It's unfortunate that you weren't satisfied with the work, especially since you hired people expecting them to do a better job than you would have done yourself. But I understand why you were dissatisfied, as it wasn't particularly well done. I have a few small gaps in some of the miters from the last time I installed trim, which have bothered me, but it's nothing compared to what you received.
However, it sounds like you might not have to pay after all. Not that it solves your trim problem, really, but at least you have the money to either hire someone else (and show them how you don't want it done) or buy a good saw and do the job yourself.
After reading through this thread, there's one thing I've been wondering about. If you didn't have an agreement for them to do the work, how did it come about that they even went in to do it? Did you leave your key without having an agreement? That seems a bit odd to me.
However, it sounds like you might not have to pay after all. Not that it solves your trim problem, really, but at least you have the money to either hire someone else (and show them how you don't want it done) or buy a good saw and do the job yourself.
After reading through this thread, there's one thing I've been wondering about. If you didn't have an agreement for them to do the work, how did it come about that they even went in to do it? Did you leave your key without having an agreement? That seems a bit odd to me.
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Goodness, how poorly executed. That could hardly have been done by a real carpenter. It's just a matter of calling and stating that you are very dissatisfied. Also, you haven't even mentioned which moulding you wanted!? If you can't reach him, understandably so, I wouldn't answer either if I left behind such poor work.
Easiest way is to send an SMS briefly stating that you are dissatisfied and will dispute the invoice if it isn't corrected. He will definitely call within an hour.
With plugs and screws, you can easily pull these mouldings into place. Otherwise, a bit of acrylic caulk and paint. But you have to excuse, that moulding job looked awfully bad, it must be fixed. Whatever you do, don't pay a penny!! Until it is COMPLETELY correct, not just okay but 100% good, and you are 100% satisfied.
The problem you sometimes face when it's so terribly bad the first time is that you think it looks okay the second time. But it's just "better" than the first time. Be careful to be completely satisfied. Although, I don't believe that carpenter can do a good job, otherwise he would never have left it like that.
Good luck and don't pay a penny!
Easiest way is to send an SMS briefly stating that you are dissatisfied and will dispute the invoice if it isn't corrected. He will definitely call within an hour.
With plugs and screws, you can easily pull these mouldings into place. Otherwise, a bit of acrylic caulk and paint. But you have to excuse, that moulding job looked awfully bad, it must be fixed. Whatever you do, don't pay a penny!! Until it is COMPLETELY correct, not just okay but 100% good, and you are 100% satisfied.
The problem you sometimes face when it's so terribly bad the first time is that you think it looks okay the second time. But it's just "better" than the first time. Be careful to be completely satisfied. Although, I don't believe that carpenter can do a good job, otherwise he would never have left it like that.
Good luck and don't pay a penny!
Image 1:
The work isn't particularly neat, in some cases it would be acceptable, but I'm picky and would require a rounder and smoother result.
My suggestion for a solution is a template... always use a template for complex problems.
Take a piece of cardboard, or thick paper, place it against the wall and the ceiling, then place the cover, and trace along the edge with a pencil to get the right shape.
Take the rule and place it against a wall or another straight side with the back side facing up (i.e., the side against the wall should be up, and the side against the ceiling should be against the wall).
Cut out the template, remove the hole, and then place your cardboard with the cut-out hole, mark it, and saw with a jigsaw and metal blade, the metal blade chips less.
Remember that a gap here of 2-3 mm is just fine for clearance, as long as you have the shape right, you'll be satisfied
Image 2:
Gaps against the wall you'll have to tolerate; it's standard and there's nothing to be done about it. However, if you want to skip them like me, either wallpaper or on a painted wall, painter's caulk is the solution.
The joint is okay. You don't bevel cut joints in the middle of a wall. Maybe a bit of painter's caulk then, but nah.
Image 3:
Non-beveled corners weren't standard in the past but are becoming increasingly so now. So, you'll have to tolerate it unless agreed otherwise.
The level difference wasn't nice at all; you can also see a difference with the baseboard against the floor, which was unacceptable.
Image 4:
You can't really do anything about the baseboard sticking out; without the edge and wood side you see there, it's painter's caulk once again as the solution, although this is also standard.
Personally, I don't have any experience with whether the trim fit against your concrete wall, but if it stays in place, okay then. Otherwise, plugs are required, but those are even more noticeable than a nail, and I want the trim as clean and nice as possible, so either nail it or glue it.
Image 5:
Not okay, I wouldn't accept this, being picky, so that's a do-over.
Image 6:
A damaged trim should NEVER be used, shame on that craftsman.
Now I handle quite a bit of communication with different firms for my work, and in short, these are generally applicable rules; I've surely missed something, so complaints may arise ^^.
* Before any work begins, the work should be discussed, and the price determined.
* Regarding the price, there are two ways: either you get a quote where the work should be clearly spelled out, with both labor costs and the various materials clearly itemized with their own lines, etc.
There is also a "flexible" variant, where you basically just describe what needs to be done, and if it happens that you come and say you want a small change, it's just "yeah sure, we'll fix that," and it's added, and you pay the bill that comes... more risky but the most convenient during the process.
* If nothing has been agreed upon and it's just been described what was going to be done, which is how I interpret this article, then you can consider the work free, even according to the law. Which is actually pretty nice ^^ but which company wants to give away free work and materials.
The last tip is to always check out the companies, the size of the company, annual income, etc. can give the impression of a stable company that can be reliable, etc.
Always get at least two quotes, then you can play them against each other and perhaps haggle a bit, but don't go too hard; after all, you'll have to work with the firm in some way.
NEVER pay in advance. Who hasn't seen construction scams, etc. on TV, and look, shady companies occur even if everything looks great in advance.
But if you're up for it and know what a saw is, go ahead! Sure, there might be some failures, but it's so much more fun to do things yourself. And once you succeed, you'll enjoy the thrill so much you'll be looking for the next project to tackle yourself
The work isn't particularly neat, in some cases it would be acceptable, but I'm picky and would require a rounder and smoother result.
My suggestion for a solution is a template... always use a template for complex problems.
Take a piece of cardboard, or thick paper, place it against the wall and the ceiling, then place the cover, and trace along the edge with a pencil to get the right shape.
Take the rule and place it against a wall or another straight side with the back side facing up (i.e., the side against the wall should be up, and the side against the ceiling should be against the wall).
Cut out the template, remove the hole, and then place your cardboard with the cut-out hole, mark it, and saw with a jigsaw and metal blade, the metal blade chips less.
Remember that a gap here of 2-3 mm is just fine for clearance, as long as you have the shape right, you'll be satisfied
Image 2:
Gaps against the wall you'll have to tolerate; it's standard and there's nothing to be done about it. However, if you want to skip them like me, either wallpaper or on a painted wall, painter's caulk is the solution.
The joint is okay. You don't bevel cut joints in the middle of a wall. Maybe a bit of painter's caulk then, but nah.
Image 3:
Non-beveled corners weren't standard in the past but are becoming increasingly so now. So, you'll have to tolerate it unless agreed otherwise.
The level difference wasn't nice at all; you can also see a difference with the baseboard against the floor, which was unacceptable.
Image 4:
You can't really do anything about the baseboard sticking out; without the edge and wood side you see there, it's painter's caulk once again as the solution, although this is also standard.
Personally, I don't have any experience with whether the trim fit against your concrete wall, but if it stays in place, okay then. Otherwise, plugs are required, but those are even more noticeable than a nail, and I want the trim as clean and nice as possible, so either nail it or glue it.
Image 5:
Not okay, I wouldn't accept this, being picky, so that's a do-over.
Image 6:
A damaged trim should NEVER be used, shame on that craftsman.
Now I handle quite a bit of communication with different firms for my work, and in short, these are generally applicable rules; I've surely missed something, so complaints may arise ^^.
* Before any work begins, the work should be discussed, and the price determined.
* Regarding the price, there are two ways: either you get a quote where the work should be clearly spelled out, with both labor costs and the various materials clearly itemized with their own lines, etc.
There is also a "flexible" variant, where you basically just describe what needs to be done, and if it happens that you come and say you want a small change, it's just "yeah sure, we'll fix that," and it's added, and you pay the bill that comes... more risky but the most convenient during the process.
* If nothing has been agreed upon and it's just been described what was going to be done, which is how I interpret this article, then you can consider the work free, even according to the law. Which is actually pretty nice ^^ but which company wants to give away free work and materials.
The last tip is to always check out the companies, the size of the company, annual income, etc. can give the impression of a stable company that can be reliable, etc.
Always get at least two quotes, then you can play them against each other and perhaps haggle a bit, but don't go too hard; after all, you'll have to work with the firm in some way.
NEVER pay in advance. Who hasn't seen construction scams, etc. on TV, and look, shady companies occur even if everything looks great in advance.
But if you're up for it and know what a saw is, go ahead! Sure, there might be some failures, but it's so much more fun to do things yourself. And once you succeed, you'll enjoy the thrill so much you'll be looking for the next project to tackle yourself
The best would have been if you had brought in the carpenter FIRST...LinusW said:
then the painters could have hidden the gaps by the molding... which is impossible for the carpenter to avoid if the wall is wavy...
Ps. Strange placement of the vent... they are usually placed at least 1 dm lower so that the ceiling mold goes free... was it the carpenter who put that up too??? DS.
///bg
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I have incredibly little experience hiring people as I love to craft myself. However, I agree with anbacileus and someone else who had roughly the same viewpoints. I think the job in general is reminiscent of how newly built houses can look. Yes, of course you don't use damaged moldings, but otherwise, it seems a lot is about doing a certain thing at a certain time. As long as you can make excuses (the wall isn't straight, corners aren't right angles) things should be done within a certain time, and the outcome depends on the conditions. You deliver a job, not a result. Then you have to set the bar of expectations according to the conditions.
I work as a craftsman (not a carpenter) and for the first 3-4 years, I aimed to give a fixed price for a result. I was about to break down because it never resulted in me getting paid even if it went faster than planned. It was always the opposite. Working for free at the end just to make it as good as it possibly could be. Very few want to pay 100% more just to get it a few percent better. But today, that's how I work. I find out what people want and charge for the time. Of course, I inform them that the last part will cost significantly more than it's worth. Some still want that last part, even though it costs as much as the rest combined. Complaints don't occur. That's probably where the reason for many dissatisfied customers lies. You have to be clear! This applies to both craftsmen AND customers!
I work as a craftsman (not a carpenter) and for the first 3-4 years, I aimed to give a fixed price for a result. I was about to break down because it never resulted in me getting paid even if it went faster than planned. It was always the opposite. Working for free at the end just to make it as good as it possibly could be. Very few want to pay 100% more just to get it a few percent better. But today, that's how I work. I find out what people want and charge for the time. Of course, I inform them that the last part will cost significantly more than it's worth. Some still want that last part, even though it costs as much as the rest combined. Complaints don't occur. That's probably where the reason for many dissatisfied customers lies. You have to be clear! This applies to both craftsmen AND customers!
It feels a bit sad that you have to be so meticulous in explaining the obvious things.
Like that it should be done well! NOT like in the pictures. You should have some pride in your profession.
I have no understanding of how one can leave behind such a job. It's shameful, I think,
when you see that you can't get the moldings better against the wall, you should inform the customer that we'll need to use some sealant for it to look good. But leaving and thinking the job is finished is not okay.
When you hire "professionals" you should be able to trust that the job will at least be well done.
But in today's society, it apparently isn't. Very sad.
I've hired a few firms for some jobs I couldn't do myself. Plastering of the garage, not satisfied, had to do a lot of follow-up work myself... Installation of a geothermal heat pump with a shunt group. Ivt was there 3 times and had to redo and fix things.
They cheated with the pipework, placed the brackets wrong, etc.
The firm I think did a good job is the garage door expert here in Västerås.
Here you can see my projects.
http://www.biobygget.se/hus.htm
Like that it should be done well! NOT like in the pictures. You should have some pride in your profession.
I have no understanding of how one can leave behind such a job. It's shameful, I think,
when you see that you can't get the moldings better against the wall, you should inform the customer that we'll need to use some sealant for it to look good. But leaving and thinking the job is finished is not okay.
When you hire "professionals" you should be able to trust that the job will at least be well done.
But in today's society, it apparently isn't. Very sad.
I've hired a few firms for some jobs I couldn't do myself. Plastering of the garage, not satisfied, had to do a lot of follow-up work myself... Installation of a geothermal heat pump with a shunt group. Ivt was there 3 times and had to redo and fix things.
They cheated with the pipework, placed the brackets wrong, etc.
The firm I think did a good job is the garage door expert here in Västerås.
Here you can see my projects.
http://www.biobygget.se/hus.htm
FOOL!biobygget_se said:
(In a positive sense!)
:wow:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------JessicaT said:
Have you installed baseboards better than what the pictures show without using soft filler on a concrete wall?......I wouldn't think so.
But to the OP, if you hire professionals in the correct order, the result will be better—carpenter first, and the painter comes afterward. But it also requires some knowledge as a client.
As previously said, a lot of nonsense from people who don't know.
No because I don't have concrete walls.
But joints and level differences on moldings have nothing to do with that.
If a baseboard is higher compared to the others, make it lower, how hard can it be?
Lucky for you that you know
But joints and level differences on moldings have nothing to do with that.
If a baseboard is higher compared to the others, make it lower, how hard can it be?
Lucky for you that you know
Is it the case that when people have completed their education and school, some believe they know everything? The problem is then that they have no work experience, so they go out on the project and it has to be completed in a certain time, and no one with experience helps. In some cases, NOTE IN SOME CASES, you see three people coming out to a job site; one sets up scaffolding, two adjust the rock blaster, and probably discuss what happened over the weekend. Who pays for this??
It's indeed terrible with tradesmen who spend a few minutes setting up the radio and creating a bit of comfort at work. That they also have the audacity to talk during work hours is sick.Elkludde said:
That's certainly not how it works in the thousands of offices around the country where people diligently sit at their computer screens all day and would never think of logging into either Facebook or byggahus during work hours and also wouldn't stop by a colleague's desk on the way to and from the coffee machine a few times a day beyond the breaks they are entitled to...
Regardless of how the communication went on this order, there is no excuse for the level differences on the joints.evertb said:
The gaps against the wall, the solution around the ventilation, and not mitering the inner corners on a flat list are okay but not the other sloppy mistakes.
Recognize that kind of situation. Had carpenters from a big painting firm in connection with painting jobs, and it turned out like that in a few places. They fixed it when I pointed out the errors. They had to come in several times because of other issues with the painting too. No protests from them. Had agreed on the price in advance. Clearly, it was some apprentices who had tried. Then an experienced guy came. Professional handling of the errors by the company, but obviously, it would have been better if it had been done right from the start.