No paperwork following new bathroom installation

[geordie]

Did you sign anything to say your agreed to the extra work.
Look at the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013:

 

[Hayley Roebuck]

Have only had initial quote and verbal contract thereafter.

 

[DefyG]

was told on initial survey we wont need to touch your electrics - was keeping original Mira Sport shower and spotlights.

Cant quite understand how it got from quote in your original post to involving electrical work? Unless Ive missed something in the thread.
As someone previously said, if no electrical work then nothing to 'pass'!

 

[Hayley Roebuck]

Because they wanted to make it into a bigger job. We can leave your existing spots and ceiling became our sparky says your spots are not safe so we need to change them, which then became we need to change your ceiling to accomodate the new spots. It looks lovely now but wasnt what we wanted and this only came about once theyd ripped out existing bathroom so then what can you do other than sack them off mid job. That then became you need a separate circuit for bathroom which led to you might as well get a fuse board done...etc

 

[DefyG]

Because they wanted to make it into a bigger job.

THEY wanted to make it a bigger job?
Sounds like you were talked around too easily!
If the electrics didn't need to be touched (as you originally stated) there was nothing to turn into a bigger job or require certification/Notification!...…….. Think you've been mugged!

 

[telectrix]

could it be that the old fuse board had no RCD??? therefore this had to be addressed when fitting new downlighters in special location???

 

[Hayley Roebuck]

could it be that the old fuse board had no RCD??? therefore this had to be addressed when fitting new downlighters in special location???

Yes and I'm not disputing that. I even raised that when they quoted (do i need a new fuseboard before you can do the bathroom) and was told categorically "we wont need to touch your electrics to do this job". Then once on job changed their minds and price increase of £1300. Its not the increase so much as they appear to have lied to secure the job?

 

[ferg]

Contractors can only advise on works with the information they have at the time.

It's not unusual to come across unexpected problems during a refurb the key word being unexpected.

In order to leave a safe and compliant job behind them additional works were required.

Again it's not unusual to decide that additional works must be completed for the job to progress. It is often the case that contractors will opt to walk away from a job if these required works cannot be completed as without them the job would not be safe or compliant.

 

[DPG]

You would have thought an experienced bathroom fitting company would have done a quick recce of the consumer unit before quoting for works being done. It should not have come as a surprise to them once things got started.

 

[ferg]

I think the issue was poor installation of the original downlights requiring partial rewire which led to the addition works.

 

[DPG]

I think the issue was poor installation of the original downlights requiring partial rewire which led to the addition works.

It was because they were doing installation work in a bathroom and then realised there was no RCD.

 

[ferg]

According to the OP the plan was to use the existing wiring but on arrival the Sparks decided, for whatever reason, the bathroom needed rewired.

We have all found little hidden treasures we were not expecting once work has started.

If I've missed something in the intervening 4 pages of posts then my apologies.

 

[DPG]

To be fair ferg you might be right. It's not entirely straightforward is it.

 

[45140]

Hayley,

I did ask you to look at the basis of Contract as "missing" something having given a quotation means the loss is potentially theirs NOT yours, hence my further question about E&OE.

If they have given you a firm quotation based on a survey then Contractually you have every right to challenge the need to pay for extra work that legitimately could/should have been identified at the time of quotation.

That is the difference between a Quotation - which is a firm price and is binding, and an Estimate which is an indication but is not binding. So in your case if they have said no need to sort out any electrics, then should they subsequently find that this is not the case you can refuse payment and they have to complete the works at the quoted price because they were given the opportunity to inspect and a competent contractor would have carried out their due diligence properly. If the have failed to do that then the loss is upon them NOT you.

This is different to a case where something unexpected had been discovered that would not have been obvious to a competent person. For example, an electrician is asked to fit metal light fittings to a 1960/70s house. From that era it is likely that there is no CPC (earth wire) in the cable. If during the work he finds that to be the case, the remedial work is entirely down to him because he should have known or made sufficient investigations prior to making a quotation. There is substantial case law on this precedent. Hence why I asked you so many questions.

 

[DefyG]

There seems to be lots of 'ifs and buts' about this but still cant work out 'why' a sparky was onsite if the project did not (as quoted in OP) involve any electrical work! Unless we are not being told the full story.