The Brew Cabin

We chose a Marshalls approved contractor to do our patio because we liked the idea of the 10 year warantee.

The contractor arrived and dug out on day 1.
The next day while we were at work he laid the mowing strip around our circular garden. The left half of the circle was near perfect but the right hand half had quite a few straights in it. After speaking with the landscaper he agreed to redo the work the next day.
When we arrived home from work we were very happy that the circle was now complete to our satisfaction.
The landscaper layed the slabs yesterday in a dutch pattern and when my hubby returned home from work he wasn't very happy.
The gaps between the slabs were not even. Some gaps were twice the width of others (some were none existent). Also a few of the slabs were not level so we would probably get puddles whenever it rained, or trip over them.
After having an argument with the landscaper because my husband go irate it was decided that Marshalls would come along and inspect his work. We are now left with the patio unpointed. Will this be ok in this condition for a while?
How easy would it be to lift the offending slabs and move them. Would we have to dig out the mortar and start all over again?
Its a shame the contractor can't just adjust the slabs that are causing a problem without getting Marshalls involved.

Leaving the flags unpointed for a while won't do any real harm, and the already laid flags should come up relatively easily, if that's what required. However, the 'mortar' on which they were laid will have to be binned: it can't be re-used.

Marshalls should have told you this, and not left it to me to do their 'mopping up'.

We have to supply a list of the problems to the contractor so he can forward it to Marshalls. It was his idea to get Marshalls involved. If this takes weeks we will have to do the work ourselves and ask for a discount before we pay him.

If you 'interfere' with the work in any way before Marshalls get around to taking a look, you invalidate any claim you might make. Don't be tempted to do the pointing yourselves, or to lift and re-lay any of the flags.

I have severe reservations about these "Approved Contractor" schemes, and the feedback I've had from private clients suggests that many feel Marshalls side with the contractor in most cases. Admittedly, there are some cases where the client reports the Contractor was made to correct faulty work, but these form the minority of the cases I get to hear about.

"Unrealistic expectations" is a phrase that seems to be used when quality of workmanship is in dispute. Several clients have reported this phrase, after being told by whoever that their assumption that, by paying top dollar for a proper job, they were somehow guaranteed a professional standard of work, is "unrealistic" and that what they have ended up with is "satisfactory".

I'd be interested to hear how you get on.

Thanks Tony

Does this mean that if Marshalls say the contractors job is ok then we would not be able to adjust anything since it will invalidate the warantee?
So we would have to live with the unlevel slabs and possible puddles this will cause?

Possibly - the only people able to answer this properly are the Marshalls crowd. Their decision is not binding, but if it's as bad as you say, then I can't see them trying to wriggle out of it.

However, if you're not happy, don't pay - that should encourage the contractor to seek a quicker resolution.

Remember you have only 28 days to reject the job as unsatisfactory.

Trading Standards are usually as much use as a chocolate fireguard, but occasionally they have been know to telephone a contractor, which seems to gee them up a bit.

(Edited by danensis at 12:34 pm on July 14, 2004)

Do I still only have 28 days even though I have not paid yet? The job has not been finished yet either.

Where does it state about the 28 days policy?

(Edited by tigermad at 12:47 pm on July 14, 2004)

Register your concerns, in writing, to the contractor IMMEDIATELY, stating your intention to withhold payment until satisfactory resoilution of the problems, and copy it to the Marshalls' Customer Service department at Halifax.

I hand delivered the letter to the contractor yesterday, but I didn't put anything on there about witholding payment.

Maybe I will put a cover note on the one to Marshalls to say that I will not be paying until it is finished.