What is the definition of 'making good'

[diyblonde]

Hi there

I have a firm installing double glazing right now. The written agreement states prices include all making good and removal of debris.

When I said that I wanted the property made good I specified that it be made good for decoration. I did not want to seem unreasonable by demanding it be written down word for word in the agreement, and since it had been discussed I felt that I might be over-reacting and being too particular.

Anyway, the windows are in and we are already having a difference of opinion on what making good means. I felt that I was clear with my request ... but the double glazing firm owner says that he has a different understanding of what is required.
The windows are aluminum double glazed windows to be supplied and fitted and made good for £9850 including vat
after the contract was agreed we then started to discuss what window boards would be going in at a charge of £600 hard wood was chosen but when it arrived it was not great quality and the three lengths were completely different colours. I called the firm and said that for this price I expected better so we should change to MDF. I googled to find MDF windowboard prices and when he called back and quoted me double the price for the MDF window boards I said I had sourced them at Wickes. The firm owner was surprised that I had found them but agreed to get the Wickes MDF window boards (I read the reviews on the boards and they were good, also I believe that MDF stands less chance of warping?)

The windows are now all in and I am impressed with the fitter, he took his time to carefully remove crittall windows and install the new ones. It is the making good I have a problem with, one of the window boards does not meet the wall on one side, it look too short. The handyman he said he thought that the wall would come out further after being plastered which is why he cut it to that length.
Oh and the handyman is the firm owner's son/nephew/step-son (who does not work for the company) is doing the making good, and although he is nice, he is young and the work is not to the standard I expected. I should stress that it is not the young handyman's fault since he was only instructed to put in window boards and only that (we chatted about it).

To try and meet half way I agreed to pay extra (one day's labour at £120 ... he initially wanted to charge me £170 for the labour ... plus the materials for the window boards) when I agreed to pay this I expected a greater degree of skill would be supplied which is why I am disappointed with the quality of work.

It is scrappy and although the window boards are in, they are certainly not in a state where I can just start painting. If the firm does not do this job to the specifications that I want then I will have to pay for a plasterer to come in and do the work. I felt that this was all in the price that we agreed, and I believe this is what was agreed.
I want to be fair, but I also want my house to look great and to be finished well.
Please can you advise me what I should do and also what is the definition of making good?
Thanks in advance for any help with this

These are the dimensions of the windows ....
1050 x 690 (flat panes of glass no openers)
1050 x 690 (flat panes of glass no openers)
1550 x 1020 2 side openers middle pane fixed
1050x1020 1 side opener 1 pane fixed
2050x1280 2 side openers middle pane fixed
1520x1280 2 side openers middle pane fixed
1050x1150 1 side opener 1 pane fixed
1520x1280 2 side openers middle pane fixed
1520x1280 2 side openers middle pane fixed
550x1020 1 top opener above single pane fixed
950x1020 1 side openers 1 pane fixed

Thanku Freddie Gary and Richard for your comments, I really appreciate this. Thank G*d for DIY.com... I want to be fair and not be an unreasonable customer but I do feel that this is not finished up to a standard that is acceptable so your comments have been a huge help.
Any more posts and advice would be much appreciated so if anyone else would like to comment that would be great ....

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Well I've only speed read your post tbh as its late but when I state things are 'to be made good' on my drawings following works to an area I expect everything to be put right/repaired/re-plastered etc except for painting or wallpapering.

 

[garyo]

The last 'making good' I had done to windows involved super-glueing awful looking strips of white UPVC strips to the internal reveals. These varied in thickness depending on how much plaster had been damaged, and looked naff.

So I told him to stop after the first window, and did them all properly myself after he'd left.

I got a good price on the windows, so I don't feel hard done by in the slightest.

Gary

 

[Richard C]

“All making good” is a bit woolly contractually & especially to those who wish to interpret it as such but I would expect it to be brought to a standard where it could be decorated without further work. It should include, frame sealing, exterior render repairs around the cill area, minor internal gap filling around the frame on the reveals, fitting & caulking the window boards. Sometimes reveals need re-plastering which I would not expect to be included but listed at additional cost. The handyman’s excuse for the gap is, quit frankly, browlacks, he’s plain & simple cut it short or they would all be like that. If the gap can’t be hidden by a thin bead of caulk, which would be normal, I would expect it to be replaced FOC.

For that price, I would have expected gold plated cill boards fitted perfectly & MDF will only be a fraction of hardwood cost. They may not be to everyone’s look/taste but, personally, I prefer these;
http://www.pbs-limited.co.uk/Produc...cations.aspx?gclid=CJnQ_qr_36ACFVFb4wod0idjaQ
slightly more expensive (not as expensive as yours though!) but they look good & don’t need painting; but they must be cut very accurately as you can’t hide excessive gaps with large gobs of caulk or filler.

I don’t see why you felt you should pay an extra £120, let alone £170? Unless you employed the handyman, the quality of his work is the DG firm’s responsibility & I think you’re being very accommodating!

 

[big-all]

in my humble oppinion if you need to use more than a tub off ready made filler to fill in the gaps for a whole house its not made good
in other words they fill in the big hollows and the fact it shrinks slightly means it needs a thinner top coat to fill
so i woulnt expect them to hang about wating for the filler to dry and shrink

 

[asianhawk]

when i got my windows done (by Anglian) last year, they used those plastic stips to cover up all the edges. Looks fine to me - but then i have white walls and sills, so it all blends ok.

My installer asked before he went that i was happy with everything - this should be a prerequisite for any company that has any form of customer satisfaction.

ps.

from my experience of total house rennovation project:
1) all trades people are 'nice' when they need to be. They want to gain you're trust...
2) more expeienced workers are more of an asset than younger less experienced people
3) try and make sure you are in the property when work is carried out so you can keep an eye on things.

 

[noseall]

Window companies love plastic and silicone, plywood and chipboard.

Widow companies hate any building products that are mixed with water, having to use trowels and using imagination.

A widow fitters van is huge, with a large percentage of that van space being dedicated to fitting plastic products. There will be a tiny bucket somewhere on board with dirty tools dedicated to proper building work.

 

[Richard C]

Window companies love plastic and silicone, plywood and chipboard.

Widow companies hate any building products that are mixed with water, having to use trowels and using imagination.

A widow fitters van is huge, with a large percentage of that van space being dedicated to fitting plastic products. There will be a tiny bucket somewhere on board with dirty tools dedicated to proper building work.

Window fitters are almost always self employed; many are little more than total cowboys hiding behind the DG company's FENSA (or similar) registration but I know from personal experience that the better, more discerning ones will make an effort to harmonise the two into a half decent job. But to remove, replace & make good at around 50 quid a window; 70 quid a door (including French doors) , there is a limit to what they can realistically achieve & still earn a living