ᐅ Windows Installed Incorrectly – What Price Reduction Is Reasonable?

Hello,

In our new build house, unfortunately, a bathroom window was installed crooked. This only became really noticeable after the windowsill (and therefore the entire bathroom) was tiled.

The interior windowsill is about 60cm (24 inches) wide. On the far left, it is 21.5cm (8.5 inches) deep, while on the far right it is only 20cm (8 inches) deep.

The window opens and closes normally. It stays in position when left half-open. From the outside, the crooked window is not noticeable—unless you measure it.

I don’t want to have the tiles broken out, the window removed, and a new one installed properly. That would be a bit much. However, I didn’t order a crooked window for my house. My question is: what would be a realistic amount to suggest as a price reduction to the builder? I think an agreement could be reached. They likely have little interest in tearing everything out again.

The window measures about 80 by 40cm (31 by 16 inches).

Thank you

Saskia1990 schrieb:
My question is: what would be a realistic amount to propose to the construction company as a price reduction? I think an agreement can definitely be reached. They probably have little interest in tearing everything down again.

My amateur assessment:

First things first: You should keep to yourself that you personally don’t want the window to be removed again. Initially, you should formally notify the defect in writing and request a repair within a reasonable deadline (3 weeks?). Additionally, you can announce that you will withhold part of the payment until the defect is fixed. The appropriate withholding amount is usually 2 to 2.5 times the cost of remedying the defect. The cost of remedy includes all expenses for removing and reinstalling the window, including all related work such as tiling and so on. So the withholding will likely be in the four-figure range. However, if the plaster and tiles are done by different contractors, things get more complicated.

Are the window, plaster, and tiles all done by the same contractor? In that case, I would insist on the window being installed correctly, but the builder will probably offer you a financial concession on their own, which might be about half of the withholding amount mentioned above.

Are you sure it’s the window and not the plaster or the tiles?

Nobody likes to pay money back, but in-kind services usually come more easily. Window installers often have connections for pleated blinds and similar items. How about, instead of money, a set of pleated blinds for some windows? That would definitely be worth considering.

It’s important that the visual defect doesn’t bother you. Neither a few hundred dollars nor some pleated blinds will make you overlook a visual flaw if it really bothers you.