Every builder will have their own tale to tell of being asked to rectify a job rather less than well done, and Professional Builder’s DI-WHY? is dedicated to exposing some of the worst examples.
Halloween is a time for things to go bump in the night, but with some of the terrifying attempts at DIY undertaken during lockdown it could just as easily be the sound of shoddy workmanship coming apart. Of course, the hapless homeowner is not always the culprit but the victim, and one tradesman was so disappointed with what he encountered on a job that he was compelled to share it with Professional Builder on Instagram.
“We were asked to complete some work for a client, The Chocolatier Ltd, that produces confectionery gifts in a small commercial unit,” explains Liam McGinley, of McGinley’s Carpentry and Construction Ltd, “but we ended up ripping out what had been done by the firm before us. Doors had been hinged in the wrong location multiple times, and not repaired. Rather than being set back, the architrave was protruding over the door frame, and was 35mm short of the floor, and the frame itself wasn’t screwed together. The standard of workmanship was very poor and the removal of this work meant that additional repair work had to be done as well.”
For the owner of the business, that meant delays to their re-opening after moving premises and, given the difficult trading conditions of 2020, the disruption has proved particularly costly.
“Our approach has always been to communicate with the property owner and find out exactly what they need or are aspiring to. We do a lot of work in schools, for instance, and were able to advise the client on this job on fire regulations that they may need to comply to and put them in touch with a fire risk assessor to make sure they had all the correct advise and could put the right things in place. We carried out various works, and they were extremely happy with the advice and work we completed for them.
“Unfortunately, due to other scheduled work, we could only give Aneesh and his wife Nina so much time and, whilst we offered to return to complete other works in a few weeks, they couldn’t wait as they were already behind schedule for the opening. I was disgusted to hear yet again that they fell victim to another rouge trader. They were given a referral of another tradesman and we received a call from Nina to explain that this other tradesman had since come to the business hung doors upside down and damaged doors by drilling out handles and locks incorrectly. It’s always disappointing to see people with so little pride in their work, or loyalty to their customer, so it was a very satisfying hear a customer tells us that we’ve been so helpful, and they couldn’t thank us enough for the advice.
“I would rather wait for you to be able to do the work than get someone else and have this happen again,” was what Aneesh told us. We have now made plans to work over out of our normal operating hours to carry out further work for them.
A carpenter by trade Liam’s firm, McGinley’s Carpentry and Construction undertakes a whole range of bespoke joinery and building work in the Herts, Beds and Bucks region, including extensions and complete home renovations. As a testament to the value they place on customer care – and their work ethic – Liam has compiled a construction guide which he issues to clients. “It’s a document that is designed to help people plan the work they’re having on their house, and what they can expect,” he explains. “We understand that any repairs or improvements on a home or business can be an emotive experience, so we want to reassure them with as much information as we can provide.”
For further information on McGinley’s Carpentry and Construction visit mcginleyscc.co.uk, Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
For further information on the Chocolatier visit the-chocolatier.co.uk/
Have you been called in to fix any DIY disasters lately? Send your pictures to probuildonline@gmail.com for the chance to be featured on our website or in our magazine.
To see our past ‘DI-WHY?’ articles, click here.
