosen by verbal description, I'd just ask him to relocate it and pay whatever he bills you. If it was chosen by markings on an accurate blueprint, he should accept the cost of the mistake If it was my job. I spend a lot of time understanding exactly what the customer wants. Some customers are deliberately vague, and I wouldn't touch those jobs, but an isolated mistake, I would just eat the cost without question

[RBM]

Did he know where the outlet needed to be located for "that" heater? Did he ask?, did you give him the specific information he needed?

[hallerb]

why remove the existing one? if it wouldnt cause a problem forget about it...........

just install a new outlet at the better location.

the cost of labor to recover a cheap outlet just isnt worth it.

I have my own office machine service business, wierd stuff comes up. its easiest to just eat the cost and move on............

for me its a no brainer

[Tucker]

No problem... Just show him the blueprints and point out the error the electrical contractor made.

[trader4]

I have to disagree on this one. If it was clearly verbally communicated and he put it in the wrong place, then the contractor should correct it at his expense. That would be my opening postiion. And I certainly wouldn't approach it by saying just do the re-work and bill me whatever it costs. If you do have to pay for it, you want the price set upfront. Don't make a second mistake.

Of course the problem is if it's not in writing, then it can be difficult to prove who said what. Fortunately, what you're looking at, adding another outlet, should be a relatively inexpensive fix.

If it was chosen by markings on

[marson]

If I was the contractor, I'd move it without question. Oops I'd say and move on. Generally a new outlet can be set up with fairly minimal disturbance to the sheetrock.

[Banty]

Yep. Just get a new outlet put in a better spot.

The contractor may offer to pay, or just not bill you. Or he may add.

But it's such a small thing, and something not from neglect or incompetence, just not anticipating some specifics. I'd go with the flow on this one.

Banty

[Marilyn & Bob]

If the outlet will be inaccesable after the radiator is installed, wouldn't leaving it live be a code violation?

[Harry K]

So why did you post about it? Per the times on the posts, your original was long after normal business hours and this one is probably prior to opening.

Harry K

[SteveB]

Have you tried talking to him? My hvac guy didn't connect the uptube from the dryer to the rain cap that went through the roof. The roof was nearly flat, so the only way to fix it was to open up the sheetrock on the ceiling. I told him that I'd have the drywall guy do it on his pickup list. He said, no, he screwed up, and he'd fix it. Opened it up, put in the pipe, fixed the drywall, and painted it. No extra charge. I live in a part of the country in a rural area where this is common to get and keep business. It may be different where you are. But talking is the first step. Moving a box is really no big deal.

Steve

[Aaron Fude]

Harry, perhaps google tags it with the Pacific time zone. I posted it at about 10am. So there.

[hallerb]

=BDHe said,

a part of the

=EF=BF=BDMoving a

when you have a business fixing the wierd stuff that happens is a part of doing business.

for minor costs it just easier, and helps your reputation and referal business

[SteveB]

I live in extreme SW Utah. For some reason, it posts me at the wrong time. Do I care?

Others seem to, and I just tell them to go back to the doctor until they get some medicine that works.

Steve

[Harry K]

Odd. Google shows it as 9:50 pm. Of course I jsut got a new 'puter with 'Vista' on it so nothing surprises me...ooops I take that back. It surprises me that it works at all.

Harry K