A return visit to the DIY section....
Avid readers will be on tenterhooks to know what became of the Great Bike Shed Project that was put on hold last week for want of an undamaged side panel..... Now it can be revealed. Not a lot!
The replacement panel arrived as promised yesterday,and I set to work to erect this Taj Mahal of Bike Sheds! (Not!) Ably assisted by SWMBO I connected the rear two panels together and then both the left and right side panels were securely screwed to the rear panels forming an open box shape. The instructions then called for the base to be nailed through the overhanging 1/2" of the sidewalls. On attempting this I discovered that either the base was one half inch too small or the joined panels were 1/2 " too big. By a bit of juggling I managed to centre the panels on to the base so as to leave the extra width equal at each end, and continued work to construct the door frame, which lent a certain rigidity to the structure, but, as the man said... "Not a Lot!"
By this time I was becoming aware of the obvious shortcomings of this self assembly kit, as the poor quality of the timber panels, so obviously warped and knotted, was reflected in the choice of inferior metal used for the hinges and especially the hasp. It looked like 2mm thick tinplate which could easily be bent and when I saw that the screws by which one was supposed to affix the hasp were 3/4" x 8s, I stopped work in assembling the shed and contacted the makers. Keeping it all very amicable I set out to assure the young lady that I was rejecting the shed as a viable and secure storage for my cycle, and claiming a full refund.
After a bit of resistance and an offer of a partial refund being rejected by me, we got down to the "nitty - gritty and I quoted the UK's Consumer Law applicable in this case, by declaring the shed to be 'Unfit for Purpose' and citing its obvious deficiencies with the phrase " Not of Merchantable Quality".
Confirmation of my rejection came this morning and all I have to do now is to "disarticulate" the shed and have it ready for collection at some date in the near future, and then wait for my bank account to show the reimbursement .
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Well, at least it possibly turned out better than the infamous shower cubicle saga which rocked the whole of Blyth; I tell you, folks, neighbours were getting sore bottoms whilst seated on windowsills getting updates on that particular saga!
ReplyDeleteAt least you knew something was wrong. If it had been me I would have assumed it was my lack of skills that were the problem. Glad you got it resolved though. It never hurts to be able to quote the law.
ReplyDeleteShush 'Little' Bro' or I'll release to an eager world, certain specific details of just who was called what in his early childhood! :-)
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