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Cowboy Builders?

Hi Lifers,

Got the builders in at the moment. Turns out that the cut some window openings too large. The window fitters have done this and are telling me that it's acceptable. I might be over-reacting, but I think it's a botch. 

Views appreciated. Especially from window fitters and builders. 
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Comments

  • edited September 2
    Looks like a bodge to me. That will leak almost immediately during a wet period. Expanding foam is not a structural material and that battening is a joke. They f***ed it up, they need to make it good - ie buy a new window that fits. I hope that you haven't paid all of it upfront.
  • Nope. Paid 40% deposit. 
  • Name and shame!
  • Looks like a bodge to me. That will leak almost immediately during a wet period. Expanding foam is not a structural material and that battening is a joke. They f***ed it up, they need to make it good - ie buy a new window that fits. I hope that you haven't paid all of it upfront.

    This … you need a window that fits the opening.
  • Looks like a bodge to me. That will leak almost immediately during a wet period. Expanding foam is not a structural material and that battening is a joke. They f***ed it up, they need to make it good - ie buy a new window that fits. I hope that you haven't paid all of it upfront.
    I know bugger all about building, but tend to agree with this.
  • That’s taking the piss don’t pay them.
  • Worked for a window fitter for 3 summers whilst doing A levels and at uni and that would never have been acceptable or signed off. 

    Had new windows on our place around 2 years ago I wouldn't have been paying for that.
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  • Don’t have to know anything about building to see that it is a monumental fuck up.
  • Don’t have to know anything about building to see that it is a monumental fuck up.
    Virtually the classic definition of crap civil engineering/building work (to say nothing of dubious health and safety practices) is if it is obviously noticeably shoddy to anyone lookng at it.  If those with no knowledge can see something is off, it's generally really bad.
  • Don’t have to know anything about building to see that it is a monumental fuck up.
    Virtually the classic definition of crap civil engineering/building work (to say nothing of dubious health and safety practices) is if it is obviously noticeably shoddy to anyone lookng at it.  If those with no knowledge can see something is off, it's generally really bad.
    Have you any idea how they came to fuck up like that….be interesting to find out how they managed it?
  • That looks like a fuck it up and run job. I wouldn't be  surprised if you don't see them again.
  • 60% retention says they will pop back to try and collect
  • Did they steal your roof while they were at it?
  • Don’t have to know anything about building to see that it is a monumental fuck up.
    Virtually the classic definition of crap civil engineering/building work (to say nothing of dubious health and safety practices) is if it is obviously noticeably shoddy to anyone lookng at it.  If those with no knowledge can see something is off, it's generally really bad.
    Have you any idea how they came to fuck up like that….be interesting to find out how they managed it?
    Builder cut wrong size hole. But window company surveyor didn't notice. Hmmm
  • Installing double glazing is a haven for practices like this, its a zero qualifications job, doesn't mean to say they are all bad. In fact some are excellent however it is and should be a relatively straightforward ask. 

    What I love is fuck up merchants are generally very defensive and aggressive when challenged about their shithousery and I'm already laughing about whoever looked you in the eye and told you that doing that, rather than fitting a window the correct size for the opening, assuming the hole was not their song and that the job had been surveyed. Thats a check that takes less than a minute and I'm laughing because they couldn't be arsed to do that however are prepared to try and convince you that what they have done is ok 
  • I should probably add, if the hole in the wall was their doing they are morons as well as chancers 
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  • Some people when using a measuring tape don’t start from the end, but measure from the 100mm mark, obviously you need to take the 100mm off to get the size. Looks like this person didn’t.
  • Wow, that's impressive! New window, about £140 trade max.

    I'd be questioning your choice of builder, for them to think that's acceptable. Also waist that steel on the right of the photo sitting on?
  • Rob7Lee said:
    Wow, that's impressive! New window, about £140 trade max.

    I'd be questioning your choice of builder, for them to think that's acceptable. Also waist that steel on the right of the photo sitting on?
    Ha. Was just zooming in on that. Looks like sat on something that’s gonna crumble soon. 
  • edited September 3
    It is one of those problems with builders when they can blame somebody else. The window fitters can say the builders cut the wrong sized hole and the builders can say, well they should have just put in a bigger window. I had this when I was helping my mum with her new bungalow. She had a kitchen fitted and found a nice one from a company that couldn't fit it when we needed it fitted so the builders did it (against my advice) and of course something went wrong and each blamed the other.

    I learned through that whole experience and from friends and family that there are many, many poor builders out there. We got my mums place done in the end but I nearly got into a few fights with the builder along the way and I am not a violent man. If I was doing that again I would project manage the job myself and get an electrician to do the electrics, a plasterer to do the plastering, a floorer to do the floor etc... 

    In terms of the window in question. Are these windows not made to size so isn't it the builder's responsibility if the hole wasn't the right size? 
  • Rob7Lee said:
    Wow, that's impressive! New window, about £140 trade max.

    I'd be questioning your choice of builder, for them to think that's acceptable. Also waist that steel on the right of the photo sitting on?
     It's on a steel plate on the inner side of a cavity wall.  
  • It looks as if the concrete lintel installed does not have sufficient bearing on either side, it does not conform to building regulations.
  • Looks like the window's cracked anyway. 
  • The lintel is off centre.
  • It’s salvageable if the opening that’s cut too large is reduced to the correct size using the right materials. Simply reducing the hole with some 3 x 2 and expanding foam isn’t going to work well. Looks to me like whatever they use to cover the timber from the uPVC edge to the rendered reveal will crack in no time. Refuse to pay until it’s done properly. 
  • fattmatt said:
    Don’t have to know anything about building to see that it is a monumental fuck up.
    Virtually the classic definition of crap civil engineering/building work (to say nothing of dubious health and safety practices) is if it is obviously noticeably shoddy to anyone lookng at it.  If those with no knowledge can see something is off, it's generally really bad.
    Have you any idea how they came to fuck up like that….be interesting to find out how they managed it?
    Builder cut wrong size hole. But window company surveyor didn't notice. Hmmm
    I've no idea about building or window fitting, but if the builder cut the hole first how can it be 'wrong' as such? Doesn't the window fitter simply measure the hole and then make their window to the size?
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