Builder starting small extension, will I regret it

[studders]

I think it looks great but.....

(and you've already experienced it) You might regret the High Gloss Worktops. I was going to have them but changed my mind after hearing how easily, and obviously, they scratch.

'Part from that, top job. I see you're not too far from me so...
When will you be round to finish off mine?

 

[big soft moose]

, but incidently, there is nothing worse than having a customer stand over you while you work. At best, the job is slowed significantly and at worst there are heath and safety issues which could affect the tradesmans' liability insurance. Word will get around the trade and people will either not quote or load it to include the lost time - doesn't mean they're cheating, just earning a living.


Remember also - despite old saying - the customer is NOT always right.

I agree with your former point vis a vis doing the actual job, when i reffered to standing over a contractor higher up i meant afterwards to ensure the 19 or so defects were corrected (including scraping out the silicon sealant that his muppet subby had used in place of mortar on the outside window cill and remortaring it correctly)

Also i didnt mean litterally standing over so much as keeping a careful eye on the job to make sure it was done correctly and without shortcut.

and vis a vis the customer "being right" a tradesman can choose to believe that the customer is wrong if they wish but the customer is paying for the job and in my case a least will insist on it being done to spec before payment is released

I dont really care if the builder thinks it is acceptable to fill a hole in the floor with two loaves of bread and a skim of mortar over the top (sadly i'm not joking), I dont and i wont release his payment until the job is done to the standard which I expect

 

[Oldman]

I have been so busy with other stuff that I neglected to update this thread with the latest drama's.

The wall tiles are now complete with extras around the window area.

I had booked the tiler who did the new kitchen floor to do the dining area in the same tile, he was too busy so recommended his friend to lay them. I had already bought enough tiles to finish the job.
The guy turned up and laid the tiles, grouted and left leaving the wife and I to clear the grout dust from the floor saying he was out of time and needed to go.

When we cleaned the floor we realised why he rushed off, partly our fault for not checking every box was good before he started but as you can see from the pic, we ended up with a mismash of semi gloss and matt finish tiles when they were supposed to be all semi gloss matching the tiles already laid.
Our tiler came and looked and said they would all need to come up...BUT I tried to get replacements for the matt tiles and nothing available.
I eventually some weeks later had managed to get just enough odd boxes from different shops stocks to match the existing and spent 2 days with Bosche multi tool cutting the grout from around all the faulty tiles and sds'ing them up while the tiler followed behind laying the correct tiles.

Yes they need a final clean but they now all match and my tiler wanted to do the work for no charge aas it was his recommended mate who messed it up, I did pay him some ££ though as he had been good enough to put anothers work right.

The tiling runs through from the new kitchen to the old kitchen area too now, we kept some of the old kitchen units and I put a 3mtr length of black worktop on one side just to be able to utilise the area while I save for the matching units to continue through from the new kitchen.

So near fettled now with just a kickboard or two to finish off.

 

[bugbear]

Normally under cabinet lights get used for the first few days then its too much bother to keep turning them on/off.

Not in my case. I put in a lurvely multi-headed spot in the centre of my kitchen. The whole kitchen looks GREAT when it's on.

Only trouble is...

When I'm standing at a work surface, I'm between the spots and the work, so I'm creating a shadow. Oops.

The under cupboard lights (in practice) have become my main task lights; I'd fitted them just to look nice, but thanks $DEITY they're there.

BugBear

 

[Max Power]

Looks a top job ccasion5: What did the mitered tiles turn out like? Can you post a close up of them?

 

[Oldman]

Pics as requested Alan, the guy cut the mitres freehand, tile in one hand, angle grinder in the other.
The trick is to take off the material without breaking into the glazed edge too much if at all.

Had him fit tile skirting near the patio doors.

 

[Max Power]

Spot on, as I suspected, it looks much better than the plastic trim they usually fit