Cooks Carpentry - My bad experience

[PhillyIlly]

I would like to share my experience of using Ben Cook at Cooks Carpentry.

Ben came recommended by Topps Tiles to lay engineered wood flooring and fix skirting. After meeting him, my first impression was that he was professional, experienced and with competitive prices, I decided to give him the work, agreeing a labour cost and with him sourcing materials a trade cost.

Alarm bells started ringing when he asked for payment up front for materials. I paid as requested without questioning the costs (as a busy new mum of a 3 month old baby, I didn't have time) but asked for an invoice for all materials. Ben never produced an invoice, instead he text me a break down of the costs which after going over were way above high street rates, in some cases 4 times the cost of the actual material prices if I had sourced them myself. Upon questioning of the costs, and requesting receipts, Ben stuck by his breakdown but never produced a receipt.

After a few false starts, when he finally turned up 5 days after he was meant to start the floor was laid to a good standard initially. However, I noticed that he cut corners towards the end of the day such as cutting the flooring to much so that when the skirting board was fixed it would leave a gap and damaging some of the new flooring when laying.

The next day, when he was meant to turn up, he text me saying that he thought it best if someone would finish the job of fixing the skirting. The reason he gave was because he felt I didn't trust him after questioning his costs.

As a result, I was left with a half finished job, with materials purchased that he never produced and no receipt for the overpriced materials he did source. He also had ?65 of credit which he acknowledge was on my account that he never paid back.

I am now looking for someone else to complete this work.

After learning the hard way, please everyone, do not pay upfront for materials, it means they have no cash flow and alarm bells should ring and always get an invoice for materials purchased.

[Sue]

If Topps Tiles recommended him, I hope you've let them know about this?

Or is he perhaps a friend of the person at Topps Tiles who recommended him?

You have my sympathies, sounds like a horrible situation for you, especially with a new baby.

[sedm]

Sounds like a horrible experience.

If it helps, I recently had some engineered wood fitted by Dan at Alpine Flooring. He did a great job - nice guy and reasonably priced (he was the cheapest of 3 quotes I got for the job.)

http://www.alpinewoodflooring.co.uk/contacts.html

[mickawbm]

I'm sorry to read about your "bad experience" and hope the work is completed to the standard and with the conduct we all expect when paying for a service. However, in defence of the majority of honest, trustworthy tradespeople I would like to point out that it is normal practice to obtain a deposit for materials from NEW clients, especially where materials can amount to a healthy portion of the job cost. I'm sure I am not the first trades person to have been "Bitten" in the past for works undertaken.. Working for nothing is disheartening enough, being "Knocked" for the materials costs is depressing.

Asking for a materials deposit doesn't indicate a "cash flow problem" and shouldn't set "alarm bells ringing".

Any recommended trades person should provide a written estimate outlining Labour/materials costs and any T&Cs ie: a % deposit, start date, job description etc and show original receipts/provide copies of materials paid for.

Even if a trades person is recommended its always worth asking for contactable references which shouldn't be a problem to provide.

[PhillyIlly]

Thank you all for your support and advice. My husband had to take time off work to finish the job as we couldn't afford to pay for it twice. Cooks Carpentry still have not delivered materials that I have paid for and I am out of pocket by about ?500. He is not answering my calls and my last resort is the small claims court but I would like to know if anyone has any suggestions as to what I can do to get either the materials or money back before I go down this route?

Many thanks

Philippa