Tradesmen & Quotes
Discussion
Evening all,
Hope you're all well!
Looking for some advice from the trades people in the forum if I could please?
I had already purchased the en-suite wet room including tiles from a local bathroom showroom so was looking for full installation only.
I got in touch with a few installers to provide the installation services to install an en-suite wet room at my property. One came with great recommendations and was available to do a full install at a competitive price. He arrived, I explained what we had purchased, gave him the drawings and fitters list, he measured up and left. Later that week, he sent a quotation (not including VAT as he was not VAT registered) for the full installation of the en-suite wet room inc. electrical, plumbing, joinery and tiling (basically full installation of the ensuite wet room) but no mention of using another company to carry out the other trades work. We agreed the start date and paid for the construction / remodelling materials eg pipe, cable, timber, plasterboard etc.
He organised the other trades ie plumber, sparky & joiner who were all from the same company. I had no input into who he was using and as far as I was concerned, at that point, he effectively became the "main contractor" for the install. He organised what had to be done and when - they just turned up, did what they were supposed to do and left.
Things went a bit pear shaped and fast forward 7x months and we still have an unfinished ensuite wet room and in a bit of a battle with what has been incorrectly installed. The tiler installed / fixed the stainless steel drainage tiling frame using 25mm long self-tapping screws that have punctured through the drainage channel thus causing a leak that manifests in the room below the en-suite wet room.
The installer believes one of the other trades installed this (but they didn't - it was the installers employee, a tiler, that did) and is now stating that we had employed the other trades (we didn't) and that he wasn't the main contractor. I feel he is definitely trying to duck out of this!
So the question to the trades people is - am I correct in stating that the installer was the main contractor and therefore overall responsible for the scope or am I barking up the wrong tree?
Thanks,
Al
Hope you're all well!
Looking for some advice from the trades people in the forum if I could please?
I had already purchased the en-suite wet room including tiles from a local bathroom showroom so was looking for full installation only.
I got in touch with a few installers to provide the installation services to install an en-suite wet room at my property. One came with great recommendations and was available to do a full install at a competitive price. He arrived, I explained what we had purchased, gave him the drawings and fitters list, he measured up and left. Later that week, he sent a quotation (not including VAT as he was not VAT registered) for the full installation of the en-suite wet room inc. electrical, plumbing, joinery and tiling (basically full installation of the ensuite wet room) but no mention of using another company to carry out the other trades work. We agreed the start date and paid for the construction / remodelling materials eg pipe, cable, timber, plasterboard etc.
He organised the other trades ie plumber, sparky & joiner who were all from the same company. I had no input into who he was using and as far as I was concerned, at that point, he effectively became the "main contractor" for the install. He organised what had to be done and when - they just turned up, did what they were supposed to do and left.
Things went a bit pear shaped and fast forward 7x months and we still have an unfinished ensuite wet room and in a bit of a battle with what has been incorrectly installed. The tiler installed / fixed the stainless steel drainage tiling frame using 25mm long self-tapping screws that have punctured through the drainage channel thus causing a leak that manifests in the room below the en-suite wet room.
The installer believes one of the other trades installed this (but they didn't - it was the installers employee, a tiler, that did) and is now stating that we had employed the other trades (we didn't) and that he wasn't the main contractor. I feel he is definitely trying to duck out of this!
So the question to the trades people is - am I correct in stating that the installer was the main contractor and therefore overall responsible for the scope or am I barking up the wrong tree?
Thanks,
Al
So no money has changed hands between you and any of the trades?
Either he fixes it, or you state you will get a third party to do so and deduct the money from the amount owed.
If you paid anyone direct, he really isn’t responsible.
And by the sounds of it, it’s a bit dodgy. The builder I use is just one guy and an apprentice, he brings in trades, but I only pay him, although if it’s extras he will sometimes say, just pay the painter/ plumber etc. direct.
And even he is VAT registered.
Either he fixes it, or you state you will get a third party to do so and deduct the money from the amount owed.
If you paid anyone direct, he really isn’t responsible.
And by the sounds of it, it’s a bit dodgy. The builder I use is just one guy and an apprentice, he brings in trades, but I only pay him, although if it’s extras he will sometimes say, just pay the painter/ plumber etc. direct.
And even he is VAT registered.
LastPoster said:
Who paid the additional trades, him or you?
He said he’d pay them but his accountant stepped in and said no as he wasn’t VAT registered but he conveniently forgot to inform us so after much to’ing and fro’ing we cleared the other trades invoice.I have not cleared the tiler’s invoice because of the ongoing tiling issue and unfinished work.
AberdeenAl said:
LastPoster said:
Who paid the additional trades, him or you?
He said he’d pay them but his accountant stepped in and said no as he wasn’t VAT registered but he conveniently forgot to inform us so after much to’ing and fro’ing we cleared the other trades invoice.I have not cleared the tiler’s invoice because of the ongoing tiling issue and unfinished work.
Above you stated the tiling was completed by the ‘’main contractor’, but now you state you have not cleared the “tiler’s invoice’
Do you mean the invoice for tiling from the main contractor? Or a separate invoice from another contractor?
Clearly the person you engaged directly is the main contractor, you didn't get the others round to quote individually or hire them yourself. The direct payments are a VAT registration dodge, so can be ignored for the purposes of liability, you should really report that and the accountant that stopped him tripping himself up.
Fire the only person you have a contractual relationship with and get someone else in to sort it out.
Fire the only person you have a contractual relationship with and get someone else in to sort it out.
LastPoster said:
Actually I’m confused
Above you stated the tiling was completed by the ‘’main contractor’, but now you state you have not cleared the “tiler’s invoice’
Do you mean the invoice for tiling from the main contractor? Or a separate invoice from another contractor?
Apologies, the main contractor is the tiler - his invoice has not been cleared although it’s increased 10% every week since he submitted itAbove you stated the tiling was completed by the ‘’main contractor’, but now you state you have not cleared the “tiler’s invoice’
Do you mean the invoice for tiling from the main contractor? Or a separate invoice from another contractor?
paulrockliffe said:
Clearly the person you engaged directly is the main contractor, you didn't get the others round to quote individually or hire them yourself. The direct payments are a VAT registration dodge, so can be ignored for the purposes of liability, you should really report that and the accountant that stopped him tripping himself up.
Fire the only person you have a contractual relationship with and get someone else in to sort it out.
That was my take on it - he organised the other trades, he took their quotes and added to his - and I did not hire them.Fire the only person you have a contractual relationship with and get someone else in to sort it out.
I just want this sorry state over and done with - completely agree with the VAT issue but I’ll leave that until the situation is sorted.
Yes, I agree. It’s unfortunate you have paid his contractors directly but that’s just a distraction really. If you are sure it was one of his employees that caused the damage during installation then that’s the part to concentrate on, ignoring everything else
As for the invoice uplift, WTF
As for the invoice uplift, WTF
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