Bad Ash
Unregistered User
In a nushell: I got a quote to have one of my garden fences replaced with the same style of fencing that I have on the other side, the guy came round to view before quoting. I came back from work today to find the new fence style was quite different to the other fence and both myself and the neighbour thought it was half finished. I'd paid for the materials upfront (£340) and I've just now had an email to say the work is complete and they want they want payment of the labour costs (£180).
Where do I stand?
Longer version: The fences in my back garden take a huge battering from the wind. A couple of years ago the neighbour on my left arranged for our fence to be replaced with something much studier. I didn't replace the fence on the right at the time.
Fast forward a couple of years and the fence on the left is standing up to the elements excellently, it's extremely sturdy. The fence on the right has been looking a little worse for wear, so I got a couple of quotes. I said I wanted the fence on the right replaced with one just like the one on the left, and both people quoting came round and physically saw what I was asking for.
I ended up going for the more expensive quote because I wanted a proper job done, plus the chap had a webpage and facebook page which looked decent. He was supposed to come round on Wednesday this week. On Tuesday he sent me an email asking for a bank transfer for the cost of the materials. I replied by text asking if him to clarify what name the account was in, but didn't get a reply. I worked from home on Wednesday and there was no sign of him, when I chased him up he said he was waiting for the money to place an order for the materials. I sent the money and he later confirmed that the money had been received, he'd placed the order and he would be here on Thursday. So on Thursday I worked from home again, but at 10am he advised the delivery was running late so he'd come on Friday (today). I was starting to get a little concerned at this point, but later in the day the materials were delivered.
Having worked from home for 2 days I worked in the office today. I didn't see him before I left and he was gone by the time I got home. My initial reaction was disappointment, but I then assumed it hadn't been finished. The post in the middle of the fence is sticking up almost a foot and there is no top edging. Also, I got him to replace my gate because the gate post was broken and we'd bodged a repair. He'd replaced the gate but not the post. The joints are my my neighbours side, so I haven't had a good look, but I think he's used completely different spacing and technique.
I assumed he was going to be back to cut down the post, fit the top edging and replace the gate post. Also I had noticed that the top of the fence is not straight, there is a noticeable angle where it meets the central post (it's straight either side of the post). Our garden does slope, but the fence on the other side is straight all the way along despite this (and it's twice as long).
Having received the email to say he's finished was a bit gutting. My plan is to reply by email with some photos comparing the 2 fences and asking him to correct. However, even with some remedial work, they are never going to look very similar or be as strong.
In hindsight I should have used the company who did the original fence, but they were really slow in getting back to me with a quote and never actually came round, doing it purely from the measurements I sent them. Their quote was the same as this chap.
I'm wondering what my options are. Can I ask for a full refund?
Where do I stand?
Longer version: The fences in my back garden take a huge battering from the wind. A couple of years ago the neighbour on my left arranged for our fence to be replaced with something much studier. I didn't replace the fence on the right at the time.
Fast forward a couple of years and the fence on the left is standing up to the elements excellently, it's extremely sturdy. The fence on the right has been looking a little worse for wear, so I got a couple of quotes. I said I wanted the fence on the right replaced with one just like the one on the left, and both people quoting came round and physically saw what I was asking for.
I ended up going for the more expensive quote because I wanted a proper job done, plus the chap had a webpage and facebook page which looked decent. He was supposed to come round on Wednesday this week. On Tuesday he sent me an email asking for a bank transfer for the cost of the materials. I replied by text asking if him to clarify what name the account was in, but didn't get a reply. I worked from home on Wednesday and there was no sign of him, when I chased him up he said he was waiting for the money to place an order for the materials. I sent the money and he later confirmed that the money had been received, he'd placed the order and he would be here on Thursday. So on Thursday I worked from home again, but at 10am he advised the delivery was running late so he'd come on Friday (today). I was starting to get a little concerned at this point, but later in the day the materials were delivered.
Having worked from home for 2 days I worked in the office today. I didn't see him before I left and he was gone by the time I got home. My initial reaction was disappointment, but I then assumed it hadn't been finished. The post in the middle of the fence is sticking up almost a foot and there is no top edging. Also, I got him to replace my gate because the gate post was broken and we'd bodged a repair. He'd replaced the gate but not the post. The joints are my my neighbours side, so I haven't had a good look, but I think he's used completely different spacing and technique.
I assumed he was going to be back to cut down the post, fit the top edging and replace the gate post. Also I had noticed that the top of the fence is not straight, there is a noticeable angle where it meets the central post (it's straight either side of the post). Our garden does slope, but the fence on the other side is straight all the way along despite this (and it's twice as long).
Having received the email to say he's finished was a bit gutting. My plan is to reply by email with some photos comparing the 2 fences and asking him to correct. However, even with some remedial work, they are never going to look very similar or be as strong.
In hindsight I should have used the company who did the original fence, but they were really slow in getting back to me with a quote and never actually came round, doing it purely from the measurements I sent them. Their quote was the same as this chap.
I'm wondering what my options are. Can I ask for a full refund?