Builder leaves two houses unfinished
A rogue builder has left the Wajid Khan's house in a state after refusing to come back and complete his contracted work. The garden is full of rubbish and the extension he promised is far from complete. (D511A236)
A BUILDER has left a house extension half built, left a family without a kitchen and a garden full of rubble, a homeowner claims.
Wajid Khan hired a firm in March to build two extensions, one at his home in West View, Batley Carr, and the other at his parents’ house next door.
Together, the extensions would cost £34,400.
Mr Khan, 33, said the families expected the work to be completed within 10 weeks.
Mr Khan said: “There was a delay in the work to the foundations, which we were okay with.
“Then he started working for only half a day, and started asking us for money for materials despite us agreeing a payment schedule and us not having seen the materials he was already meant to have bought.”
After taking advice from West Yorkshire Trading Standards, Mr Khan drew up a contract stating the money already paid, the work to be completed and a new time frame, which was signed by the contractor Mr John Blane, of JB Plasterers.
Now, Mr Khan and his wife, Farzana, have reached a stalemate. They do not want to hand over any more money, as they say they have already paid 90 per cent of the total cost. But they say Mr Blane refuses to complete the work or sit down with the couple and their lawyer.
Mr Khan said: “We have no kitchen at all, and are having to rely on friends, family and takeaways, which are expensive. This has been a very upsetting experience.”
The family’s garden is also full of building mess.
Mr Khan, a father of two young children, said he had since sought the advice of an independent architect and a building inspector, who said remedial work would be needed to fix errors in the work.
Mr Khan said: “We trusted him implicitly, that’s what hurts the most.”
Principal Trading Standards officer David Strover said people wishing to hire a builder should always check the trader’s website and make sure they were members of the Federation of Master Builders, which would get involved in disputes.
He said clients should draw up a payment and work schedule, and never pay the full cost up front.
Mr Blane, of Dewsbury Moor, has declined to speak to the News, despite several attempts to contact him.
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Monday 20 May 2013
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