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Hey all
Had a small cloakroom refit done by local company with great reviews. On the whole it's ok... But appreciate some thoughts if I am being too picky (or not) on the finish.
First go the shelf was on the wonk and large gaps in grout / tiles. Company accepted finish was poor and came back to have another go. Shelf fixed but the finish to me looks really poor - messy silicon, tile edge exposed, scratches to the trim etc.
Don't want to be "that customer" but also not prepared to pay for substandard finish (that's why I decided to get someone to do it as opposed to doing myself!)
Thoughts welcome - would you be happy with the finish here? (was not a cheap job - most expensive quote and £3k+)
Link to pics
https://photos.app.goo.gl/MkeU2H4x2wcahupM8
Cheers
ropey but £3000 is not a lot for a cloakroom refit assuming new sink and loo ( shower?)
The cut too short trim and the 'broken tile' edge would not make me happy. Re-tiled my own bathroom, and whilst the aluminium trim cuts aren't perfect, they are far tighter then that professional has done.
Yeah just a tiny downstairs cloak - loo and sink with vanity and radiator. Reckon the lot cost about £3.5k (£1.8k being materials sourced by me and company - fully itemised so no issue with material cost)
Involved chasing out pipes in floor - they also used compression fits under the screed which I am not too happy with at all but so far no leaks (but not had heating on!).
Very nice guys and they said they would come back but just wanted to sanity check I am not being too picky (which I don't think I am). Even the Mrs is not happy and she does not have the same attention to detail as me ha ha.
Thanks
Are you kidding me? Everything about that is f'kn awful. It's not a job I'd have confidence in undertaking myself and I'd still have made a better job of it than that.
I'd be disappointed with that. I'm disappointed with almost every job that "professionals" do... builders, bathroom fitters, bike shops, the lot :-/
Well, I do this for a living, so easy to be critical. There’s no way I’d have left that in anyone’s house. £1700 for a cloak room fit should give you a great finish, not DIY quality.
The trims have been (badly) cut by hand, the grout finish is bad. Just shows a general lack of care/skill IMO.
Cheers guys so looks like it's not just me then! I think I would have done a better job myself. 🙁 not paid final payment yet so will give them one more chance to fix.... They said they would send their "tiler" round this week
Blazin - thanks for input yeah I am disappointed they thought this was acceptable
Stanley 100%. Had a very bad run recently and I just don't think people care. All about the money these days. I am fed up of kicking off but will continue to do so! Took my car in for new clutch - pry bar left under bonnet, bolts missing / not torqued up properly. New driveway, ended up re-laying edging as the company that did it did not align it properly. New front door, had to re silicon and paint around the frame due to such a crap finish. The list goes on. It's frustrating - I always get multiple quotes, I always check preview work / reviews, alot of the people I have used are very highly regarded but every single one I have had issues with. Maybe just unlucky? I am a bit of a perfectionist which does not help but when I am spending my hard earned cash - I have every right to be critical. End of rant. Thanks for listening.
Cheers!
I clicked on the photos expecting to see evidence of somebody being picky (like a particular ex-customer of mine) but I got a bit angry on your behalf. I could never leave a job in that condition and unless there are special circumstances (like you asked them to put their trainee on it so you could save £1000) I think if you get them back to look at it they'll probably want to rip out the bad stuff and do it again.
Plumbing isn't my skill-set so I can't offer any useful opinion on the compression joints. But I hope they were tested first.
If I'd done it myself I'd leave it but often get annoyed that I did. If I'd payed for that I'd be having them back.
I was a little concerned when I started reading this thread that it may a be another pile on builders/ trades being rubbish etc but I have to say, that’s awful. Silicone work is not acceptable at all, it should be tooled up smooth with not lumps or bumps anywhere. Trims are cut very badly, short and scratched. Grout is poor not cleaned off or sealed by buffing. Push fit pipe connections,or any connections for that matter, in a floor screed are not the best idea unless they took precautions to allow for movement when heat is passed through the pipe. Should be ok,just not best practice.
You’re not being fussy that’s just poor workmanship.
They sound like nice guys, good chance they will follow up with some remedial works.
Chester - yep cheers, I have the silicon tools and recently replaced all silicone in bathroom upstairs. Not perfect but a damn site better that the "dirty licked finger finish I have got".
Ed - cheers for reply. Not a trade bash post at all, I am giving them every opportunity to sort and disappointed that the second go is just as bad as the first.
Cheers!
I think you have been very generous to the builder, I’m gutted for you that the finish is so poor. I struggle to find decent trades people and I’ve been running my company for 30 years.
There’s not one single thing I would be happy with in those photos , truly appalling. It shouldn’t be difficult to achieve a good job with all the materials and tools available these days. I do all my own work where I can for this very reason. Hiring professionals if absolutely essential fills me with dread.
That's awful. I would be embarrassed by that and my DIY is fairly shonky.
Cheers Ed / reluctant / old
Yep it's not good - posted on face **** / reddit and basically everyone said exactly the same as you guys so I feel much better at pushing hard for better finish and will not make final payment until I am happy.
That shiny trim on the window ledge is disappointing. Why wasn’t it cut in a step shape to meet the wall?
The attempt to mitre the trim on the scuffed plaster corner is welcome but not well done. What’s the plan for the plaster? Paint?
The silicone sealant step between the weird shelf and the vanity worktop looks like someone applied it with a spoon. What’s the reason for the step rather than a continuous flow of worktop to the wall?
OK, walls aren’t always orthogonal or flat but the gap between the strange box shape and the wall could have been handled some way.
IDK, as an amateur I’d say a bit more thought and proper use of a tape measure and tools might have made some things fit better. sorry to echo your disappointment OP but I’d find it hard to enjoy using this room without spotting each of the inaccuracies and bodges. And my standards aren’t so high.
anyone remember the Grand Designs HuffHaus project from years back? if I remember correctly the German inspector called for the tiling in the kitchen to be torn off and redone for some minor grout inconsistencies and not being as flat as the spec required