You join the blog mid March 2009, hopefully half way through the job. The entries before this are fabricated from emails, photos and personal memories - so may be a little vague in places :-)
Welcome
I've started this blog as a record of my kitchen renovation - and my trials and tribulations with plumber 'Luis'. I found Luis through a website that allows tradesmen to quote for your job. After meeting him and before his quote I'd already decided that I wanted to use his services as he was by far the most professional I'd met - a 'businessman' - to quote him. Obviously, when his quote arrived AND it was the cheapest, I was delighted!
You join the blog mid March 2009, hopefully half way through the job. The entries before this are fabricated from emails, photos and personal memories - so may be a little vague in places :-)
You join the blog mid March 2009, hopefully half way through the job. The entries before this are fabricated from emails, photos and personal memories - so may be a little vague in places :-)
Tuesday 7th April 2009
Haven't posted for a few days because nothing has really happened, except for ordered progress. Little glitch with the floor, which was level but not even, meant that the Vinyl fitters had to be postponed, now decided to do the vinyl after the units are fitted. Also had the gas supply to the cooker re-instated, chap came from 'the big city', gave me a quote and did the job there and then. Sorted.
The lobby to the downstairs bathroom, which is a side-job to the main kitchen project, has had it's disabled ramp laid and the walls have been boarded. The doorway in our title photo is now boarded up, creating an alcove in the lobby.
The lobby to the downstairs bathroom, which is a side-job to the main kitchen project, has had it's disabled ramp laid and the walls have been boarded. The doorway in our title photo is now boarded up, creating an alcove in the lobby.
Friday 3rd April 2009
Quiet day. Post Office have confirmed that Luis has received his second letter.
Finding it difficult to get a gas fitter - left loads of messages on answerphones but no responses. Will have to try some names from our nearest city.
Finding it difficult to get a gas fitter - left loads of messages on answerphones but no responses. Will have to try some names from our nearest city.
Thursday 2nd April 2009
Floor re-laying day today, time to put more of Luis' handiwork right.
Nice and early start with both Barry (Hire a Handyman) and Dan (Plasterer) on the job today. Pretty uneventful (thank heavens) but it is worth noting that they used ¼ tonne of small chippings and a couple of bags of cement to bring the level up to the two doorways into the room. As it was, you'd never have been able to have a fair game of marbles on it :-)
Nice and early start with both Barry (Hire a Handyman) and Dan (Plasterer) on the job today. Pretty uneventful (thank heavens) but it is worth noting that they used ¼ tonne of small chippings and a couple of bags of cement to bring the level up to the two doorways into the room. As it was, you'd never have been able to have a fair game of marbles on it :-)
Wednesday 1st April 2009
Electrician John came today for 1st fix. Obviously, he has to be very safety conscious and as a result, I have no lights in the main kitchen area until 2nd fix in a couple of weeks time :-(
Having said that, seems an excellent job - much tidier than what lay before. By way of example, here are some before & after piccies.
Had a look for a gas fitter and discovered that as of today, CORGI do not do the official registration for gas work - it's now the Gas Safe Register. Phoned one guy who told me his paperwork was still with CORGI but he'd be around late afternoon to quote me. Fortunately, he forgot to visit - like he forgot to get on the GSR - and any work he does with Gas will be illegal until he gets himself on the register. Obviously, my luck with tradesmen is improving lately, but that was a near-miss.
I particularly like the fact that you can view a photograph of every registered gas fitter on the Gas Safe Register - even those employed by companies.
Having said that, seems an excellent job - much tidier than what lay before. By way of example, here are some before & after piccies.
Had a look for a gas fitter and discovered that as of today, CORGI do not do the official registration for gas work - it's now the Gas Safe Register. Phoned one guy who told me his paperwork was still with CORGI but he'd be around late afternoon to quote me. Fortunately, he forgot to visit - like he forgot to get on the GSR - and any work he does with Gas will be illegal until he gets himself on the register. Obviously, my luck with tradesmen is improving lately, but that was a near-miss.
I particularly like the fact that you can view a photograph of every registered gas fitter on the Gas Safe Register - even those employed by companies.
Tuesday 31st March 2009
Guys have started moving rubble from various bags around the perimeter of the house. Be really glad when they have done as most of them are technically on my neighbours land and they are a constant reminder of John Wayne (Luis - keep up!)
A few minor bits of plumbing to do myself today and then tommorrow we can ask John how much a 30A connection for the new cooker will cost.
A few minor bits of plumbing to do myself today and then tommorrow we can ask John how much a 30A connection for the new cooker will cost.
Monday 30th March 2009
Remember my earlier comments about Luis using the cooker to stand on to get up high? Here's the evidence:
We also discovered early this morning that the floor Luis (now to be known as John Wayne) laid is around 2" lower at one end, and uneven throughout. Plasterer Dan came around and discussed the floor with Barry. They agreed it was fixable and will work together on the job on Thursday. Dan will move his plastering to Fri & Sat.
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Also had Transco come along as we could smell gas. There was a leak on the pipe to the cooker, but it was isolatable without turning off the whole supply. I guess now is the time for things like this to be fixed, whilst there are no cupboards in the way. The pipe passes from the outside into the bathroom and then through 2 more walls before getting into the kitchen. Barry has now drilled a hole from the outside straight into the kitchen - this should make it easier and cheaper for a gas engineer to sort the problem out.
And finally.... The stud work is now in place to fill the doorway, the lintel is secured and there's a framework within the chimney for the cooker hood to be fastened in. I know it's not rocket science but I'm so glad things are moving again.
We also discovered early this morning that the floor Luis (now to be known as John Wayne) laid is around 2" lower at one end, and uneven throughout. Plasterer Dan came around and discussed the floor with Barry. They agreed it was fixable and will work together on the job on Thursday. Dan will move his plastering to Fri & Sat.
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Also had Transco come along as we could smell gas. There was a leak on the pipe to the cooker, but it was isolatable without turning off the whole supply. I guess now is the time for things like this to be fixed, whilst there are no cupboards in the way. The pipe passes from the outside into the bathroom and then through 2 more walls before getting into the kitchen. Barry has now drilled a hole from the outside straight into the kitchen - this should make it easier and cheaper for a gas engineer to sort the problem out.
And finally.... The stud work is now in place to fill the doorway, the lintel is secured and there's a framework within the chimney for the cooker hood to be fastened in. I know it's not rocket science but I'm so glad things are moving again.
Sunday 29th March 2009
Where have all my kitchen units gone?
Thought I'd show the other side of the tale - the second photo shows what passes for a kitchen in our house right now. Formerly the dining room, we had the sink plumbed through the wall from the kitchen, and a few of the old units. No washing machine - that's all done at the launderette - but fortunately we had bought a condenser dryer for the new kitchen so that can be used. For temporary use it is passable - but when you bear in mind that my wife is disabled it makes it terribly inconvenient for her.
Ah - here they are.....
Thought I'd show the other side of the tale - the second photo shows what passes for a kitchen in our house right now. Formerly the dining room, we had the sink plumbed through the wall from the kitchen, and a few of the old units. No washing machine - that's all done at the launderette - but fortunately we had bought a condenser dryer for the new kitchen so that can be used. For temporary use it is passable - but when you bear in mind that my wife is disabled it makes it terribly inconvenient for her.
Saturday 28th March 2009
Well, Kevin - the rubbish removal guy, came nice and early. Reasonable quote and will be back on Tuesday to do it. There is a lot to shift and at around £30 a tonne it's got to make more sense than hiring a big skip at around £180 and doing the labouring myself!
Don't expect today to be very active - a few minor bits of carpentry that are within my very limited skill range.
Was looking last night at cooker hoods. We wanted an extractor one, but due to the cooker position, fitting one could be very expensive. Have decided on a re-circ one that can fit - out of site - in the chimney void. Need build a framework in the fireplace to support it and get John the electrician to advise on supply.
Now I know John is coming on Wednesday, I have booked Dan the plasterer for Thurs & Friday.
I guess a visit to the carpet fitter is called for to discus laying at least one of the rolls of Rhinofloor that I keep tripping over in the lounge! Can't have all the flooring done at once because the kitchen flatpacks are hogging the conservatory and so it
can't be floored until the main kitchen units are built / fitted, and that can't happen until the kitchen flooring is down. Does that make sense?
Piccies show current state of conservatory and the flooring we have chosen.
PS: Vinyl in kitchen booked to be fitted a week Monday.
Don't expect today to be very active - a few minor bits of carpentry that are within my very limited skill range.
Was looking last night at cooker hoods. We wanted an extractor one, but due to the cooker position, fitting one could be very expensive. Have decided on a re-circ one that can fit - out of site - in the chimney void. Need build a framework in the fireplace to support it and get John the electrician to advise on supply.
Now I know John is coming on Wednesday, I have booked Dan the plasterer for Thurs & Friday.
I guess a visit to the carpet fitter is called for to discus laying at least one of the rolls of Rhinofloor that I keep tripping over in the lounge! Can't have all the flooring done at once because the kitchen flatpacks are hogging the conservatory and so it
can't be floored until the main kitchen units are built / fitted, and that can't happen until the kitchen flooring is down. Does that make sense?Piccies show current state of conservatory and the flooring we have chosen.
PS: Vinyl in kitchen booked to be fitted a week Monday.
Friday 27th March 2009
Happy to report that handyman 'Barry' is on the job - today's tasks involve inserting a lintel into the fireplace, recessing some of the electrical patress boxes and building a framework in one of the doorways so the plasterer can block off that doorway.
Contacted another rubbish removal company who will come around tomorrow to give me a quote. As we're not in a major city the options on this front are limited, so I shall probably have to choose between these two.
Had some quotes on the MyHammer website to fit my kitchen units. First quote was £999, second quote was £998! Then 1st guy re-quoted at £990 and then a newcomer at £890. There are a lot of units, so I'm confident these quotes are fair - but in view of the Luis situation they are still too high - once I've seen the standard of work Barry is capable of maybe I'll ask him to quote - 3 or 4 days at £10 an hour - got to be cheaper!
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Barry got nearly all the work done - still no framework in the doorway. Biggest problem was that he was too good! For example, I asked him to straighten & re-fix a row of patresses (sp?) and chase a new one out - he did this but also chased out for the cables, which I hadn't asked for. Am I complaining - no, I'd rather have someone who wants to do a good job than a cowboy - I'll just have to make sure I tell him what NOT to do when he comes back on Monday to do the framework and level the floor. Photos show lintel now in place (still needs cementing in) and a row of straight patresses!
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Oooh, someone else who has done what they said they would - John the electrician phoned this evening with his quote. Pleasantly suprised so booked him for this coming Wednesday.
Thursday 26th March 2009
Busy day, though no work done.
Had confirmation from Royal Mail that Luis has had & signed for his letter.
Have booked a 'handyman' to do a few bits of work that will be required before the plasterer comes back - should be here at 9:30 tomorrow.
Also had a visit from John the electrician - who, as a trainee, did my re-wire 8 years ago with his dad! Sadly, since the kitchen was re-wired the regulations have changed so there will be some work required to bring everything up to spec - he wasn't very impressed with my electrical work, so I blame it on Luis! John promises he'll call me with a quote tomorrow.
First estimate to get rid of the 6 tonne of rubbish Luis has left - £280! Ouch.
And finally, a brief visit from Chris the carpenter (who was a recommendation from one of the PO counter staff!) who has taken my plans for the kitchen units away and will return on Saturday with a quote.
Had confirmation from Royal Mail that Luis has had & signed for his letter.
Have booked a 'handyman' to do a few bits of work that will be required before the plasterer comes back - should be here at 9:30 tomorrow.
Also had a visit from John the electrician - who, as a trainee, did my re-wire 8 years ago with his dad! Sadly, since the kitchen was re-wired the regulations have changed so there will be some work required to bring everything up to spec - he wasn't very impressed with my electrical work, so I blame it on Luis! John promises he'll call me with a quote tomorrow.
First estimate to get rid of the 6 tonne of rubbish Luis has left - £280! Ouch.
And finally, a brief visit from Chris the carpenter (who was a recommendation from one of the PO counter staff!) who has taken my plans for the kitchen units away and will return on Saturday with a quote.
Wednesday 25th March 2009
Yey Hey, my kitchen should be finished today! ......
Okay, back to reality. Nothing really to report other than to say I have sent Luis a letter by Special Delivery, giving him until Monday to get in touch. If he doesn't, I'll calculate the difference between reasonable labour costs plus materials and the cash we have paid and (with a view to court action) ask him for a refund.
Wayne the handyman came round to look at the jobs I need doing - nothing out of his league but he's not available for around a week. Explain to him that I will have to try to get someone on the job quicker - but thats no reflection on him personally!
Okay, back to reality. Nothing really to report other than to say I have sent Luis a letter by Special Delivery, giving him until Monday to get in touch. If he doesn't, I'll calculate the difference between reasonable labour costs plus materials and the cash we have paid and (with a view to court action) ask him for a refund.
Wayne the handyman came round to look at the jobs I need doing - nothing out of his league but he's not available for around a week. Explain to him that I will have to try to get someone on the job quicker - but thats no reflection on him personally!
Tuesday 24th March 2009
Still no Luis.
I had extended the completion date to the 25th (tommorrow) and, obviously, that's not going to happen. By coincidence, I was discussing Luis in town when a woman overheard our conversation and added that her husband was a 'handyman' and would never treat his customers that way. Cue me getting his phone number. General plan for now is for Mr Handyman to come and give me a quote for the work necessary to get the plasterer in. If the price is good then we'll have it done ASAP and the cost will have to come off Luis bill. Then I can call the plasterer. Once that work is done, the room will start looking habitable again. If Luis hasn't made contact by then, I shall just contract the individual jobs out one by one until the project is finished.
I had extended the completion date to the 25th (tommorrow) and, obviously, that's not going to happen. By coincidence, I was discussing Luis in town when a woman overheard our conversation and added that her husband was a 'handyman' and would never treat his customers that way. Cue me getting his phone number. General plan for now is for Mr Handyman to come and give me a quote for the work necessary to get the plasterer in. If the price is good then we'll have it done ASAP and the cost will have to come off Luis bill. Then I can call the plasterer. Once that work is done, the room will start looking habitable again. If Luis hasn't made contact by then, I shall just contract the individual jobs out one by one until the project is finished.
Monday 23rd March 2008
Left a message yesterday on Luis' phone saying be here before 7:30 so we can plan what to do about the plasterer. Of course, he didn't show, so when the plasterer (Rob) arrived I had to show him the situation and ask what (if anything) he could do. Very kindly, he agreed to not do anything today but if Luis didn't turn up today then he'd be willing to do some of the prep work that Luis should have done and start the job tommorrow.
Tried Luis' phone at 9, 11, 1 & 3 with no luck. Finally called at his home address - the van was there but no one answered. I left a scribbled note in the hope that he (or his partner) would be in touch.
Tried Luis' phone at 9, 11, 1 & 3 with no luck. Finally called at his home address - the van was there but no one answered. I left a scribbled note in the hope that he (or his partner) would be in touch.
Sunday 22nd March 2009
No Luis & the plasterer is due tommorrow. Grrr. Can't contact the plasterer to delay him because I only have his contact details on 'My Hammer' and the site is down. Phoned Luis 3 times during the day to find out where he is / formulate a plan but all I get is the answerphone and he doesn't get back to me. Begin to think I might be able to do some of the work necessary before the plasterer turns up, and so spend an hour in B&Q (get given a 10% off voucher - might need it the way things are going!). In the end, Mrs R quite rightly says that if I do the work then I can't claim against Luis if it goes wrong - and that it is up to Luis to deal with the plasterer when he arrives. Problem is, if Luis doesn't arrive - what doI get the plasterer to do? Still, have 3 x 2.4m lengths of timber which might be useable by the plasterer?!?
Saturday 21st March 2009
No sign of Luis - called him around lunch time and he said he wasn't coming in today because he wanted to allow the concrete to dry properly. There were plenty of jobs he could have got on with without touching the concrete, so a bit disapponted with the non-proactive attitude as we are working to a deadline.
Still, he assures me he'll be here early tommorrow (Sun)
Spent most of the day myself doing the 1st fit electrics with the aid of Google!
Bit concerned about the quality of the floor. Apart from being decidedly uneven (going to take a lot of self-levelling compound) it seems a bit powdery. I am no expert, but Google is my font of wisdom, so a check on there reveals he should have used a concrete mix of around 4 parts sand to 1 part cement. I don't KNOW what mix Luis has used, but based on the empty cement sacks in my back garden and a vague memory of what the full bags looked like in a pile, I recon he's used 10 bags to 2 tonne of sand - thats 1:8 or half strength. If he confirms he's only used 10 bags then it'll all have to come back out again.
Still, he assures me he'll be here early tommorrow (Sun)
Spent most of the day myself doing the 1st fit electrics with the aid of Google!
Bit concerned about the quality of the floor. Apart from being decidedly uneven (going to take a lot of self-levelling compound) it seems a bit powdery. I am no expert, but Google is my font of wisdom, so a check on there reveals he should have used a concrete mix of around 4 parts sand to 1 part cement. I don't KNOW what mix Luis has used, but based on the empty cement sacks in my back garden and a vague memory of what the full bags looked like in a pile, I recon he's used 10 bags to 2 tonne of sand - thats 1:8 or half strength. If he confirms he's only used 10 bags then it'll all have to come back out again.
Friday 20th March 2009
At last, final batch of concrete is laid. After Luis has gone, dog decides to run straight through it leaving deep paw prints right across the final third :-(
Create a tool out of a filler knife and a broom handle to repair the dogs handiwork (should that be pawiwork?) and am quite pleased with the results.
Create a tool out of a filler knife and a broom handle to repair the dogs handiwork (should that be pawiwork?) and am quite pleased with the results.
Thursday 19th March 2009
Another third of the concrete gets done. The 1st third is set, but hasn't properly cured so one needs to walk very gently on it. Luis reveals he hasn't enough sand, so order another tonne to be delivered this afternoon. I suspect that the final third wasn't completed today due to the lack of sand.
Wednesday 18th March 2009
The floor concrete begins. I was expecting this to be a 1 day job, but by the end of the day, it's only a third done.
Tuesday 17th March 2009
Sat down with Luis to work out a schedule to complete the job. Quite straight-forward but Luis reveals that his plasterer is going to charge him £600 plus materials and take SIX days to do the job. We agree that this is too long, and probably too expensive, so I offer to try and source a different plasterer.
Also reveals that the van was a £700 purchase with the money I'd given him for materials.
By the end of the day, I have a plasterer booked for Monday & Tuesday next week at around half the cost.
Also reveals that the van was a £700 purchase with the money I'd given him for materials.
By the end of the day, I have a plasterer booked for Monday & Tuesday next week at around half the cost.
Thu 12 March 2009
Guess what - Luis telephoned at 12 noon to say he was in the builders merchants sorting out sand and plasterboards and so wouldn't be in today - thats at least the 3rd time he's sorted out the sand and the 2nd he's been buying the plasterboards! Promises he'll be in tommorrow early (9am!) but do I believe him? Well, lets wait and see.
Just noticed that I'd started the last 3 posts with the word 'Okay'. Promise I'll give it a break for a few days!
Just noticed that I'd started the last 3 posts with the word 'Okay'. Promise I'll give it a break for a few days!
Wed 11 March 2009
Okay, phoned Luis again around 10:30 this morning as he hadn't turned up or contacted us. Another message on the answerphone - this time I suggested I could pop round to his home to sort things out - hoping that he'd rather keep me away from home & family, but all the same it was a genuine offer.
Later, phoned his plasterer, Colin, to see if he knew if there was anything wrong with Luis. Seemed to think Luis was alright, but having lots of trouble with new van. Colin said he'd speak to Luis to get him to contact me and half an hour later - Luis called.
Friendly and courteous as ever but spent 20 minutes telling me virtually nothing. Having said that, revealed that a lot of my initial deposit wasn't spent on materials - but was used to purchase the infamous van and even some pretty basic tradesmans tools like the workmate bench.
Confirmed he'd be on site at 11am tommorrow (Thurs) so we'll see what happens
Later, phoned his plasterer, Colin, to see if he knew if there was anything wrong with Luis. Seemed to think Luis was alright, but having lots of trouble with new van. Colin said he'd speak to Luis to get him to contact me and half an hour later - Luis called.
Friendly and courteous as ever but spent 20 minutes telling me virtually nothing. Having said that, revealed that a lot of my initial deposit wasn't spent on materials - but was used to purchase the infamous van and even some pretty basic tradesmans tools like the workmate bench.
Confirmed he'd be on site at 11am tommorrow (Thurs) so we'll see what happens
Tue 10 March 2009
Okay, Luis didn't arrive this morning so I called mid morning and left a message, did the same again in the afternoon with no reply. Beginning to get really concerned as we haven't seen him for over a week. Put together a document to add to the contract to clarify what changes we had agreed between us and what payments we had made. Emailed it to Luis with a request for a timetable for the rest of the job so that both sides know what should happen and by when.
Mon 9 March 2009
Okay, Luis is due to start again today - looking forward to seeing progress again. Problem is - no sign of Luis! Phoned Luis and left a message (always on answerphone) and he replied telling my wife that he'd only just got his van back today but he'd be back on site tommorrow. Luis confirmed that he now has a shed full of cement and that he has ordered the sand for delivery.
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