Splash Back Spectacular

Back on topic to my post house handover experience (June 2016 and beyond), this time with our kitchen splash back and Plantation Homes' subcontractor Stegbar (a Jeld Wen Company).

My better half and I had noticed numerous, highly-visible scratch marks on our beautiful red splash back, which was marked up with tape and reported as defects (see photo below).

Taken on 12th June (5 days after handover)

For those with sharp eyes, there were 5 scratches identified on the splash back itself - some of them as long as 10cm, in a straight line as if someone had taken a knife to it. The defects were not limited to the splash back (this is a cropped photo for this post only, with the other defects around the kitchen to be subjects of future posts).

After weeks of trying to get Plantation Homes' Administrator and Site Manager's attention, and promised that the replacement of the splash back will:

1. be communicated to us (the date and time of the replacement) so we can arrange time off work
2. cause no damage because they will be replaced in two pieces in stead of one large piece of glass
3. take place with all due care taken when the replacement work is conducted

Of course, the replacement of the splash back and our dealing with Stegbar did not go as planned. My email to the Plantation Homes' Administrator evidenced on 5th July:

Hi Lxxxxx,
We have been trying to get in touch with Cxxxx although I understand he is currently on leave. This email is to discuss the lack of quality control in your subcontractor while carrying out defect maintenance.

Today we had Stegbar show up unannounced after they or another trade left a scratched up splash back in the house at handover. They were told they had to replace it, which happened this morning. Again, I have to emphasise the fact that their arrival was unannounced and would have missed us if we had left work on time. The two guys that showed up proceeded to bang their way around the kitchen and ruining the stone bench top finish with stains and scratches (again, because this has happened already previously with another trade), the paint work, did not affix the power sockets back properly (they are now loose) and destroyed the surface of the new ceramic stove.

I am extremely disappointment in these guys as the works were not carried out in the way Cxxxx had described where the installation was done in parts - we have a video recording of them carrying out the works and scratching the sh*t out of everything in the process.

The more defects we are trying to fix, the more problems they cause. This goes with the other contractors too. The paint guy comes in to fix little paint defects and ended up staining the tiles. Everyone that comes to fix something leaves more destruction behind them then they have fixed. They are inconsiderate and just want to be in and out and on to the next job.

Something needs to be done about all the destruction that has happened. However, I am unsure I want any of the guys back in to do anymore work. I need an action plan forwards on how these issues will be resolved.

Regards,

Sxxxxx

 In detail:

1. The two guys from Stegbar that showed up was unapologetic about being there unannounced and just shrugged their way in to our house
2. Initially they did not lay down any protective covering to protect the ceramic stove (see above photo), which is made of glass also and therefore, prone to scratches. It was at my insistence that they placed a (I kid you not) small dish-cloth size fabric to cover the stove top, which was wholly insufficient, which led to point 3.
3. The insufficient stove covering while they were conducting their work left silicon on our cermaic cooktop, which we had to painstakingly remedy oursevles without damaging the surface - some didin't come off properly.
4. They stuffed up the pain job in the kitchen (which they explained Plantation Home will be willing to come back and fix)
5. While installing the new splash back, hit (impacted) our sink tap (luckily that wasn't broken in the process but left a mark)
6. Stained our ivory stone bench top red in a number of areas (which we later had to clean off with turpentine)
7. Did not properly replace the light switches, which became loose and had to be adjusted by the Site Manager later
8. In their haste to finish this maintenance job, they affixed the oven switch upside down (a huge safety liability if the oven really needed to be switched "off" for any reason)

Spot the damage and shoddy work

I laughed myself silly when I read that Stegbar was a sponsor on shows such as The Block and Reno Rumble. This is how they do their marketing! Not to mention, their ads on places such as Yellow Pages where they state their industry association membership - something a lot of consumers put credence, in the hope that the membership is a seal of approval for quality of work.

A theme that has emerged throughout our maintenance period has been the quality of the subcontractors (and subcontractor workmen) throughout the process. More than once I had people complain to me that they don't get paid enough to do the job, so it is not within their best interest to "stick around" for too long. They admitted to corner cutting wherever possible.

I realised that the residential building industry is currently hot right now (although signs point to things slowly down), but treating people who paid good money for trades is just bad customer service and bad long term client retention strategy.

So would I recommend Stegbar for any future works to friends, family or strangers? What do you think?