Search Q&A
Dodgy paving job - advice
Just had a drive done and pathway around my house. It's block paved but rather than put a proper finishing border around they've put cement. It's basically been done at a 45 degree slant and is ugly and uneven, crumbling in places.
The tradesman claims it's properly done despite my protestations. He's told me that if I wanted a border, I should have requested this at the beginning. I just, rather innocently, supposed this was part and parcel of a proper paving job. The job has billed at 8,5 k so not cheap for 85m squared. To put it right he's asking for another 2k which I'm obviously unwilling to pay!
What's the procedure in Belgium if I think the work is not up to standard. All advice: useful tel nos, addresses, websites welcomed. Cheers!
If there was no real contract of work written up between you, difficult to judge. However, if the border was not specified then workers did as they were requested.
From what you say, I would have my doubts if you will be successful but good luck:
http://www.iso.org/iso/about/iso_members/iso_member_body.htm?member_id=1561
You've already been robbed for a drive job. €100/sqm? Geez!
Don't pay, tell him to fix it. If he refuses, get your insurance involved and make a claim against his profesional liability insurance.
DO NOT PAY UNTIL YOU ARE HAPPY WITH THE JOB.
Are these native belgian builders? We got burned by something very similar years ago - by an xpat builder . No contract. Foolishly paid half in cash. Looked great when first done - before long terrible problems arose a as time went on. I would advise you to cut my losses here and move on. You have been taken. Its only now we are planning to redo ours in spring - by very tried and tested builders.
Tell him that if he missed finishing the job to a high standard off the quot, that's his problem - not yours.
He's the professional. If he "missed" the border off the quote, then it suggests he was either not competent to do the quote properly, or he fully intended fleecing more €€€ off you by deliberately missing it off.
Ask him if he is being fraudulent, or if he is merely incompetent, or if he is going to do the job properly to the high standards that you are paying for an that he promised to deliver.
Price is definitely really high. We used a Polish guy off this site for out grout work on the house and similar thing happened. We agreed on a price and at the end they wanted more as they used more resources to finish early. While I appreciated their efforts and such we didn't have a contract and I wasn't paying an extra 2k for them. He yelled and threatened , but never took it to court as it was in the black. if yours was in the black then do not pay as he will not go to court without having to admit to an illegal activity. A lesson learned for next time.
For me if the quote didn't specify q border and he put something not of the same quality as your path then I would say it takes away from the value and he either replaces it or drops his accusations. For your part the finishes concrete border edges are widely for sale and not very expensive. Go get a little mortar, flatten the bottom and put them in. Will look great and inexpensive.
Would it be possible to mention here the names of the companies involved - those to avoid and those to be recommended? That would really help us who still have the paving job to be done in the future...
The 'paying in cash' thing works both ways - We didnt sue our man because it would come out in court that we were involved in a fraudulent activity - which was true, and which I would never do again - as it cuts you off. I would have been in trouble at work of course if they found out about it there - with all the slurs of that! However, my situation was different in that the work done was pure cowboy - but finished. The builder was an idiot work wise - but very plausible otherwise. I mean Faulty Towers workmanship
