How to Deal with Poor Workmanship on Site

No job will be perfectly smooth from start to finish, but the vast majority of projects are completed using competent builders and trades, throwing up nothing more than minor inconveniences along the way.

For some, however, there may be some serious challenges, notably the unreliable or substandard contractor who produces an unsatisfactory job that falls short of your expectations.

Here’s what to do if you are faced with defective works, including what your rights are, and how you can seek resolution.

Your rights

When you contract with another party for goods and services, you have the right to expect the work to be done with reasonable care and skill. This is enshrined in law under the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) of 2015.

Any contract entered into after this date is covered by the CRA. Any work agreed before that date has the same protection but under Supply of Goods and Services Act of 1982.

The main difference between the two is that under the later CRA you can seek compensation for any inconvenience caused. It may seem a small point, but it’s an important one to know, as using the right terms shows that you know what you are entitled to.

Sometimes, simply quoting the right act can produce results because contractors will know you are well informed and mean business.

Resolving and repairing

Half the battle on a project is for both parties to have an understanding as to what ‘good’ looks like. Some trades may default to a standard of work that’s rarely been challenged as inadequate, but then come up against a client who thinks differently.

The homeowner reckons the trade is shoddy, while the tradesperson in question thinks the customer is overly fussy. Who is right?

To an extent, building control and your structural warranty provider will have a say on build quality, but they are more concerned with safety and robustness than aesthetics.

This means that messy work could pass their scrutiny but leave you looking for a better quality of workmanship. If that happens, follow these steps:

1. Talk: Speak to your tradesperson and explain what is wrong and why you think this is the case. Follow up the conversation with a letter or email so that there can be no confusion as to what the problem is.

2. Agree a date to complete the remedial work: Assuming your contractor agrees that the work requires rectification, set a reasonable deadline to complete the task. If they say they are busy and can’t fit you in for a while, remind them that they are in breach of contract with you, so you should be the priority.

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