Ref: 2021
Filed: 07/03/2023

Accused Company:

Daren Horne Property Maintenance

Company number: gb-0

Heathfield
TN21
United Kingdom

Allegation: Cost dispute / Over-charge

Value: GBP 6,903.00

Dispute details:

Garage conversion disaster from start to finish

We engaged with said builder to convert our garage into a small front room and utility room. He originally quoted £10700 on a contract and 3 weeks to complete. We had to endure 5 months of excuses for no shows, very bad quality work, over charging for hours worked, paying for goods that were never supplied, materials payments with no receipts to back them up, lack of care of our property left open to the rain and snow causing work that had been done to be ruined. In the end we had to employ another tradesman to take over who removed 75 percent of the job as it was of such a bad standard, using incorrect building materials, it would not have passed building regulations and was unsafe.

Attempts to resolve dispute:

Contacted builder requesting refund of works that had to be removed and for materials we did not receive that had been paid for but builder denied responsibility.

Response to accusation (by accused):

15/03/2023

Hi my response to this is that this is all lies. We gave the client an estimate which could go over the original price. The estimate is given as a guide price only. Which they knew from the start and was happy to proceed. We waited and waited for decisions throughout the job to be made, weeks and weeks infact. Things were changed very regularly and we had to pull things apart and re do things, we had other work booked in and needed to work with time lines. In the end the job went on for so long as they had money issues Which I have proof of messages. Other work was due to start they had ran out of money so unfortunately we had to move on but was more than willing to come back. The job was at the time passed by building control. They came out regularly throughout the job to check progress. They were happy with the work or we wouldn’t and couldn’t of carried on. Another builder had turned up pulled our work to pieces like some builders unfortunately do and said we done it wrong. Probably just to gain more work for themselves. We all work differently and the job was not completed there for some things was not done but as I say at the time we left it was all satisfactory from building control. We waited 3 weeks for building control to turn up as the client wanted to do the contacting themselves. Not knowing they were sending emails to the wrong department, then 2 weeks into the job the client decides to go on holiday for 2 weeks leaving us with nothing to get on with much as they did not want us in the property or holes knocking through while they were away, then came back and wondered why not much had been done. I am very disappointed that such lies have been told. Lesson learned. And yes disaster from start to finish is correct. I’m still paying off credit card bills for materials bought for you Job which you refused to pay for. You caused me and my family nothing but stress through this Again I have all the messages to prove this is all complete lies. Disgusting behaviour

Counter Response (by plaintiff):

20/03/2023

We were advised to pay to use this service as a way to mediate with Daren Horne Property Maintenance not to lie and fabricate the truth. Below are the facts and a bit more detail, we have photographic evidence to prove it but it seems the only response Daren Horne Property Maintenance has is to lie and blame us. We had the works looked at by multiple independent builders all of whom came to the same conclusion that the partially finished job was of an appalling standard with the following problems: Original garage ceiling not removed or insulated. Floors & walls not insulated but just plaster boarded & plastered. Flooring provided was just sterling board. Garage doorway bricked up with so much mortar in the cavity that the 50mm insulation had no air gap to breath. No cavity wall ties used. 75mm floor joists. DPC's incorrectly installed or missing. Incorrect 50mm insulation used in cavities. Inconsistent mortar gauges. Wall starters fixed to the wall with 2 nails instead of the bolts provided along with missing wall starters. Inside cavity wall blocks butted up against plasterboard. Wall ran out of level by a whole brick course but smeared over with mortar to hide mistake. The building control officer also said the mortar covered wall was bowed, almost condemnable and not structurally sound. Asides from the cost of correcting all of the above we paid for things that were never provided. We didnt decide to go on holiday in the middle of the works. Due to the start of the work being delayed for over a month with various excuses, it meant it then clashed with our holiday that had been booked months in advance, the work should have been completed weeks before we went away if it had started on time. We paid £4000 whilst we were on holiday as they said our previous materials payment had run out, but arrived home with hardly any further progress with little trace of what the money was spent on. Our neighbours also said whilst we were away they had hardly seen any activity. Receipts that finally materialised did not cover the costs we had paid plus items we had paid for were never provided. We had to pay for windows twice as later in the job it was claimed that the first payment for windows was absorbed with materials costs but no idea what on. A shower screen and the last material order that we paid for directly also never materialised. It is definitely a lesson learnt. Engaging with a 'maintenance' person to do a garage conversion was the wrong decision and cost us dearly.

Plaintiff:

Karen Hudson

Crowborough , United Kingdom