Stove installation worries

Gracelessly Tom

We're in the process of having an insert stove fitted in place of a gas fire. The builder has punched a hole in the external wall to fit the flue and that's all gone fine.

Our problems have started as he hasn't fully covered the stove in the fire proof boards, it only covers the back and half the sides. Is this a problem or normal?

The next problem is he hasn't cut the stone insert to allow for expansion as he originally agreed he would. He says it won't crack and that if he tries to cut it he will make a mess of it.

Thirdly he told us he would replace the coving but today we found he has just put plaster board up over the old coving. When questioned he said he couldn't find the same coving and sure what could he do. He seems unsure how he is going to finish off the sides of the now bigger chimney breast, which is a big concern.

He has told us he would put a skim of plaster over the plaster board but is now claiming he isn't doing that and will just tape the joint in the boards.

He's not doing the job we agreed on and is now going to look for full payment once he finishes. Our main concern is the fireproof board and the safety element but we also don't want to be out of pocket fixing the aesthetic mistakes he is making.

Any advice or thoughts? Thanks in advance, at a loss ourselves.

moonshadow

A photo or two would be helpful in explaining this scenario.

Gracelessly Tom

moonshadow wrote: »

A photo or two would be helpful in explaining this scenario.

Here's two, doing this from my phone so hope they post ok.

davebuck

1st photo hard to make out going by the second photo I won't even consider giving a part payment if that's his standard of work.
No point in taking any short cuts when there's a stove involved....

whupdedo

That's atrocious work in fairness,don't pay him unless he does the work agreed or else gives you a substantial refund

The coving is just the standard coving you can buy in most places, even so I've seen coving made from new with just a paper template to go on, his excuse is nonsense

Is the wall behind the studding a plastered block wall or just a stud wall ?

moonshadow

Standard gypsum s coving, I fear your being taking for a fool by this shiester, pay nothing and run him.

jimbev

can you take a picture of the whole job so we can work out whats going on

Gracelessly Tom

He hasn't finished yet, still to tidy it all off but he seems to be changing the scope as he goes and doesn't seem to know how to do the job properly. Annoying thing is we got him from a supposed reputable site and his testimonies were all very good. Second time we have used that site and second time we have gotten a dodgy tradesman.

Gracelessly Tom

whupdedo wrote: »

That's atrocious work in fairness,don't pay him unless he does the work agreed or else gives you a substantial refund

The coving is just the standard coving you can buy in most places, even so I've seen coving made from new with just a paper template to go on, his excuse is nonsense

Is the wall behind the studding a plastered block wall or just a stud wall ?

Just a stud wall with the external wall a few inches further back.

jimbev

whole picture would be good I take it thats not a chimney breast so how can you fit a insert stove a picture tells a thousand words

whupdedo

Gracelessly Tom wrote: »

Just a stud wall with the external wall a few inches further back.

I wouldn't be at all comfortable fitting an insert stove into a stud partition, I think you need to get advice, what does your plumber say ?

Gracelessly Tom

Having spoken to the builder late last night he has told me the stove will be encased in vermiculite and after we found the coving he will get it and put it up today.

We got a few quotes on the job and they all mentioned fire boards encasing the stove and building the fake chimney breast out further to hold the stove.

dathi

http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad,37240,en.pdf can i draw your attention to pages 26 to 28 of the above if he has used timber behind the plaster board he has put a combustible material in your chimney breast

jimbev

did you think about the option of a free standing stove would of saved a hell of a lot money and done in a day

Gracelessly Tom

jimbev wrote: »

did you think about the option of a free standing stove would of saved a hell of a lot money and done in a day

We did but we really didn't like the look of that style.

Gracelessly Tom

dathi wrote: »

http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad,37240,en.pdf can i draw your attention to pages 26 to 28 of the above if he has used timber behind the plaster board he has put a combustible material in your chimney breast

Cheers Dathi, we've told him to stop work and we are getting someone to look at what has been done so far to assess what the best way to proceed is. Thanks for all the advice guys, really appreciated.

whupdedo

Gracelessly Tom wrote: »

Cheers Dathi, we've told him to stop work and we are getting someone to look at what has been done so far to assess what the best way to proceed is. Thanks for all the advice guys, really appreciated.

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