Browse Forums Paving & Concreting 1 Jul 10, 2010 6:07 pm Hi all
I need help! We had about 90m2 of concreting done at our house this week. We did the whole north side of our house and the 5m long double (and a bit) driveway. We had slate impression done. Here are the problems with the actual concrete... - There are finger marks around the edge of every impression down the drive. It looks terrible!!! - There are gumboot prints in the top layer of whatever was left on the concrete after washing it that has now had 2 coats of seal on it. - The concrete is too high at the side of our house causing two problems, 1- all of our weep holes are completely covered. 2- We cannot rehang our side gates (x2) as they have not left enough height. - There is no expansion foam between our slab and the concrete which we told the concreter we needed as if we dont have it it will void our warranty with the builder. Also no expansion foam between our concrete and the neighbours garage slab that is on the boundary. - There is concrete covering our termite control inspection lid, which we said had to be exposed. - There is concrete all over the two drains the concreter installed. - Splashed concrete is all over our brick wall, timber fence, aluminium window frames and glass. And its a lot of splashed concrete! - The concrete in the corner near our garage has not been coloured with base/highlights/release agent. Its still grey. The problems we have with the concreter himself... - He found a broken storm water pipe on the day they were meant to pour concrete so couldnt go ahead that day and had to come back the following day to pour. He is charging us an ADDITIONAL $1200 on top of our initial quote of $6400. We have currently paid him $600 of the $1200 and all of the initial quote. - He used our stuff from our garage without asking, hoses, electrical codes, my new Tupperware containers, our new window washer he used to wipe the concrete. - He washed the release agent off and did not cover the gap at the bottom of our garage door and our garage is FULL of powder and everything in it has a think coat of release agent dust. - He stole equipment some of the items he used he told me he liked and that since he used them they were now ruined so can he have them because he liked them. I said "no, get it from Bunnings" He then took it anyway! This has been reported to local police. - He allowed himself into our garage and opened it completely up whilst nobody was home. I came home to find him there. This has also been reported to local police. - He left all of his rubbish (food etc) in our garage. - When I told him about ONE set of fingerprints (before Id seen the 100s) he laughed and said it gives it character. My husband is going to call him on Monday and tell him to come over and see all of the above and what is he going to do about it. However this guy is impossible to communicate with. What are my rights and what can I do??? Please help with advise. Ill try and upload some photos tomorrow (Sunday) when there is light. Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 3Jul 10, 2010 7:09 pm If he has stolen items you could call in the police. I would also do an itemised list of the cost of items he has used & ruined without permission. Is this concretor a registered business? How did you find him? Deemaree Kyndylan Capers: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46852 My blog: http://www.sufficientlysufficient.blogspot.com/ Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 5Jul 11, 2010 12:28 am Deemaree If he has stolen items you could call in the police. I would also do an itemised list of the cost of items he has used & ruined without permission. Is this concretor a registered business? How did you find him? I found him through service central. So yes he is a registered business and service central is meant to do all the checks about licenses etc. The items he used would total maybe $150 and took home maybe $60 or so. We are located in Taylors Hill VIC, sorry for upsetting anyone not mentioning that. Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 6Jul 11, 2010 5:23 am kateypink - Thankyou. Many are asking people to give full information so that they can help you. Often location is a vital clue in dealing with an issue. Rogue tradesman need to be stopped. To protect you and the next person that gets ripped off. In Victoria By law, you must have a written ‘major domestic building contract’ for work worth more than $5000. Please review this consumer affairs Victoria http://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/CA256EB5 ... oblem~&3=~ Also contact the Building Commission http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/ww ... ontact.asp PLEASE PLEASE do not pay this tradesman any more money until you have the matter dealt with by contact the above. He may make threats BUT please do not be intimidated. Have the matter investigated first. There may be circumstances in which the Building Commission will refer your complaint to another Government body. Victorian legislation distinguishes between different types of complaints, with various Victorian departments responsible for certain areas. I would also ensure that consumer affairs investigate Service Central. This entire process, without a contract ( I am assuming you dont have a contract as you never mentioned it) is likely illegal. Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 7Jul 11, 2010 9:29 am Thanks heaps for that info dadandsue! I will be contacting service central on Monday evening after hubby has spoken with the concreter. I never knew about the contract thing over $5000, but from now on I sure will be following through with that! It has totally turned me off hiring any more trades people ever! Ill investigate those links you gave me and lodge a complaint with service central (who Im sure will just say they match parties no further responsibility is taken). Thanks again thats very valuable info! Kate PS - Ill keep you posted Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 8Jul 11, 2010 11:00 am Hi Katie I'm so sorry this has happened. We had a bad experience with a concreter years ago - but nothing on your scale. Not all tradies are bad - like all things there are always bad apples! I agree with D&S - speak to consumer affairs and lodge two separate complaints - one for the concreter and one for SC. They will no doubt ask whether you have tried to resolve the issue with the individuals first. My suggestion is that you draft and email/letter and send it to the companies first. Always deal in writing - rather than verbal - as you'll need proof of correspondence and inaction when taking your complaints further. In the letter specify a time frame for solving the issue and indicate clearly what the outcome is that you want to achieve. Hopefully both parties will come to the party - if not you then have a case for Consumer affairs to take it further. Good luck and feel free to ask if you need further advice or clarification. M P.S. I usually don't involve myself in any issue of an admin nature of the site or issues between posters, but I have to say I was taken aback by previous post. Katey is obviously upset and I don't think left out her location to annoy anyone. I agree wholeheartedly that a location is of course useful especially when dealing with issues of dispute resolution and don't disagree at all with your sentiments, but perhaps more with the manner you approached the issue. I also think that a little perspective is required as are basic manners when dealing with another person. Sorry to hijack Katey. My house and my rants.... - viewtopic.php?f=31&t=26937 We are in!!!...and still unpacking. Thankfully there are always Tim Tams Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 9Jul 11, 2010 11:23 am mpcj I didnt mean to upset anybody but many on HA spend additional valuable time trying to pry critical information out of people only so that we can help. It's frustrating... time spent explaining to people why we need a loaction is often time that could have been spent helping somebody else. If you would like to help please contact admin and ask that a state become mandatory information when people sign up. kateypink goodluck with this. I hope you follow it through and get some resoltution. Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 10Jul 11, 2010 11:29 am Hey D&S - completely agree. It's frustrating and confusing espeically when we are trying to provide accurate assistance to our fellow H1 - that's what we are here for - and I also know from reading your many posts that you do go out of your way to be as helpful as possible - and that's great thing! . No argument there! I also do know that there was no intention to be "mean" for want of a better term, but as someone who just opened the thread to read - the manner - not the content- was a little - shall we say - inappropriate and detracted from your valid point. That's all I was trying to convey. That's all from me and yes good luck Katey! My house and my rants.... - viewtopic.php?f=31&t=26937 We are in!!!...and still unpacking. Thankfully there are always Tim Tams Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 11Jul 11, 2010 11:45 am ANY-thing in caps is yelling, unless it requires a capital . A location helps direct us 'helpers' to a point of reference (geographic location) and where something (possible help) may be found. The option of a members location is there, beyond that I just ask 'where' first and when there is a response I reply. I don't believe it will ever be a mandatory field Also, I agree with the info given in previous posts above. Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 12Jul 11, 2010 11:50 am onc_artisan : . A location helps direct us 'helpers' to a point of reference (geographic location) The option of a members location is there, I don't believe it will ever be a mandatory field . It would be so simple for people to be asked to include a state in their profile when logging on. It would save everybody time. Theres already a topic about this elsewhere. Consider that there maybe 10 new posts asking for help and having to ask every poster where they are and the time that is lost. In the time lost another 5 people could be given help. Poeople here genuinely wish to help and making it easier will help build the forum and it's value to every user Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 13Jul 11, 2010 12:07 pm Pehaps the 'elsewhere thread' could be where you discuss your issues. Then the thread can get back on topic. I wouldn't want to be filling up someones thread with OT comment(s). BTW you could always PM someone and ask their location. There may be a reason for not disclosing it. cheers Onc Where you are coming from is where you are going to... Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 14Jul 11, 2010 12:11 pm Thanks everyone... Anyhow... We rang the concreter who go figure didnt listen told us we were trying to rip him off as we still owed money. He also said he didnt care if there were over 100 finger prints in our concrete there was nothing he could do about it. When we mentioned the expansion foam he said there was nothing that could be done. When we asked him why the weep holes were covered he said "I dont know" When we told him the gates didnt fit he told us to adjust our fence height. So I guess its consumer affairs for us. Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 15Jul 11, 2010 12:14 pm Yep - just keep track of dates and conversations etc Good luck - let us know how you get on! My house and my rants.... - viewtopic.php?f=31&t=26937 We are in!!!...and still unpacking. Thankfully there are always Tim Tams Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 16Jul 11, 2010 12:50 pm kateypink Thanks everyone... Anyhow... We rang the concreter who go figure didnt listen told us we were trying to rip him off as we still owed money. He also said he didnt care if there were over 100 finger prints in our concrete there was nothing he could do about it. When we mentioned the expansion foam he said there was nothing that could be done. When we asked him why the weep holes were covered he said "I dont know" When we told him the gates didnt fit he told us to adjust our fence height. So I guess its consumer affairs for us. Very sad. I should warn you consumer affairs may be very slow at dealing with this, so please be patient. Follow through on all 3 avenues as detailed above. This does really take the icing of having work done around your home and I know how demoralising it is. If in the worst case, you recover nothing but have this tradesperson and the website you used hauled over the coals, then hopefully he wont get away with it again Consider getting another quote to have his work rectified and claiming this too with consumer of affairs, the Building Commission and the website that provided this person. If you have a lawyer that's free I would lodge a claim for the entire job plus the cost of removing the defective work. Consider the news TV shows as perhaps the website might not want the bad publicity. Good Luck Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 18Jul 11, 2010 1:00 pm dadandsue I should warn you consumer affairs may be very slow at dealing with this, so please be patient. Consider getting another quote to have his work rectified and claiming this too with consumer of affairs, Very true - although they get there!! Good point on the other quote - we did this too. Had three other concereters (six pack as a thanks!) out to provide their opinion as well as a building dude...that was most helpful. My house and my rants.... - viewtopic.php?f=31&t=26937 We are in!!!...and still unpacking. Thankfully there are always Tim Tams Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 19Jul 11, 2010 1:07 pm kateypink Thanks again D&S you have been very helpful! I am about to upload my photos. I have begun an official dispute about him with service central to at least have him de registered from there. IMO I would claim the entire job plus the cost of removal from service central as well as litigate against the tradesperson and hold SC jointly liable. But then again I am not easy to deal with and tend to go boots and all (which I apologise for). A good (free) solicitor would love this job. I am sorry I am in QLD otherwise I would help you do it. I also understand that you are likely stressed out by this episode and would like to just enjoy your home and move on. In such a case often litigation gets too hard. I just hope you get it resolved in whatever way is best for you Re: HELP!!! Worst concrete ever 20Jul 11, 2010 1:19 pm Oh D&S thats not fair I need you in Melb!!!!!! We are also having major dramas with our builders. You can probably find my recent posts in the 'building a new home' forum. So over it all. Cant wait for about 6yrs to pass and hopefully be finally enjoying our house. Any suggestions on where to go in Melb for the free legal advise? I owe you a 6pk for sure! Yes, unless you are in a low intensity rainfall area or the area is protected from rain. Do you have access to NCC Part 2 or can you download it? I can email you a copy… 10 12512 i had the my concreters concrete right up to the fence. I have pits all along my path, so the water tends to drain away from the house and into the pits. There's only one… 7 12773 |