Where to go from here

[chudford]

My Daughter has had a local builder in to knock a hole through from her kitchen to the dining room. It is a victorian house and she wanted a matching finish for the arched hole. The edges are finished like an OJ achitrave.

He worked very quickly and cleaned up well afterwards. However on closer inspection the arched hole is not the same width at the top and bottom and the finish on the plasterwork is not great. She suggested getting a specialist plasterer in but the builder said he could do it. She has not paid the builder yet. So what should she do? Get the builder back in to put things right or get a specialist plasterer to refinish the arch.

What is your advice.

Thanks

[TheScullster]

"chudford" wrote

If your daughter has made it clear that she was expecting a spot-on finish to plaster-work before the builder started, then IMO she is in a strong position. Try asking in uk.legal.moderated for best course of action - but explain exactly what brief was given to the builder if you want meaningful answers.

Phil

[Peter Parry]

If, at this stage, she gets a specialist plasterer in she will have to pay him herself. She cannot deduct his fee from the amount owed to the original builder without giving him a chance to rectify any error.

[Cash]

What sort of figures are you talking about? Anything of around 12mm max wouldn't be excessive, especially if there is nothing to 'eye' it against.

Again, what's the actual problem with the plasterwork - lumps, hollows, not polished etc?

That's as it should be before any further action is undertaken - he should be allowed to rectify his work before anyone else is called in.

That's a good situation to be in - don't pay the builder until rectification is complete. *AND* make sure that you take photographs of the defective work *BEFORE* he starts to put things right - it will stand you in good stead if things turn nasty.

See above.

As I previously said, builder first - he must be given a chance to sort it out. If you don't do that, your daughter will be on rather shaky ground if the builder demands payment for his work.

Cash

[Usenet Nutter]

I took that middle bit as posted by OP to mean BEFORE the work was done but the solution is still the same .

[js.b1]

Builder should have used plasterboard (dot-n-dab or on batons) including the arch with metalwork.

Then it comes down to being able to do a decent skim coat. Skim on plasterboard is not hard - even a crap builder can do it and just sand the living daylights out of it (just more mess & time, to his cost as the substrate is perfectly flat).

It may simply be the builder has not appreciated how far the wall is out.

[Cash]

Doh, you're right! Blame the pain killers :-(

Cash