Should I Get Another Builder to Fix It?
Usually not straight away. Give the original builder a fair, written chance first, unless it is an emergency, then record everything before anyone else starts.
The short answer
Usually not until the original builder has had a fair chance to put it right.
In most cases, give the builder who did the work a fair, written opportunity to come back and fix it before you bring in someone else. That is usually the quickest and cheapest route, it is what the law generally looks to first, and it protects your position if you later want to recover the cost. If they refuse, don't respond within a reasonable time, or the problem is an emergency, getting another builder in can make sense, but record the defect thoroughly first, tell the original builder in writing, and keep every invoice.
Emergency work to make the property safe or keep water out is different and shouldn't wait. For the wider picture, see getting remedial work done.
Deciding
When to wait, and when to move on
Give the original builder the chance
- They are responding and willing to come back
- The problem is a snag or a repair, not a failure of the whole job
- You haven't yet put the problem to them in writing
- The work is under a warranty they are honouring
Another builder may be the right call
- The original builder refuses or ignores written requests
- They have had a fair chance and the fix hasn't worked
- The business has stopped trading
- There is an emergency that can't wait
Why it matters
The reason for giving them first go
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, where a service isn't carried out with reasonable care and skill, the first remedy is generally for the trader to redo or put the work right at their own cost. If you have someone else fix it without giving the original builder that opportunity, it can be harder to recover the cost from them later. It may also affect any warranty, since many warranties exclude work altered by others.
There is a practical side too. The original builder knows what they did. Another builder has to investigate first, and some are reluctant to take on responsibility for someone else's work, which can make the fix slower and more expensive than you expect. This is general information, not legal advice.
Step by step
If you do bring in another builder
Put it in writing to the first builder
Say what is wrong, that you gave them the chance to fix it and they didn't, and that you now intend to have it put right by someone else. Give a final date.
Record the defect before anyone touches it
Photographs, video and, where the stakes are higher, an independent report. Once the work is opened up or replaced, the evidence is gone. See how do I prove work was defective?
Get more than one quote
Ask each builder to describe the problem as they see it. Their descriptions become part of your evidence.
Keep the costs reasonable
If you hope to recover the cost, the repair should be a reasonable one, not an upgrade. Keep quotes, invoices and receipts. Our guide to invoices and receipts explains what to keep.
If there is a risk to safety or of further damage, such as water coming through a ceiling or a loose section of roof, deal with it immediately. Photograph it first if you safely can, keep the invoice, and tell the original builder in writing as soon as possible afterwards.
Choosing the second builder
Setting the new job up well
A remedial job is not quite like a fresh one. The new builder is inheriting someone else's work, and they may discover more once they open it up. Ask them to describe what they see before they start, to photograph the work as they uncover it, and to put in writing anything they discover that changes the price. Those photographs and notes become part of your evidence if you later ask the original builder to pay for the repair.
Be clear about what the new builder is responsible for. They should give a warranty on their own work, but they won't usually take responsibility for parts of the original job they didn't touch. Get the scope and the warranty terms in writing, and check the new builder as carefully as you would for any job. Our contractor checking checklist sets out the basics.
On the question of who ends up paying, see who pays to put defects right? The short version is that the cost of fixing defective work generally falls on the builder who did it, but recovering it depends on the steps you took along the way.
If you use Mortaro
Let us get your contractor back first
On work coordinated by Mortaro, tell us before you bring in anyone else. We raise the problem with your contractor, who carried out the work and provides the warranty, and push for a return visit. Getting a contractor to come back is exactly the kind of chasing we are here for.
Contractors who fail to meet our standards are removed from the network. See putting things right.
Straight answers
Questions about switching builders
Can I charge the original builder for the second builder's bill?
Possibly, if their work was defective and you gave them a fair chance to fix it. Whether you can recover it depends on the facts. This is general information, not legal advice.
How long is a fair chance?
There is no fixed period. It depends on the problem, the season and how the builder responds. A clear written deadline removes the guesswork.
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.