Yeah, I am p***ed off with my builders. Again. I am positively fizzing......
Last Thursday we had what is called the snagging inspection. It is one year ago that the main building work was completed, but a percentage of the total payment is retained for a year after completion and the inspection is supposed to flag up any faults which have developed, or pinpoint jobs that have not been completed.
Now I'm not going to bore you with the lengthy details but I had a small team of builders arrive Friday and nearly complete the short list of very small outstanding jobs. So far so good...except there is one job remaining. Something that will take approximately one half hour of a joiners time. Except one of the building company's joiners walked out on Friday and they are short handed.
So? I'm happy enough to wait. It is not an urgent job. But Mr Boss Builder has taken it upon himself to decide that despite what my architect, his No2 boss and The Man From The Council decided on Thursday, this job does not need done. They have done a cosmetic repair, while this job is structural. Good enough, sez Boss No1. Not good enough, sez me. (And my architect, if anyone is in any doubt.)
So Mr Boss Builder Man is coming again this afternoon to "decide" on the problem. My sweet a**e he isn't. The bloody man tried to browbeat me over this on Friday already and I've no patience left for a rerun. I also suspect he wouldn't be trying on this particular bit of builders' skullduggery if my large and glowering (he can't help it, it's his eyebrows) Hubby was here, and this makes me even crosser, if that is possible. I dislike being treated like I was a wee wifie of no intelligence and less consequence, and I stopped being the simpering type when I was about five.
Bottom line though is until I am happy that the works have been completed, I don't authorise my architect to write the letter to The Man From The Council telling him to release the rest of the cash. So ultimately I will win this one. But it's just the hassle. Given the amount of work that's been done ...and done well...on this house by these builders, why spoil the ship for a ha'porth of tar as they say?
Stupid man. He's quite ruined my day, and I resent that more than anything. So instead of going to Zen out on the allotment (not in the mood for Zenning)I am off for some retail therapy. Or, at least, the grocery run.
5 comments:
i hope the stupid man has gone away now with a flea in his ear.
and that you have had some chocolate, or cake, or whatever will make you feel better!
Ouch, builders are the same the world over.... hope you get some chocolate/wine/gin and tonic and get it sorted soon.
If you want to really get on his tits...er, nerves, make yourself a cup of tea (with him there, watching,) and drink it, and eat at least one biscuit, without offering him anything...all the while continuing to explain calmly what you want...(my mother calls this the broken record technique, keep repeating it, without losing your rag..) My son is a trainee electrician and works in the bulding trade, he says there is nothing worse, nothing more annoying than drinking tea and NOT giving any to the builders....and he means it!!! Goos luck, you WILL get there in the end! (AND it'll be worth it!) Fran
God, how infuriating. I'll bet he wouldn't have been quite so keen to skip this job, if his joiner hadn't walked out too.
HUGS!
I do this for a living, with 400 houses a year :( I sympathise.
Hold on tight to the retention, money is the only word they hear.
Also - love the stash on your last post!
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