Decorator Problems!

[*sam*]

Hi,

 

This is my first post here so I hope its in the appropriate place. This is a lengthy post so I apologise in advance!

 

Last week me and my wife decided to have the hall stairs and landing painted in our house, we've never used a decorator before but due to the fact we live in a town house I was quite daunted by painting the high bits of the staircase.

 

I found an advert in the local paper and contacted the decorator who came round that day to give me a quote. He quoted £480 plus materials at £150. A day or two later I called him and accepted and he called round to pick up the £150 for the materials.

 

He started this Monday, the alarm bells started to ring when he went straight to the painting stage without doing any preparation which wasnt what I was expecting, but trusting he was an expert I let him crack on. On Wednesday my wife called me to say that he had finished and was leaving but that she wasnt happy with the job. Not wanting to confront the decorator on her own (although he was a nice enough guy) I phoned him and asked him to come back this morning when I would be there.

 

I got home and had a look at the job and was frankly astounded at the poor quality of the work. The lack of preparation in both the walls and the woodwork really showed, the cutting in also was terrible. The guy came roun this morning and I pointed out the many bits I wasn't happy with. In fairness he went round and addressed each issue (not to my satisfaction but he did try).

 

About lunchtime he told me that he was finished and I walked round again. I wasnt over joyed at the finished job but I thought we could live with it, I did however notice that the walls were patchy in lots of places (again i presume this was down to lack of preparation) I pointed this out and asked if he would give it another roller coat at which point he said he would but didn't look happy.

 

He then packed his van without a word and left.....

 

Im a bit confused as to where i stand now. I have only paid the materials and have been left with an awful painting job...

 

Any advice would be most welcome.

 

Kind Regards

 

Sam

[maroondevo52]

Hello and Welcome *sam*,

 

Are you saying you have paid for the materials but not paid anything for the decorators time ?

[*sam*]

Hello and Welcome *sam*,

 

Are you saying you have paid for the materials but not paid anything for the decorators time ?

 

Strange as it may sound, yes..... the decorator took payment in advance for the materials and then left the job without any further payment, I didnt even refuse to pay him he just left without a word.

[maroondevo52]

What are you thinking the way forward is with this, are you going to attempt to get the material cost back, I'm not really sure what you can do if the decorator did spend your £150 on materials and can prove it.

 

Do you think getting in touch with him and asking if he was going to complete the job would do any good, when you say lack of preparation on the walls and woodwork, do you mean not filling holes and not rubbing down ect.

 

What was on the walls before the decorator started.

[*sam*]

What are you thinking the way forward is with this, are you going to attempt to get the material cost back, I'm not really sure what you can do if the decorator did spend your £150 on materials and can prove it.

 

Do you think getting in touch with him and asking if he was going to complete the job would do any good, when you say lack of preparation on the walls and woodwork, do you mean not filling holes and not rubbing down ect.

 

What was on the walls before the decorator started.

 

Thanks for your replies. What worries me is that the decorator may decide at a later date that he wants payment, after I have paid someone else to sort out the mess?

 

I dont really want him back but am not suer if I have to give him the opportunity to to protect myself from comebacks from him? I wonder if he is in fact capable of sorting the issues to a professional standard.

 

I am out of pocket for the materials but will take that on the chin I suppose as to recover the costs may be a bit problematic.

 

The house was built about 5 years ago and the walls were last painted when it was built. There was no rubbing down and only a little bit of filling after he had put the main colour on and I pointed out where it was required.

 

Thanks

 

Sam

[maroondevo52]

It was just when you said the walls were 'patchy' sometimes this can be caused by any filler he has used not getting enough coats of emulsion on it, the filler shows as a small patch.

 

 

Sorry I don't have time to continue this conversation at the moment as I've got to get to my work

 

I'll pop back later tonight and see what other replies you've had.

[*sam*]

It was just when you said the walls were 'patchy' sometimes this can be caused by any filler he has used not getting enough coats of emulsion on it, the filler shows as a small patch.

 

 

Sorry I don't have time to continue this conversation at the moment as I've got to get to my work

 

I'll pop back later tonight and see what other replies you've had.

 

Thanks very much

[f16]

Hi Sam, I'm a builder.

When you say "He filled small cracks". Did he not then rub down ?

I agree with Maroondevo52. If he only did a "Single coat" then the filled areas would show. Or he has loads of "Misses".

 

You say "The cutting in is bad". Can you up load photos ?

Did he do the gloss work as well ? (For that price I think walls only. Price seems very very low)

What make of paint was used ?

F16

[maroondevo52]

Hi sam,

 

Like f16 has pointed out what materials did he use, what was the brand name. What was involved in doing the woodwork was it doors, facings and skirting's and what was the finish you asked for Gloss, Eggshell ect.

 

Without seeing the job it's difficult to work out exactly what this decorator has done, if it was just a case of making good all holes and cracks, preparing and applying two coats of emulsion to the walls and undercoating and glossing the woodwork then I don't see how he had any problems if he's advertising himself as a professional decorator.

[Grotesque]

He probably got his materials dirt cheap (knocked off?) and has pocketed a larger difference than you'd expect, thus making it unnecessary for him to charge for working time- which he might know could be long and drawn out due to the poor quality of workmanship. How profitable could that be I wonder; not very perhaps, but maybe it doesn't need to be.

[rebel11]

Stating the obvious, modern paints are manufactured with preparation in mind, it even says what preparation needs to be done on the tin.