Dilemma-please give some advice

protek38

Hi there,

new to the boards, but thought I'd ask for some advice. We hired a professional decorator to come and paint & Wallpaper our master bedroom, spare room, en suite bathroom and walk in wardrobe.

We hired a local decorator who came highly recommended by a number of friends. He quoted us a reasonable price for the work and advised it would take 2 and a half days to complete. We arranged that he would start the following Monday, and that we should call him on the Sunday evening to arrange times so he could gain access to the house when we were at work.

I called him Sunday, as arranged, but got no answer. He arrived to the house a few hours later and told us he couldn't start Monday as he had an outside painting job to do and that the forecast for Monday was good, so would we mind if he started Tuesday. I reluctantly agreed (even though we moved out of our bedroom to allow for the work).

He arrived Tuesday morning and started work. I headed off to work and so did the wife. I came home at Lunch time and he wasn't there. No big deal, he's entitled to his lunch hour like everyone else. He arrived back just as I was leaving and advised he needed to nip out at 4 o clock for half an hour to give someone a lift. I said fine. He promised that the master bedroom, ensuite and walk-in wardroobe would be finished by the end of the day and we could move into our bedroom that night.

I arrived home from work at 5pm. No painter. Wallpapering still not started. No painting done in the en-suite either. He arrives back at 7pm and starts the wallpapering. I went upstairs and asked would he definitely have the room finished. He said that the room would be, but the en suite and wardrobe wouldn't get done until tomorrow. He then tells me he won't get to the spare room until Thursday. At this point, I'm getting a little annoyed.

Today, he arrived at the house after I had gone to work but the wife is at home today. He put one coat of paint on the en suite (so it's still not complete) and told the wife that he had to go to another job and wouldn't be back until Saturday to finish the en suite and spare room. He's now left everything lying at his backside, and the house is upside down and we don't fancy moving into our room again only to have someone in and out of it at the weekend.

Here's my question- Given that he started a day late to begin with, walked off the job for 3 hours yesterday and has now walked out again today, and has advised he's gone until Saturday, would I be heavy handed in insisting that he comes back immediately to complete the job? Should I threaten to hire another decorator or ask for a reduction?

The reason we hired a "professional" was so the work would be done in a timely and efficient manner with minimum disruption.

Any advice is greatly appreciated :-)

banoffe2

Very annoying and frustrating OP, sounds like he has no word. If it were my case I would be giving him the road, I had someone recommended years ago for a different type of job, glad to see the back of him, wouldn't recommend him to anyone.

Disappointing when he was highly recommended, sounds like he has loads of work and is suiting himself and leaving those who are willing to wait on hold, not good enough, there are plenty professional painters and decorators around, a friend of mine got similar work done recently by a Polish man, no problems and quality work done at a reasonable price, there are plenty out there, when you have money in your pocket you call the shots, I would be taking the key back or not having it in the convenient place, no one should have to put up with that.

best of luck in getting the job finished.

Carlosthejakal

I dont understand people like this, they do several jobs at the same time. They are wasting clients time annd their own travelling to and from the site multiple times.
When he calls next be there tell him you agred it would be two days and get him to confirm exactly when it will be finished no excuses or you cannot pay him. Simple

PANDDDKP

protek38 wrote: »

Hi there,

new to the boards, but thought I'd ask for some advice. We hired a professional decorator to come and paint & Wallpaper our master bedroom, spare room, en suite bathroom and walk in wardrobe.

We hired a local decorator who came highly recommended by a number of friends. He quoted us a reasonable price for the work and advised it would take 2 and a half days to complete. We arranged that he would start the following Monday, and that we should call him on the Sunday evening to arrange times so he could gain access to the house when we were at work.

I called him Sunday, as arranged, but got no answer. He arrived to the house a few hours later and told us he couldn't start Monday as he had an outside painting job to do and that the forecast for Monday was good, so would we mind if he started Tuesday. I reluctantly agreed (even though we moved out of our bedroom to allow for the work).

He arrived Tuesday morning and started work. I headed off to work and so did the wife. I came home at Lunch time and he wasn't there. No big deal, he's entitled to his lunch hour like everyone else. He arrived back just as I was leaving and advised he needed to nip out at 4 o clock for half an hour to give someone a lift. I said fine. He promised that the master bedroom, ensuite and walk-in wardroobe would be finished by the end of the day and we could move into our bedroom that night.

I arrived home from work at 5pm. No painter. Wallpapering still not started. No painting done in the en-suite either. He arrives back at 7pm and starts the wallpapering. I went upstairs and asked would he definitely have the room finished. He said that the room would be, but the en suite and wardrobe wouldn't get done until tomorrow. He then tells me he won't get to the spare room until Thursday. At this point, I'm getting a little annoyed.

Today, he arrived at the house after I had gone to work but the wife is at home today. He put one coat of paint on the en suite (so it's still not complete) and told the wife that he had to go to another job and wouldn't be back until Saturday to finish the en suite and spare room. He's now left everything lying at his backside, and the house is upside down and we don't fancy moving into our room again only to have someone in and out of it at the weekend.

Here's my question- Given that he started a day late to begin with, walked off the job for 3 hours yesterday and has now walked out again today, and has advised he's gone until Saturday, would I be heavy handed in insisting that he comes back immediately to complete the job? Should I threaten to hire another decorator or ask for a reduction?

The reason we hired a "professional" was so the work would be done in a timely and efficient manner with minimum disruption.

Any advice is greatly appreciated :-)

Are you sure he was a 'Professional'?!

Sounds like a non-professional way to run a business if you ask me.. Anyways, I'm sure you have it sorted by now.. Out of curiosity, how much did you pay him?