chudford wrote:
My Daughter has had a local builder in to knock a hole through from
her kitchen to the dining room. It is a victorian house and she
wanted a matching finish for the arched hole. The edges are finished
like an OJ achitrave.

He worked very quickly and cleaned up well afterwards.
However on closer inspection the arched hole is not the same width at
the top and bottom and the finish on the plasterwork is not great.

What sort of figures are you talking about? Anything of around 12mm max
wouldn't be excessive, especially if there is nothing to 'eye' it against.

Again, what's the actual problem with the plasterwork - lumps, hollows, not
polished etc?

She suggested getting a specialist plasterer in but the builder said
he could do it.

That's as it should be before any further action is undertaken - he should
be allowed to rectify his work before anyone else is called in.

She has not paid the builder yet.

That's a good situation to be in - don't pay the builder until rectification
is complete. *AND* make sure that you take photographs of the defective
work *BEFORE* he starts to put things right - it will stand you in good
stead if things turn nasty.

So what should she do?

See above.

Get the builder back in to put things right or get a specialist
plasterer to refinish the arch.

As I previously said, builder first - he must be given a chance to sort it
out. If you don't do that, your daughter will be on rather shaky ground if
the builder demands payment for his work.


Cash