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What's the worst pi**take a builder/tradesman has done to you


Orion

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I'm just letting off a bit of steam here.

Over the years people I have employed to do work for me who have used my tools without my permission and broken / blunted / misused and abused etc but experience has led me to hide them or lock them away or just make it clear at the start that my stuff is not to be used wihout permission.

This week during the course of a central heating installation whilst sitting on the loo I noticed an unusual plumbing accessory that was very colorful sitting amongst the array of plumbing gear. Something looked familiar about it and in curiosity I moved some of the gear aside; lo and behold it was a very scorched childrens book (belonging to our children).

I had to wait a few hours before I could confront this 'professional plumber' concerning the apparent book burning.  His response was strained and centred on the lame excuse " I couln't think of anything else to put there to stop the carpet being burnt". He explained that during the course of installing central heating and soldering joints he used one of my children's books to shield the flame of the blowtorch to prevent damage to the wall and flooring etc.

He added that he couldn't think of anything else to stop dsamge to te carpet.  He boasts of only living 5 minutes away. The nearest shops are close too.

Selfish, moronic, pathetic or all of the above?

Has anyone any experiences to share on this topic - it may make me feel better  - it might prevent me fashioning a doll in the likeness of this man and sticking pins in it.

Bill

 

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How about a gang of 'painters' who are varnishing the windowsill in my classroom. This windowsill is about 30 feet long by 15 inches wide, and has boxes and piles of books all along it. They are in the wrong room, so the stuff hasn't been moved. They take it all off, varnish the windowsill and put it all back, varnish still wet...

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Last years chimney sweep who asked to stand on one of my new dining chairs to reach the chimney, asked for a cardboard box for the soot to fall into and the asked to use my brush to sweep up with!!!  needless to say we didn`t take him yp on the offer of advanced booking for this year
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The plumber who installed our new bathroom. This necessitated the removal of a toilet, leaving a large hole in a floorboard where the soil stack used to be. When the foot of the new bath aligned directly with this hole he just spanned the hole with a piece of angle iron and rested the bath on that.

Luckily the builder who was overseeing the project when alerted to the fault replaced the floorboard. I'm not sure the plumber will still be on his contact list!

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I had an 'Artexer' repair a ceiling for me on a job some years ago. The next day the client phoned me very upset that all his goldfish had died & his pond had turned white? you've guessed it, he'd washed all his tools & buckets out in the clients garden pond.
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Bill,

This is inexcusable. I cannot believe that any decent French registered installer would not have a supply of heatproof mats on his van for this very purpose.

Of more concern is the fact that you mentioned that he has soldered the joints. I do not get involved with heating installations but I understand from the French installer that I use on projects, that all pipework must be brazed in order to conform with French regs and insurance requirements.

If you have any doubts about the quality of your installation, then from a safety aspect you should have it checked by a registered installer. I work with Christian Crayssac in St. Etienne de Fougeres - his details are on our website or if you send me a PM we will arrange for him to contact you. It might be worth paying for an hour of his time for peace of mind.

Kind regards,

Bob Clarke
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/grindoux

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