Your opinions please?

[Phil2010]

Please view all of these photos, then tell me what you would do in my situation. Thanks! Bathroom

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

you dont have any photo s on that link so cant comment

 

[paul78]

looks shoddy, did he tile also or regrout and how much did you pay????

 

[Blake]

Looks dreadful, was the plumber recommended or random? What is the plumbers stance on the quality of work?

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

found the pics

where to start???

PTFE tap on the threads of joints! this shows he has no understanding of how a joint seals with the olive!!!

 

[villa_tom]

I wouldn't get him back to right his wrongs I'd get a prefessional in to put all the stuff right and charge him for it. He obviously hasn't got a clue

 

[Phil2010]

I`ve had him back once already, but he`s failed to rectify anything but the bath panel, which fell off the day he finished. It was siliconed to the walls with no other form of support. He had the nerve to charge £1060 for this work. I was at University so wasn`t there when he was paid. He would not have recieved a penny from me for such shoddy work. The bathroom is held together by silicon. No retaining bolts or screws in anything, as you can see. He siliconed screwcover caps onto the base of the toilet without any screws! I`ve got trading standards involved.

 

[Phil2010]

Sorry, you have to click on the dates on the rh side of the blog. Be sure to scroll to the end of the blog because there is a lot of pictures, some worse than others!

 

[dontknowitall]

How can't you clean grout? And with an installation like that I hope he wasn't calling himself a plumber.

How to they get away with it when some people wouldn't charge that amount and produce a much better result?

I don't normally criticise other people's work but this one takes the biscuit. You can forgive a few bits and pieces but not this one!

 

[PlumbingSucks]

outstanding craftmanship

 

[fuzzy]

how do you get to the photos?

 

[Phil2010]

I`m just hoping that I can recover my losses. I don`t believe in slander or such like, but this is clearly substandard work. I feel that it`s deceitful to not put any fixings in basin, pedestal or toilet base. Consumer direct are currently advising me, and say that this falls under the sale of goods and services act.

 

[fuzzy]

wheres the photos?

 

[Phil2010]

If you look on the right hand side of the page, there are some dates about half way down. Click on those, and when you`ve scrolled down, click on older posts. There`s approximately 30 pics in total.

 

[Blake]

There you go fuzzy:

Bathroom

 

[Henno82]

LOL that is appaling! and you are right to get trading standards involved this is lazy workmanship and gives us a bad name, take the advice do not get him back to rectify his shoddyness just take him to small claims court and follow up your complaint.

 

[fuzzy]

oh my goodness, i wish i hadnt seen it now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
its terrible mate, im so sorry, i hate these people giving us a bad name. as a house owner how are you to know? youve just got to give someone a job and hope they do it right over 1k!!! was this labour and supply? if so how much do you think the stuff cost?
id list the faults but i think you know whats wrong!

 

[Phil2010]

As you can see, I`m not just being a picky customer. The only thing consistent with this work is the apalling standard. My partner didn`t check it before she paid him, which was foolish. She took him at face value, and we had no reason to question his integrity because he comes across as a nice enough guy. It bothers me that there are honest hardworking plumbers out there who take pride in their work, and people like this guy are taking work away from them, and tainting the reputation of tradesmen in general. It`s not fair on the industry, or the customer, but perhaps we also are in the wrong for not vetting him. My girlfriend got him out of the local paper.

 

[fuzzy]

feel sorry for you mate, what was in the 1k charge?

 

[Phil2010]

Fuzzy, we purchased everything except the tile adhesive, grout and tile trim, which he provided. Even the grouting looks like it wasn`t properly mixed, or already going off when he used it. It`s full of pores and marks. Not smooth as you would expect.

 

[McNulty]

This is absolutely terrible. The thing that annoys me the most is that they must know what they are doing so its not a case of just a terrible plumber who tries hard, they just dont have an ounce of care in them!! Just dont understand how you can get away with it. The plastic pipe feeding the basin and the silicone fixings is just beyond belief, i feel sorry for you man!!

How long did this job take him? And what exactly did he do plumbing/tiling wise to deserve 1k? Did he do anything else?

 

[Phil2010]

He started on a Monday, and finished 5 days later. According to my partners son, he left most days at around 2.30pm. I was at Uni that week with exams, and my partner works 12 hr shifts at a local residential home. She was out christmas shopping on the friday, but he was here that day until teatime, when she came home and paid him.

 

[paul78]

id be concerned what adhesive he used also, 6mth down the line tiles could be on floor, prob pva'd your walls!! sounds extreme but i would consider getting the pipework redone correctly (ASAP) to avoid any potential flooding. iv never seen pipework that bad even when its being hidden. i reaally feel for you phil especially this time of the year. dont let him get away with it!!!

 

[Phil2010]

That same evening, I came home from Uni and went for a shower. I climbed into the bath and the panel fell off. I looked and realised that it had been fixed to the walls at each end by silicon, and nothing else. That`s when I decided to look at the rest of the work, and realised that the entire bathroom is held together by silicon. No retaining bolts. He had even siliconed screwcover caps onto the base of the toilet unit, minus the screws to secure it in place. We rang him, and he returned on the following tuesday to rectify the bath panel. I left him a list of concerns, but he ignored them. The pictures under the toilet cistern tank show what I discovered when I checked to see if he had filled the open joints in the tiling. I was pretty shocked, to be honest.

 

[McNulty]

Well your doing the right thing about taking action on his work, because it is so bad i feel awful on your behalf.

 

[Phil2010]

Rest assured Paul, I`ve gone to trading standards and I fully intend to take this matter as far as possible! I`ve got to send a recorded delivery letter to the local paper legal team detailing my report to trading standards with regards to his work, and they should then withdraw his ad, if not only to protect themselves from future liability.

 

[paul78]

ive just googled his name and there is a few free ad sites hes on where you can leave honest reviews of the sevice you recieved. if you intend to get the work redone only go for recommended tradesmen or at least ones who are willing to back there work up with a full 12 mth guarantee (WRITTEN) if you get stuck phil il send you my details www.ukplastering-plumbing.co.uk lots more pics of previous work that can be sent via email.

 

[Phil2010]

I`ve left an honest review on the Rossendale freepress site, where we contacted him from, and at least one other site as well, so that hopefully, people won`t be caught out in the same way that we`ve been. I think it`s only fair that you get the reputation that you deserve. I`d reccommend someone who`d done a nice tidy job, so why not advise against someone who`s cut every corner going!

 

[Resolute]

I don't like to criticise but how long was he there for?

Looks like the grout was starting to dry whilst he was working, can't see why he didn't bring the pipe up behind the ped either.

Hope you get it sorted, where abouts are you?

 

[Phil2010]

I`m just outside Rawtenstall, in Rossendale, Lancashire.

 

[Phil2010]

He was here for 5 days in total, but my girlfriends son said that he left at 2.30ish most days, and came around 9am.

 

[fuzzy]

so it was 1k for labour alone! gee im from merseyside and would have gladley drove to rossendale for that, i reckon three good days work for 2 people and around 6-7 hundered quid plus maybe another 100 for petrol and bits.
if it was done properly 1k wouldnt be a bad price though, not for a company, im talking thumber price

 

[Phil2010]

You`re not the first plumber to suggest that it was expensive fuzzy, and probably won`t be the last, but I`d even stomach that if the work was ok!

 

[fuzzy]

i agree phil, if the work is good then 1k is high but not over the top, you could get a shoddy job for 400 quid. im upset a so called plumber has done this, this is our name and reputation

 

[Phil2010]

That`s why I`m not going to let him get away with it, if possible. My missus feels bad and doesn`t want to talk about because she paid him without looking at the work properly, but even I wouldn`t have looked to see that retaining bolts were in place! He siliconed screwcover caps onto the base of the toilet! It`s that deliberate act alone that gets me!

 

[Blackcatgas]

Oh dear.

 

[ocentric]

He's not a plumber or a tiler. He's an odd job enthusiast. You're right to contact trading standards but they can't help with compensation. You need to get 3 quotes to put it right (complete rip out & re-do), then persue him through the small claims court for the money you spent with him, the money to correct & inconvenience.
Unfortunately, he probably won't have insurance so I think that in the long run this will be an expensive mistake that you won't make again.

 

[Resolute]

I don't think £1k is too expensive for a weeks work, however I would expect it done properly for that.

Have you contacted him again to see if he is prepared to put it right?

How old was he per chance?

 

[PlumbBobBob]

i'm not a tiler by trade but i would have done a better job especially in that corner, two half tiles? probably to get away from a slither of tile in the corner.did he think he wouldn't be found out? what if someone "large" were to use the toilet and it tipped over or someone had a dizzy spell and leant on the basin for support? not good mate.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

likes his flexys and plastic, tiling just terrible a true botcher

 

[Phil2010]

I`ve sent him a letter on the advice of consumer direct, giving him 21 days for everything to be brought upto a reasonable standard, by recorded delivery, and they have advised me to wait for his response. I`m considering contacting roguetraders to see if they want to follow it up. I don`t want anyone else to fall victim like we have. He lives in a big house in a nice location, and he doesn`t seem to be trading as a limited company. I`ve paid for some online checks for judgements etc against his trading name and address, and there`s nothing on file. Hopefully, this strengthens my chances of recovering my losses in the event of it going to court.

 

[Phil2010]

I`m tempted to contact an expert plumbing witness service, to get a professional independent report, but I`ve a feeling that it could be expensive, and will see what advice trading standards/consumer direct give me first.

 

[Avatar]

this guy definately isnt a plumber, he must be some one who has jumped on the 'im a plumber' bandwagon (like yesterday by the look of it !)

Alas once you pay, its kind of acnkowlaging that the work is acceptable. Your rights of sale demand that the job is of a 'reasonable' standard, which it obviously isn't! You will have to proove that it isnt if you take recource in court, so you would need an inpendant plumber to maybe write a report for you. Check the following always, as they are 101 cowboys with their dogs out there who are posing as plumbers:

- public liability insurance is a must
- a formal qualification (city and guilds/NVQ)
- referances, referances referances (you are silly if you dont ask for them!)
- check how many years they have been duly employed

I have to sya that this is the kind of job I expect to get called back to, when the customer had gone for a £400 quote - not £1000!

It seems you didn't pay peanuts, but you still got a monkey!

Also check how your bath is fixed to the wall, as you are risking serious damage if you fill it up, and it just has a bit of silicon at the back!

 

[Phil2010]

Avatar, please could you advise me what to look for with regards to the bath? I know that there is no kind of framework because the bath panel was siliconed to the walls at each end, and it would appear that when he returned to refit it, hes put a couple of blocks of wood at each end and screwed into them through the panel. There`s a lot of movement in it.

 

[fuzzy]

is the bath on legs?

 

[Phil2010]

Yes, I remember seeing what looked like four adjustable threaded legs, with plastic feet on.

 

[Henno82]

are these secured to the floor?

 

[REDSAW]

i think more of a builder or plasterer type person did this job.
personally, although i cant see all the work involved, would charge around £1200, but it would be done to your expectations wherever possible.
some of the grout- a bit picky, as in bad light can be hard to see or you miss some or its dried a bit, no problem going over it again when pointed out.
the main thing for me is the crap pipe work that sends signals to the standard.
the basin, well i have siliconed some to walls before but you would need a crowbar to pull them of. the ped, seen loads without steady screws at back. the ped' is supposed to be removable for maintenance but i silly top and bottom of mine to stop big feet slapping it about when kicked.
group it all together bit dissapointing really if he dont keep you happy by rectifying.

 

[Phil2010]

Thanks for your input Redsaw. The grouting is consistently like that. The basin is fitted at a strange angle and water does`t drain properly from the surface where the taps are. There is ptfe tape visible on nearly every joint that screws together. If you run your hand across the tiling, there are lips everywhere. I appreciate that things are done to tolerances, but the walls are pretty good in all honesty. There is a full column of tiles that are below the rest of the surrounding tiles. I can`t understand how they are not level on the horizontal plane! It looks like he`s just slapped them on when you look closely, and they`ve slipped.

 

[fuzzy]

no tape needed on the thread of a compression joint, in fact it makes it more likely to leak