DIY SOS: The Big Build and contractor disputes

The arrival of DIY SOS: The Big Build in Bristol this week, to help a family of a brain-damaged young man in Hartcliffe, serves as a timely reminder to us all of the need for total clarity of thought and understanding when dealing with contractors.

In our Dispute Resolution department, Gareth and Chris see disputes between contractors and consumers almost daily and have the experience to deal with these matters.

Disputes like these often around due to two factors: expectation and communication.

Many contractors struggle with communication because of the variety of external factors that prohibit their work – the weather, availability of materials, a ready workforce etc.

That means that certain sites may be empty at any one time because a contractor has multiple jobs and will not always have the staff or equipment to be on site daily. They are also unlikely to communicate this effectively to you, leaving you bewildered as to what is happening with your building work.

Expectation can be your enemy when it concerns contractors. The finished product you imagine may not be the reality you end up with. However, to prevent disappointment and to ensure communication and a reasonable agreement between you and the contractor, it is vital to have a written contract drafted or an agreed written statement of what will be done, by when and for how much.

This will ensure that the agreement does not wholly depend on sporadic phone calls which can be misunderstood and exaggerated.

If you’d like any advice regarding a dispute with your contractor, please contact Chris Scroggs at Chris.Scroggs@cookco.co.uk who would be happy to help.