Yorkshirebasementsystems Reviews 4

Richard and his team converted my Cellar back in 2017. From an unused space that used to flood in heavy rain became a whole floor and footprint of the house as usable space. It created an additional utility room and WC as well as a huge playroom where the kids have spent hours of time growing up. The finish looks as good today as it did when they first completed the works and I would have no hesitation in recommending Yorkshire Basement Systems.

Richard and his team turned my dark, damp cellar into a great utility room. The work was very good value and completed to time. Richard and his team were very reliable and worked long hours. They were a pleasure to have around and constantly kept me up to date with were the work was at. They went over and above and did a great job. Very happy and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. P.s. they are fantastic with dogs!

Richard was very prompt at replying to any messages/queries and his team were polite and professional. The joiners were accommodating and rectified any snags that we found. I was especially impressed with the plasterer who he subbed to. Richard wasn't there much and tended to just drop in to check on progress which is fair enough running other jobs as well. The work has been completed nearly twelve months now and there has only been one main issue which was caused by them initially putting the window in upside down. It rained, the MDF got wet and as such got mouldy which kept reappearing.

I messaged Richard and he came out with the joiner and had a look, said to keep an eye on it and they would come back if necessary. It WAS necessary so I messaged him again which I had no response to, I continued to message him and call for another 2 months all whilst the mould was getting worse. He was seeing the messages but never responded.

We ended up having to get a professional window fitter to come out and have a look as the mould was making the cellar smell. Turns out the cill wasn't correct for the window, the window had been put in wrong and not sealed properly which cost us £200 to rectify even though we had paid nearly £30k for the cellar doing.

It is such a shame communication ended as it did as the cellar was finished to a high standard and everything we requested was completed except from the window.

UPDATE - since writing this review I have spoken with Richard who explained he was dealing with personal issues, as such he will be coming out to service the cellar, I am now hoping that going forward we will be back to where we were while the work was being carried out.

This would be a 5* review if it hadn't been for the window now being rectified.

Yorkshire Basement Systems, aka Richard Barker, were subcontracted to do the building work on my house renovation in 2021.

All work was to be done to British Standards codes of practice, which clearly state:
"Plasterboard should be fixed to masonry using adhesive dabs"
"Jointing tapes should be fully covered and not obtrusive in the finished wall or ceiling surface"

So Richard decided that he'd just ignore all of that, stud wall the entire house!

Walls that were previously straight are now wonky, bowed and kinked in every room, with plastering to such a low standard that there is jointing tape sticking out of almost every wall, in every room. There are serious creases and defects everywhere!

Lintels were so poorly installed, with only rubble underneath holding them in place, have had to be re-done.

Door linings were ignored, deliberately or through total ignorance, the stud walls resulted in odd sizes that linings and casings no longer fit!

*Every* window relief is bent/twisted and not parallel, every right angle isn't any more!

*Every* plug socket and switch hole so massive it wasn't ultimately covered by the fascia, leaving huge voids around the edges!

In terms of the building, plastering and carpentry work, the house has been renovated to a lower standard than existed before they started!

The entire house pops, cracks and creaks excessively as the temperature changes as a result of the incorrect (studded) boarding.

Just to add insult to injury, he managed to cause well over £10000 worth of damage to the original fabric of the building including effectively destroying the entire first floor flooring, both staircases, balustrades and banisters. Half the windows have deep gouges, chunks ripped out and seals ripped off. The kitchen roof and external wall have also been damaged, bricks knocked back and cemented into the wrong place!

The main staircase was "repaired" to a standard that can only be described as a joke, and the attic staircase "replacement" has been condemned as unsafe and unfit for purpose.

His brickwork looks like something a child could do better, wonky with zero pointing whatsoever.

The standard of work couldn't be lower or more shoddy, genuine contractors brought in to evaluate putting it right can only describe the standard as "disgusting"!

This guy can't even lay floorboards correctly without splitting and damaging them!

Turns out, Richard Barker doesn't know anything about how to do any building work whatsoever!

Estimates to put this work right are well into the tens of thousands!

I can only imagine the damage that could be done if this company were to ever get anywhere near a basement, or a buildings' foundations!

Do yourself a favour, pick *anyone* else to do your cellar conversion.

Any random person in the street would, without any doubt, be more knowledgable and do a better job.

One star is way way too good, it should be negative!