Did I get ripped off? - Shower mixer replacement by local plumber

[hsadat]

Hi guys my first post on this forum.

A plumber came in to replace our shower mixer as it lost water pressure over the year from limescale blockage I believe!

The plumber managed to install the new shower mixer however it looks extremely botched! Please have a look at the picture and tell me what you think.

He CHARGED me £120 for this replacement.

All he did was change the mixer without installing the new valves and cover plate which he said didn't fit.

What do you guys think?

Much thanks.

 

[Welder]

Firstly whoever did That is not a tradesman.

Secondly if you know it's going to look that pants you either 1) refuse to fit it or say you need to do extra work or arrange to get the identical tap. 2) get the customer to agree to it before you do it.

Frankly a niave reply. We have all had those whining, wittering unreasonable customers pleading poverty wanting as cheap a job as possible who then morph into absolute pains in the ar5se when a top class job. This feels to me like a perfect example of one of those.

None of us were there. None of us know the conv. So, frankly, hanging a colleague out to dry based on no evidence whatsoever I find shameful of you. On the otherhand, the op started this post with misinformation and the truth only emerged when pushed - hence my conclusion.

 

[Millsy 82]

Frankly a niave reply. We have all had those whining, wittering unreasonable customers pleading poverty wanting as cheap a job as possible who then morph into absolute pains in the ar5se when a top class job. This feels to me like a perfect example of one of those.

None of us were there. None of us know the conv. So, frankly, hanging a colleague out to dry based on no evidence whatsoever I find shameful of you. On the otherhand, the op started this post with misinformation and the truth only emerged when pushed - hence my conclusion.

I wouldn't say naive. I learnt many years ago not to do a bodge job and if it was me I would say sorry but I can't do the job.

No none of us were there but we can see the end product and honestly if I employed so.eone and they did that under my name if the customer instructed them or not they would soon find themselves walking down the road with their tools. We are meant to be professional tradesmen and it is trades that do jobs like that and charge £120 for the pleasure of it that gives us all a bad name and makes our life harder.

We in my opinion should not try to make excuses for jobs like these it does not matter if the customer is the worst customer ever and if they were told this is what it is going to look like, instead we should be condoning absolute trash jobs like that.

 

[Welder]

I wouldn't say naive. I learnt many years ago not to do a bodge job and if it was me I would say sorry but I can't do the job.

No none of us were there but we can see the end product and honestly if I employed so.eone and they did that under my name if the customer instructed them or not they would soon find themselves walking down the road with their tools. We are meant to be professional tradesmen and it is trades that do jobs like that and charge £120 for the pleasure of it that gives us all a bad name and makes our life harder.

We in my opinion should not try to make excuses for jobs like these it does not matter if the customer is the worst customer ever and if they were told this is what it is going to look like, instead we should be condoning absolute trash jobs like that.

What you are I have is the courage to walk away, the courage of our convictions. Bear in mind many people who end up in our trade do so because there was nothing else. In my experience those people literally live from hand to mouth and do whatever people ask even though many know, in their heart of hearts, that what they are being asked to do is wrong. I would wager that going back to when you started you, just like me, did stuff you'd now be ashamed of...

I truly get where you come from, and 100% agree IF this were done knowingly and carelessly the individual should be ashamed. However, (from recall only as the OP has now blocked me so I can't see the original image) I felt the thing had been in use sometime. One has to ask, "Why didn't Mr Agrieved Tenant talk about it at the time?"

It just smells super fishy to me and without full knowledge of these circumstances we still cannot judge as that too brings our industry into disrepute. If I am wrong, then I'll sincerely apologise as I do when that happens.

Plumbing is seen today as the #1 trade to knock for all sorts of reasons. To me, we need to stand together more because customers can be bloomin awful sometimes.

 

[hsadat]

I'm out.

 

[SimonG]

Two sides to every story and an abundance of customers who are economical with the truth, coming on forums looking for ammunition to have a go at somebody.

I wouldn't have left things like that, but who knows if the guy that did had said I need tiles off to do a proper job. Or was told I don't care just do what you can.

As for price, apparently he was there for 40 minutes, apparently, I just can't get away from thinking that **** tax was applied.

Bottom line is if op wasn't happy then why not say so at the time?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Also we don’t know where the op is could be London

And if the materials are in that cost etc

 

[hsadat]

Right guys, so I just spoke to the plumber and he explained his reason for not installing the shrouds so I hope this clears the judgement for you guys to determine whether his reasons was legitimate or not for leaving the tap in that state.

He said the reason for not installing the shrouds is because we have flexi pipes installed behind the tiles. He said if he were to install the shrouds then he would've needed to pull out the flexi pipes out of the wall which meant the tap would've dangled after he screws on the shower mixer to the pipes. So instead he left the flexi pipes in the same position as before and screwed the shower mixer directly onto it meaning there was a lack of space for the shrouds to fit but the new tap would hold firmly into place.

He also said in order to install the shrouds he would need to strip off the bathroom tiles and install copper pipes instead making the job bigger.

The key thing he mentioned is that flexi pipes were able to be pulled out the wall, surely there could've been a way around it using shower mixer valve fitting kit to hold it in place?

If not then I'm sorry to waste everyone's time on this forum and for pointing fingers at a blameless plumber.

Much thanks

 

[ShaunCorbs]

There you go valid point them flexis need to be replaced in my opinion at an extra cost to you or the landlord etc

 

[Welder]

Firstly, thank you. It takes more b4lls to be honest than ignore

He is right. It will need to be repiped to look & work properly. TBH the original installer, no matter what they were paid should never have used flexis. They always eventually fail if exposed to higher pressures. Flexis could/should have been replaced with hard piping EDIT by original installer. .

 

[SimonG]

Right guys, so I just spoke to the plumber and he explained his reason for not installing the shrouds so I hope this clears the judgement for you guys to determine whether his reasons was legitimate or not for leaving the tap in that state.

He said the reason for not installing the shrouds is because we have flexi pipes installed behind the tiles. He said if he were to install the shrouds then he would've needed to pull out the flexi pipes out of the wall which meant the tap would've dangled after he screws on the shower mixer to the pipes. So instead he left the flexi pipes in the same position as before and screwed the shower mixer directly onto it meaning there was a lack of space for the shrouds to fit but the new tap would hold firmly into place.

He also said in order to install the shrouds he would need to strip off the bathroom tiles and install copper pipes instead making the job bigger.

The key thing he mentioned is that flexi pipes were able to be pulled out the wall, surely there could've been a way around it using shower mixer valve fitting kit to hold it in place?

If not then I'm sorry to waste everyone's time on this forum and for pointing fingers at a blameless plumber.

Much thanks

Thanks for that.

Deinitely a Repipe and use of a fast fit kit.

Your guy made best of a bad job.

Hope you get it sorted.

 

[Millsy 82]

Is it stud walls? Can you remove a bath panel? Are the hot and cold fed from under the bath? Potentially you could fish pipes up from under the bath through the wall without taking tiles off the wall.

 

[Tim S]

Is that £120 for labour or does that include the mixer valve?...

 

[hsadat]

£120 labour only, parts were bought separately

 

[Jerry]

Right guys, so I just spoke to the plumber and he explained his reason for not installing the shrouds so I hope this clears the judgement for you guys to determine whether his reasons was legitimate or not for leaving the tap in that state.

He said the reason for not installing the shrouds is because we have flexi pipes installed behind the tiles. He said if he were to install the shrouds then he would've needed to pull out the flexi pipes out of the wall which meant the tap would've dangled after he screws on the shower mixer to the pipes. So instead he left the flexi pipes in the same position as before and screwed the shower mixer directly onto it meaning there was a lack of space for the shrouds to fit but the new tap would hold firmly into place.

He also said in order to install the shrouds he would need to strip off the bathroom tiles and install copper pipes instead making the job bigger.

The key thing he mentioned is that flexi pipes were able to be pulled out the wall, surely there could've been a way around it using shower mixer valve fitting kit to hold it in place?

If not then I'm sorry to waste everyone's time on this forum and for pointing fingers at a blameless plumber.

Much thanks

Wow. Faith in humanity restored.

Until I have to work for another landlord.

 

[Coby kenny AGUILAR]

Didn't charge enough,

Every landlord seems to be looking for a cheap fix.

Pay peanuts and you get...

 

[gmartine]

A talon pipe collar (various sizes - Toolstation) would tidy that up and can be retro fitted...

 

[keith duval]

Firstly whoever did That is not a tradesman.

Secondly if you know it's going to look that pants you either 1) refuse to fit it or say you need to do extra work or arrange to get the identical tap. 2) get the customer to agree to it before you do it.

First sensible answer i have read to this issue.
I employ workers to do various trade work and find that in general they have a very high opinion of there value.
The quality of work is just passable.
I pay good money for a good job , is that to much to expect ?
From most replys i feel that the workers attitude to the customer is 'just be gratefull we condesended to work for you'

 

[rpm]

Why re open a thread that was put to bed in April or are you the troll you mentioned in another one of your waste of time posts?