Problems with new imprinted concrete patio - How can i get help and advice

[croucha]

New member with PIC's problem. To cut a long story short we have had a contractor in to install PIC's and they have made a total mess of it. Yes we did get more than 3 quotes and we thought we had a good firm. We are now some £5000 out of pocket and are looking for some advice on how to get it inspected by a 3rd party so we can take this matter further with Trading Standards etc,etc.
I have over 60 photo's of issues with the workman ship and I think most of them are covered in the section of this website relating to PIC's, ie "Flaking", etc.

Thanks very much in advance for any asstiance.

[Tony McC]

There's currently a huge problem with PIC assessments. Firstly, there's only two major distributors with the sort of in-depth understanding that necessary to undertake assessments but because they supply the majority of contractors, they are far too easily portrayed as being partial: they either sold the materials to the installer, which automatically means they have a commercial relationship, or their main comnpetitor supplied them and they are accused of exhibiting 'sour grapes'.

So many dissatisfied homeowners scout around for another contractor to comment, but the same problem arises - they are viewed as competitors to the original installer, and therefore probably not impartial.

Concrete technicians from the civil engineering sector are asked, but while they are superb at commenting and assessing the concrete, they have little or no understanding of the aesthetics of decorative concrete, and have been embarrassed when they get to the court by their lack of empathy for the visual impact.

The same applies to structural engineers, building or architectural technicians, highways supervisors and a host of other respectable professions with a tangential connection to the PIC trade.

Which leaves a small, very small, group of semi-academic, semi-professional commentators willing to stick their head above the parapet. I suppose I should include myself in that group, as I don't install PIC, and haven't done so for a good few years, but like to think I have a reasonable technical knowledge. However, to undertake a thorough assessment of PIC is bloody expensive, far more costly than an assessment on block paving, stone flags, setts, or any other segmental paving, mainly because of the problem in determining structure.

And if the plaintiff has one expert, the defendant another, you can guarantee that costs will spiral out of control and often come to more than the cost of the original installation.

I always recommend that, if possible, a joint expert should be appointed by both plaintiff and defendant, and that both parties agree to keep the matter out of the grip of lawyers and the courts. Let the joint expert decide on what needs doing. Sadly, this approach is rarely popular with contractors because they know that PIC is all-but impossible to repair or rectify and if there is a serious problem with structure, finishing, aesthetics, falls, etc., the only viable remedial action is full scale reconstruction, which is bally expensive.

So, contractors tend to go to ground, and clients become increasingly unhappy, and then a court imposes its will and the contractor doesn't comply, so the client needs a bailiff....and the drive never ever gets put right.

If you have any semblence of a relationship with the contractor, try to hammer out a satisfactory remedial plan between you. As soon as you involve a third party, the costs start to escalate, the relationship between contractor and client deteriorates, and a potential solution moves further and further away.

Some of the better parties within the PIC industry are aware of the growing problem, and are working to move towards a panel of 'independent experts' capable of providing impartial, professional assessments, but they are hampered by another section of the industry that just couldn't give a Donald Duck. There's hope that the forthcoming NVQ in decorative concrete will, in the medium-long term, improve things, but I wouldn't be holding my breath.

[croucha]

Thanks very much for your reply. I know we have no hope of getting our contractor to put right the issues we have and we are not prepared to spend even more money on trying to get things resolved through solicitors as we have been down this route before. The contractor did state in their original info that "All manpower is employed by them and has been trained by Lafage in all aspects of conrete procdeures and techniques".
I don't think this is the case but I don't think Lafarge will be happy with there name being assiocated with this type of installation either
The name of our Contrator by the way is Lasting Impressions UK and I would advise them not to use them.

[ski]

I think the advice posted so far is spot on but I would add the following. All problems are people problems, and you must remember this when dealing with the contractor. You must keep a dialogue going and make him realise that you are not going away but do not through idle threats about. Pitch up at their business address and keep the pressure on in a measured way. If you are polite, persistent you must aim to get them to conceed that the job is not up to scratch. If you can do that you can then think 1) I have won a moral victory which is all you might get, but, 2) you can talk about some form of compensation, you might want to think about what might be the least acceptable outcome. You do not know that you have no hope of getting the contractor to put it right untill you ask him. If you are sure he is a dodge-pot you are probably best to put it down to part of the rich tapestry of life!

[lutonlagerlout]

like the boss man says ,its difficult to repair PIC so it is going to cost bundles to put right
i had a lady ring me in tears tonight in a similar situation,her builder has taken the money and run,leaving her with half a job
problem is /are she gave him all the money,and she went for the cheapest quote
2 fatal mistakes in the building game
LLL