Dodgy Builder Advice

sist_si · 28 Mar 2007 at 16:44

I had a quick scan of the FAQ but if this is against the rules I'll delete straight away.

Ok, my mate and I own a house. We're in the process of getting a load bearing wall knocked down to make the current kitchen and dining room 1 big room.
We had a builder come out and do the work. (Hands up if you can see where I'm going with this story?)
...anyway, as the work was being done I became a little suspicious. An RSJ was quoted to be fitted on paper but I see no steel coming into the house. He used a wooden beam (approx 4x3 in) to hold this 3m gap. The builder also quoted he'd use supports as he took out the wall. None were used and when I went to close my bedroom door directly above I notice a couple of cm movement has occured....cue the alarm bells.

So, next day I speak to regulations at the council and a guy came out. To cut a long story short:
1. He's not applyed for a reg's certificate which is against the law - (I have now sorted this with the council myself by the way)
2. What he has done is completly inappropriate for the job plus he's not done what he quoted to do.

So, the council are dealing with him on their side of the reg's etc but where do we stand legally? We've not paid a penny yet and we have someone else to come and fix the job properly (council gave the go ahead after taking pics for their case etc). They can be trusted and will fit an RSJ and jack the roof back to it's correct position.
Do we have to pay? Should we seek further advice?

sist_si · 28 Mar 2007 at 16:48

He has removed the wall though so technically we could have to pay for that.
Also, I spoke to consumer advice and they said we should have to give him a 2nd chance to fix the prob. That isn't happening tho. He's not setting foot in the house again.

sist_si · 28 Mar 2007 at 17:07

True he could....but we're angry at the fact that he has put our house and potentially our lives at risk by doing inadequate work.

sist_si · 28 Mar 2007 at 23:40

Thanks for the responses everyone. It's a scary situation to be in as who knows what could happen once we say we're not paying but at the same time the fact he's tried to get away with this worries me as how many other poor people could be in the same position!?!?

Just to clarify, the work is being redone but by a trusted builder.
The movement of the ceiling is minimal (but shouldn't have happened) and can (according to the council surveyor) be fixed easily. It hasn't caused any other obvious stress to the building luckily.
The only thing he has done on the quote is knock down the wall. The rubble is still in the back garden as I halted everything as soon as I found out something was afoot.
The council recommended a 120ish mm section of RSJ (the figures are at the office). Our new builder will use a 7" x4" to be on the safe side.

He's coming round tomorrow anyway to get his remaining stuff so we'll be laying it on the line then. I am furious but at the same time, I just think why me! I just want it fixed!