Home DIY

This client sounds like a nightmare.

If I were the client, I'd want it sorted. But if it were my house and your mate, so long as everything was resolved, I wouldn't even be looking for a discount, especially if it was a genuine mistake and was made good. Your mate is going to be out of pocket already for the time spent putting right. Maybe some small nominal amount off for the inconvenience (having someone back in the house after you'd expected work completed is a bit galling).

To not even give the opportunity to put it right is a total dick move. But unfortunately, given they've started in this direction, it is very unlikely they are going to back down. They sound like the kind of person who feels like everyone is out to get them and immediately escalates when things don't go their way. Like the kind of bulb who gets all shouty for being called out for driving like a bell whiff.

If your mate can afford the time and resource to give an ultimatum, then I don't think it would be unreasonable to offer either, putting right at no extra charge, or 10% off the outstanding bill (assuming of course the issues were cause and could be put right by your mate - this would need to be proven). Option C is then small claims.

I've had other trades in to fix previous trades' fuck ups at my own expense, mainly because (as has been mentioned upthread), I didn't want the previous trades back, even for free. It doesn't sound like that kind of thing is happening here.

i guess the main issue is that the client won't allow my mate to make good - outright refused several times

I've had other trades in to fix previous trades' fuck ups at my own expense, mainly because (as has been mentioned upthread), I didn't want the previous trades back, even for free. It doesn't sound like that kind of thing is happening here.

I think you're right - the relationship has soured.

See my post - the last line. It’s true. Your mate is in an awkward situation, he has done his best to assist and obviously the home owner wants a job for free. I don’t envy him at all.

i've been looking through the consumer rights act and it looks like a customer is only entitled to a discount/refund if remedial work is impossible, not done in a reasonable time, or without significant inconvenience.

None of the conditions are met. My mate is going to reiterate offer to make good, or a final 12.5% discount - if neither are accepted hen they'll apply to the courts to issue a decree (CCJ equivalent in scotland) to get paid

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2 - 3 day job well into second week because of challenges presented by the cowboys who threw the place up (the observant among you may notice that the 2 sides of the roof are different pitches). Every board I cut had to be at a slight angle that varies as you go up the building to try and make it less obvious that the two sets of doors aren't level or plumb and are at different heights. Moving the glass panel into position was a little stressful too but this part of this particular turd is almost as polished as it's going to get.

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Please let your mate know that most decent trades have been through this at some point.

With experience comes learning to read customers and realise when they are likely to turn out to be cunts and price your work accordingly, when I'm quoting for someone I suspect could behave in a way similar to this my prices rise VERY sharply.

Experience also teaches you to recognise patterns that are likely to lead to you fucking up, for example skipping lunch to "get the job done" is something I've learnt is a very bad idea.

That's not out towards Seasalter is it?

Nope, West London.

Funny, I pictured an older place that over many decades was helped along to decrepitude by subsequent nail benders.

It started off life as a 1930s bungalow.

I'm well confused, is that the rear of house with a roller garage door?

Just out of curiosity in West London what's it worth?

Waow.

Thanks, much appreciated. I will pass it on.

Plumbing? Nailed it.

(context of salvaging bits of various piping scattered through out house to connect up hot water at 10pm last night.)
Needed the black section because it had brasswork that fitted the nut stuck on tail, but the pipe wouldn't hold up to being bent to such a small radius because it is 30+year old acorn pipe, and I couldn't get the insert out the end, and finally wanted to test my practice copper joints.

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Hey all, I am replacing all the floorboards in the house (its tiny) and one room has a 60mm step down which I would like to bring up to level.

The existing floor is pine timber board over joists with subfloor. My idea was to put 40mm timber strips inline with existing joists (new floorboards are 20mm) but leave the pine floorboards in place, then board over the top and put some 40mm insulation board in between the new "fake" 40mm joists.

Is this a really silly idea...

Sounds like it would be a massive pain in the arse if you ever needed to get under the original boards - electrics or heating?

Indeed it probably would be. There is one rad in there which is going to be replaced before this happens. So unless anything goes massively wrong I'm hoping the floor never needs to be lifted.

Electrics should be fine as they are all chased into walls coming down from the loft.

Although thinking about it, if we had to cut through a new floorboard we'd only then need to cut through insulation and cut through the OG floorboard. A pain but not impossible.

What you're describing is called furring in the trade. By putting the furring onto the existing floorboards rather than directly onto the studs you could be creating problems for yourself down the line.

When doing furring you need to ensure that the centre of the furring piece is lined up with the centre of the joist. While it is possible to do this blind it is much easier if you can actually see the joist that you're planting it onto. If the centres don't line up then the pressure from the floor above won't be transmitted to the joist and the floor boards will be taking more strain than they should.

The floorboards were never meant to be sandwiched in between two things in this way and there is a chance that over time the fibres of the wood between the joists and the furring could compress. If this happens the floor will start to sink a bit, HSE defines a trip hazard as any change in floor height greater than the thickness of a 50p piece - worth bearing in mind.

If damp gets into the floorboards it will be much harder for them to dry and they will rot. Sorting that out will be an absolute nightmare.

I can see the appeal in not lifting the original boards but I personally don't hunk it's worth it and would never recommend it to a client. Plus last time I checked reclamation yards paid money for old floorboards (I last checked a while ago but it's worth asking).

All good points, thanks!

I can easily see where the joists are as the existing boards have been chopped up So much you can lift tiny sections so lining up should be easy.

With regards to damp, I was planning on overlaying the furring and insulation with an acoustic overlay which would I assume act as some kind of moisture barrier. The undersides of the floorboard are very well ventilated with three vents from different points providing a lovely draft.

I would love to avoid ripping up the OG floorboards, it’s a tiny 3x3m room so I wouldn’t get anything for the boards.

I have a drayton SM2 that controls when our hot water and heating comes on

and I'd like to swap it for a https://www.toolstation.com/drayton-lp111-timeswitch/p98366

Is this a simple job, or do I need to get in a plumber/electrician?

Get the installation instructions for both. Compare the wiring diagrams. It is unlikely that the more modern one requires more input / output or a different power supply. If it does, then yes you need someone to help you. If it does not, it's a diy job with all the usual precautions when working around electric stuff.

thanks. they look quite similar - is that the case?

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