What If I’m Not Happy at the End of the Job?
Raise it early, put it in writing, and be specific. End-of-job problems are usually easiest to resolve with a clear list and a fair chance for the contractor to act on it.
The short answer
Say so early, in writing, and give the contractor a clear chance to put it right.
If you are not happy with building work at the end of the job, tell the contractor as soon as you can, ideally before the final payment is made, and put your concerns in writing. Be specific about what is wrong and what you would like done. Then give them a fair opportunity to put it right. That is the normal first step whatever the problem is, and it is often all that is needed.
It helps to be clear in your own mind about what kind of problem it is, because each one is handled a little differently. It also helps to separate how you feel about the finished job from what the quote said. Both matter, but only one of them decides whether the work was done as agreed.
Sorting the problem
Four kinds of end-of-job concern
Working out which one you have makes the conversation much easier.
Unfinished or small items
Things left undone or needing a touch-up. These belong on a snagging list.
Defective work
Work that has not been done to a proper standard, or has failed. The contractor should put it right.
Not what was agreed
Different from the quote: other materials, a missing item, a different finish. Compare the work with the written quote.
Not what you pictured
Done as agreed, but not how you imagined it. Changing it is usually new work, priced separately.
What to do
A calm route to a resolution
Look properly, and take photographs
Walk round in good light. Photograph each point, with something in shot for scale if it helps.
Check the quote
Note what was agreed for each item you are unhappy with. It keeps the discussion to facts.
Put it in writing
List each point, what you would like done, and ask when the contractor can return. Keep a copy.
Agree how the balance is handled
Talk to the contractor about the timing of the final payment while the points are dealt with. Final payment and snagging covers this.
Keep records as it goes
Dates of calls and visits, replies and photographs of the work once it is put right.
Your position
What consumer law says, in general terms
When a business carries out work for you, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 expects the service to be performed with reasonable care and skill. Where it is not, the law generally looks first to the business putting it right, and in some cases to a price reduction. Citizens Advice explains these rights in plain language and is a sensible place to start if the contractor is not responding.
Deciding whether to hold back part of a payment is a bigger step with consequences of its own. Read the guidance first and keep any amount you discuss in proportion to the problem. This is general information, not legal advice.
Keeping it constructive
How to get the best response
The way a concern is raised often decides how quickly it is fixed. A calm, specific list sent in one message is easy to act on. A series of calls, each adding something new, is harder to manage and easier to lose track of.
If you can, meet the contractor on site and walk through the points together. Many issues turn out to be quick fixes once both of you are looking at the same thing. Agree a date for the return visit and confirm it in writing afterwards. If you do not get a reply, follow up in writing after a few days, referring to your first message and its date. A clear paper trail helps whichever way things go.
Keep the conversation tied to what was agreed. The quote, and any changes agreed in writing, are the reference point, which is one reason a written contract matters so much. If the question is really whether the job is finished, what does payment on completion mean? will help. The quotes and payments guide covers the rest of the final stage.
With Mortaro
Tell us, and we take it up
If Mortaro coordinated your project, tell us what is wrong, by phone or email, with photographs if you can. We raise it with your contractor on your behalf, push for a visit and a resolution, and keep you updated rather than leaving you to chase.
Your construction contract and the workmanship warranty are with your contractor, a minimum of 12 months across our network. Contractors who fail to put their work right are removed from our network. Putting things right explains the process in full.
Straight answers
Questions about the end of a job
Should I pay the balance if I'm unhappy?
Raise your concerns before paying and agree with the contractor how the balance and the outstanding points will be handled. See when should I pay the final balance?
Can I get someone else to fix it?
Usually the first step is giving the original contractor the chance to put it right. Getting another contractor in before that can complicate any later claim, so take advice first.
How long should I give the contractor to put things right?
There is no single answer. Agree a date that is realistic for the work involved, and confirm it in writing so both of you are working to the same timetable.
Start here
Tell us about the work you have in mind
We will confirm we cover your postcode, arrange a site visit with a contractor from our network and send you a written quotation. No charge, no obligation.