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My Week: Shopkeeper

21st Jul 2017
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Guten Tag folks. It was a week from hell. It can only get better from here.

As you may know, last weekend was the MOVE week into a retail unit. It started on Saturday morning at 5 am, and I finished everything on Sunday evening about 11:30 pm ish. At about 1 am, at home, I thought I left the shop door open. At 1:30 am or so I got on my bike to check the shop door. It was locked. Stress messes up your thinking.

Day 1

On day one as a shopkeeper, I thought to myself I have made a BIG mistake. I hated it. It was the traffic noise. I did not like the new chairs and the new desks. The new toilet was leaking! I wanted to go back to the old days. I even emailed the company I bought the desks from asking if I can return them! The fact I had very little sleep on Sunday evening did not help.

Day 2 plus

On day 2 I got up with a good night's sleep. I was feeling better. I said to myself, no going back you prat. This is it. Get used to it. Things changed from here. Today, I am pleased with my decision. My own business unit and I now love working from it. I have even more or less got used to the traffic noise.

Screwed

I really have been screwed by the contractor. The worst part is naïve me, has paid them all that was due. I did not retain x% for snags. They are many snags:

  • Leaking toilet
  • Small area of spongy flooring
  • Frontage has marks that I am not able to remove
  • The electrician has put empty data cable shells. The quotation was data cables allowing us to connect our computers through cables for even faster broadband. Hell, I was badly screwed. It depresses me.

They will NOT remedy the works unless I pay them. I even paid them for extra work done without my okay. I am angry with myself and the contractor.

I do not want anything to do with the contractor. I will get someone whom I trust to address the snags. I should have used him in the first place.

The cash outflow on the business unit is scary.

Broadband

Broadband was installed yesterday. Thankfully, as advised by some helpful members of AW, I used my mobile phone as a wifi hot spot. It worked, and it meant productive time was not lost. I did not mind the additional costs at all. It made us operational!

New Business?

Yes, I know the crunch question. The number of email inquiries increased significantly. I do not know whether it was as a result of the retail unit. I think some of it was. One good client recruitment. It was as a direct result of him seeing the retail unit. More will follow.

Time Wasters?

Based only on one week one, we did not have any time wasters.

Looks Good?

I have put too much of myself into the retail unit. It looks great. It is let down by cables! My heart breaks when I see messy cables. I have ordered CPU holders to go under the desks and cable trays. It should help with cable management.

In the evening it acts as a brilliant business card.

Replies (2)

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By mrme89
25th Jul 2017 09:17

There will always be snagging works on projects like this. That's why people experienced in undertaking building works pay their contractors in stages and will always keep a retention (and delay the release for as long as possible!).

Did you have a contract with the contractor outlining the work and the cost of the work? If so, have you taken photos of the unsatisfactory work, and sent it to the contractor?

I'd have put my grievance in writing, along with the photos and given them 7 days to rectify the work.

If they didn't rectify the work, I would be taking action through Money Claim Online. Even if we are talking relatively small sums to rectify, if I had sufficient documentation to make a claim, I would just on principle.

If you don't want to, or can't because you didn't have adequate documentation in place, I suppose it's a lesson learned.

Thanks (1)
Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
26th Jul 2017 08:29

FT that is bad form by your contractor but I would not be getting someone else in to repair work he should have done and has been paid for. Typically other contractors will charge heavily to put the work of others right. If you have got the Certs I would question how they could sign them off, report them to NICEIC if you are not happy.

I would be claiming that cost off the contractor.

Things like the electrics if they have run cables that don't connect to anything I would be more worried about what you cannot see. Have you got electrical safety certificates etc as you will need them as it's a commercial property.

Seems like you have been let down badly by those involved were they clients of yours?

Thanks (1)