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What would you do?

Gordinho

Gordinho

Banned
Had a new bathroom fitted, my mate tiled it, the work wasn't dreadful but if he hadn't of been a mate I'd have been voicing my concerns over some of the workmanship. I only gave him the job because he's struggling in the recession and if I hadn't offered him the opportunity to do the the work he'd have been hurt on a personal level. I was kind of hoping he wasn't available at short notice.

How do you tell your mate he needs to up his game without losing your friendship?
 
Get him to read GG Random?

Be honest. Tell him how it is. He should fix problems if possible.
 
raboner said:
might be why he's not getting work in the first place.. have to tell him mate, just be gentle.
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Spent a while in the pub one night trying to be gentle and suggesting he may need an eye test due to the natural diminishing of your ability to see detail as you get older, he wasn't having it, he had 20/20 vision, after 40 minutes of beating round the bush and getting nowhere I told him he needs glasses because he's leaving his grouting full of holes, he was really upset and hurt. Then he forgot the whole conversation overnight because he was half cut. Five years on he still isn't wearing specs for close up work.
 
Personally I'd probably say nothing, in general, but is sounds like you should say something for his sake (plus he can revisit to rectify if possible). I've heard a lot of stories of friends/family doing work which is shoddy, especially if the payment was 'mates rates', quite sad.

We bought some fired earth glass mosaic tiles when I replaced our bathroom, as they cost £400 PSM I got a pro in to do them, he did a crap job in terms of the finishing (edging work mainly etc. The main body was OK), but as our house is old it doesn't look to bad, but considering the guy was showing off how he'd done work for elite names it was crap, he was from checkatrade but it wasn't bad enough to slate him, just not good enough to promote him. If I do another bathroom I will do it all myself as most tradesman are not worth the salt from my experience, in terms of finishing (I did all but the plastering and tiling, have since done a plastering course and will give the tiling a go as well in future), unless you get an outstanding craftsman.

It sucks, especially in the current environment that you get anything less that outstanding work for your money. These type of things are your high shelf items, that when you splash out on them you should feel really happy with it at the end (unless you made a poor choice of materials of course). One thing I've learned is to never let the wife be the one around to supervise, mine is to easily swayed by trade flimflam.

Edit: just saw your reply above, if you told him before, I'd get someone else to touch it up (if it's only grouting and it's not in your skill set). As Rab's said it's probably why he's not getting work.
 
Get your wife to tell him. She can see the work too and women generally speak their mind. Won't affect your friendship (unless he slates your wife!).* :D

*Assuming you have a wife or 'other half'

Or get your kid to tell him!
 
Gifter said:
Personally I'd probably say nothing, in general, but is sounds like you should say something for his sake (plus he can revisit to rectify if possible). I've heard a lot of stories of friends/family doing work which is shoddy, especially if the payment was 'mates rates', quite sad.

We bought some fired earth glass mosaic tiles when I replaced our bathroom, as they cost £400 PSM I got a pro in to do them, he did a crap job in terms of the finishing (edging work mainly etc. The main body was OK), but as our house is old it doesn't look to bad, but considering the guy was showing off how he'd done work for elite names it was crap, he was from checkatrade but it wasn't bad enough to slate him, just not good enough to promote him. If I do another bathroom I will do it all myself as most tradesman are not worth the salt from my experience, in terms of finishing (I did all but the plastering and tiling, have since done a plastering course and will give the tiling a go as well in future), unless you get an outstanding craftsman.

It sucks, especially in the current environment that you get anything less that outstanding work for your money. These type of things are your high shelf items, that when you splash out on them you should feel really happy with it at the end (unless you made a poor choice of materials of course). One thing I've learned is to never let the wife be the one around to supervise, mine is to easily swayed by trade flimflam.

Edit: just saw your reply above, if you told him before, I'd get someone else to touch it up (if it's only grouting and it's not in your skill set). As Rab's said it's probably why he's not getting work.
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Thanks for the reply, if I'd had the time I'd have done the job to a higher standard myself I think, as you know when the old bathroom comes out and the new one goes in you need everything up and running again asap, taking time off work this week just wasn't an option.

I don't think he's taken mate's rates into account when he's carried out the work, perhaps he's just not the best tradesman, it's like you say, I won't slate him but I won't promote him either.
 
Papercut said:
Get your wife to tell him. She can see the work too and women generally speak their mind. Won't affect your friendship (unless he slates your wife!).* :D

*Assuming you have a wife or 'other half'

Or get your kid to tell him!
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It's makes for a quieter life in the long run not to let on to the missus there's flaws in the work, she's not picked up them so there's no point in spoiling the job in her mind too.

It's not unbearable, it just ain't great.
 
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Oooh great point. See I would have done that and then regretted it!

Ask him if he thinks there are issues in the wall (i.e. moisture) as the grout seems to have problems with it. This way you're asking him his professional opinion and allowing him to see his workmanship.

I have no idea about tiling by the way so it may not make sense
 
I'd feel comfortable telling close friends it was brick. In fact I'd exaggerate how brick a job they have done. I can't imagine not being able to say this to someone you know well, and I can't imagine them not telling me.

The difficult thing for me would be when it's someone you are mates with but don't know them that well. I'd probably still tell them though.

You could always tell your mate the wife isn't happy but u can't see a problem.
 
Papercut said:
Ask him if he thinks there are issues in the wall (i.e. moisture) as the grout seems to have problems with it. This way you're asking him his professional opinion and allowing him to see his workmanship.

I have no idea about tiling by the way so it may not make sense
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That's a good way of getting him to re-inspect his work with you looking over his shoulder in a 'mates' way. HOpefully he's smart enough to catch on and will fix the botched parts for free, since you're 'mates'.

Tiling isn't difficult btw. The most important part is not to rush it. It takes as long as it takes. If you make a small error in the beginning, you spend the rest of the time trying to fix it with the remaining tiles so make sure you start off correctly and the rest gets easier.
 
Skinhead in a Suit said:
That's a good way of getting him to re-inspect his work with you looking over his shoulder in a 'mates' way. HOpefully he's smart enough to catch on and will fix the botched parts for free, since you're 'mates'.

Tiling isn't difficult btw. The most important part is not to rush it. It takes as long as it takes. If you make a small error in the beginning, you spend the rest of the time trying to fix it with the remaining tiles so make sure you start off correctly and the rest gets easier.
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I agree, it's all in the prep, just couldn't commit to taking time off work at the moment to do it myself. I think I can live with it rather than lose a mate of 40 years standing, I just won't use him again I guess.
 
My dad got a friend of his to repaint my new flat a couple of months back. The guy was struggling I took pity.

The work was brick. I gave him half what we had agreed and told him either that or HMRC will be contacted. (I can now see why he was struggling cos he is brick)

I then used the money I was going to pay him to get a pro in.
 
Just say "Can you do me a favour and come back and retouch a bit, because it's a bit messy" in as friendly a way as possible.
 
Gordinho said:
Had a new bathroom fitted, my mate tiled it, the work wasn't dreadful but if he hadn't of been a mate I'd have been voicing my concerns over some of the workmanship. I only gave him the job because he's struggling in the recession and if I hadn't offered him the opportunity to do the the work he'd have been hurt on a personal level. I was kind of hoping he wasn't available at short notice.

How do you tell your mate he needs to up his game without losing your friendship?
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Be diplomatic.

I would take him out for a pint and say something along the lines of 'your usual level of craftsmanship might be being compromised by your personal stuff mate, keep an eye, you're a good bloke' etc, etc...
 
Get him this...



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