Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Mar 01, 2012 4:53 pm Hi All, After some advice, we recently took possession on our new house that we built in Perth. Quite excited I was I booked in all the tradies that i needed so i can expedite the process and move in as fast as possible. At one stage i had 5 different trades on site ( not by plan but just how tradies decide that because i booked them in they can rock up anyday they like - but thats a different story) So do you guys want the long story or short story? long story please read on, short story refer to last paragrah. my plan was to always have cedar lining installed in our eaves, so naturally called around for quotes. prices varied from 2500 - 6000 for the same job. Was a bit weary about the cheap quote, so tripled check the measurements were right and same materials were used...check. Leading up to the job, I was in constant conversation with this guy, alas i would ask him for advice and trusted him. As the house was nearing completion i firmed a date with him and everything was in order. The arrangement had changed slightly now from a fixed price quote to me purchasing the materials lining and beading - which was fair ( also assuming that he could measure and knew what he was doing) a week before the job he emails me this add from gumtree for Raw Cedar lining, alas for 60sqm...i only needed 35sqm ( according to him). He agreed to take any left overs. he took back 12 sqm i had alot of uncertainty regarding this, as i would have been perfectly happy with the prefinished product but he talked me into buying this, so i had to go cart a ute load of cedar lining some 60kms away...its all good im saving some coin for a better product no problems. I reminded him about the beading as he was suppose to organise that, the initial quote was 40m i measured 32m in total...great..he orders 80m worth??? - his response i know what im doing and its right...okay. all is good at this point, until the day he was due, he never showed up. It started like, sorry john i am going to be late ( agreed time was 8am)...i will be there at 10...then i am sick...then im sick for the next few days..(food poisoning???). I actually felt sorry for the guy. Anyway, i wanted to get this done before my liquid limestone was to be poured but this wasnt going to happen. So i went to bunnings and got the thick black plastic and covered my alfresco area. so he rocks up with his off sider a chick. After conversation between the offsider and other tradies they were amazed by her night time job..but i am not going to discriminate here...but just painting a picture. Before i left he said "John, i am going to pull a long day just for you, i will stay til 7 today as there are no houses in the area" rock up at 3:30pm - he has gone home. next day and the 2 days after rocks up at 12 and leaves just before 3. but as long as the job gets done, i am not fussed. anyway, it dawn on me that i needed to get the timber treated as i wanted the glossy finish. Chatting to him he persuaded me just to use normal timber treatment...okay so i pay for 10L of this item and the cost of him applying two layers... Short version for those who fast forwarded, as there were a few tradies finishing off that day and i was in an out of work i paid him the amount in full ( i think i am too trusting). The job was incomplete, there are holes that needs to be filled and another layer needs to be applied. The best part is that he he spilt a bit of this timber treatment on my limestone (through the plastic liner). when i asked him about it, " i'll come back on tuesday to clean it up". I thought about it and it wasn't going to work, so i went and got this magical product that he claimed will remove any stain from the distributor...no luck. he tried to shift the blame on the liquid limestone for not being sealed, then using a water base sealer and then why did i choose to have liquid limestone. the truth is it was a rushed job and no care was given. I think i could oversee it if it was genuine but thinking about this saga just gives me the s**** anyway he promised he was going to come back on Tuesday (28/2) then Wednesday 29/2 - no show. He has given me all the excuses in the world and im not buying any of it. So all in all what do i get. - cedar lining that is not complete that needs to be sanded and filled - only one layer of lining - where is my 6L gone ( $200 i paid for this) - my additional 40m of beading - oil stains in my new liquid limestone - oil stains on my render wall and paving in the front now what options do i have? i have been told to go to West Australian Building commission, but these are for contracts over $6000. Take him to small claims tribunal? what are your thoughts? Re: What are my options against a tradie? 2Mar 01, 2012 5:02 pm Not so expensive - but it's the magistrates court - http://www.magistratescourt.wa.gov.au/ Your only hassle is the treatment you applied, how do you prove he advised you to use it... but it would not stop me from taking him on. Ed PS But you should stand in the naughty corner for lack of vigilance and excess gullibility ... "ECOECO" At 'EcoEco', we design windows, we design the best windows, we do it for you, so that when you’re happy we are happy. Tel. 1800 326 326 Re: What are my options against a tradie? 4Mar 01, 2012 6:46 pm I guess if WA is the same as Qld, if he is not a liscenced contractor then the building authority has nothing on him. Taking him to court would probably result in him getting into some agreed payment plan for the balance of the work still to do. "I can afford $12 a fortnight your honour" Or have you got any influentual friends of friends who could pay him a visit? To be honest this would probably be your best option. Re: What are my options against a tradie? 5Mar 02, 2012 6:53 am mgilla ... Or have you got any influentual friends of friends who could pay him a visit? To be honest this would probably be your best option. A valid alternative, but then maybe the tradie has friends in gangs so they come round with knives. But you may have friends in a gun club so you could shoot them up. Then maybe the tradie knows folks who make IEDs out of stuff you buy in Bunnings, and he could blow up your backyard. But you could always get a scud missile and chuck that at his van.... then you could maybe get some fissile material and build a WMD. destroy his suburb... WOW... Or maybe just go to court and hope for the best. Ed "ECOECO" At 'EcoEco', we design windows, we design the best windows, we do it for you, so that when you’re happy we are happy. Tel. 1800 326 326 Unless there were unforeseeable issues with the site, I dont think you should have to pay for contractors errors or poor planning. I'd probably try and be reasonable and… 5 4504 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair I'm in WA and our sandy soils make drainage a bit easier but this is what I'd be doing. Dig down to your footings and let the wall dry out. Clean it all well by brushing… 1 5180 6 4323 |