Bristol Builders Ltd

BEWARE!!!
The first thing I should make as many people as possible aware of is that RICHARD (RICH) CASE trades under different names, here are some that I am aware of:
Bristol
RJ Case Construction
Bristol Builders ltd
RJ Case maintenance
Rich started our project at the beginning of June 2015 after pricing up for the job. We actually had several companies quote as it was a fairly large project which involved converting our integral garage into more living space and also re modelling the front aspect of our house. He quoted a 6 – 8 week timescale to complete all works. Initially Rich was very friendly and came across as a competent knowledgably builder. However, he is none of those things, he is a conman and at best a DIY man, so please BEWARE! The works he started for us involved the following:
Excavation of ground
Footings
Installing a streel
Underground plumbing/​waste
Tanking
Building (blockwork)
All of the above works/​trades he did or started on our project and all of these he did wrong, either by not doing them to building regulations or just measuring incorrectly or finally, just not knowing how to do them properly at all! I have extensive photographs if anyone want to see them or contact me etc.
His price was good but similar to others who quoted for our project. He chased us many times during our decision making process which did raise a small doubt but I assumed he was keen and it also seemed that our project was right up his street, from things he was saying to us.
Unfortunately, things quickly unravelled once his company started works, my first cause for concern was he only had one other person helping him, a 17 year old lad, who was classed as just a labourer. After a couple of week with little to no progress I questioned him on his work force (lack of) and he made a variety of excuses, and then got another labourer onsite, this guy was older but spent a lot of his time on the phone, so Richards company continued at very small progress. Another issue was that Rich was actually not onsite at all the first 2 weeks, just the labourers who had no real clue what they were doing, hence basic mistakes were made, some very costly to me! Also when one or if we were luck both labourers did turn up, and very occasionally Richard Case, they would arrive at 8.30am, chat for an hour, then pack up and leave site at 2.30pm! in-​between that they would consume around 10 coffees and 5 monster drinks etc. Hardly any work was actually being done as most of the few hours they were here they were on the phone, chatting or just doing nothing!
I could write a huge detailed review on him, however, it would take forever so I will keep it as short as possible…
As the job progressed Richard Case eventually did start working onsite, for a few days anyway, then he and his team disappeared for almost a week (just vanished with no prior warning), he didn’t answer his phone and I assumed he had done a runner. Eventually he did answer my call and made up loads of excuses that his van broke down and he had lost his labourers etc etc etc.
I decided to give Rich a second chance at continuing with the project, he can be VERY NICE and persuasive! THIS WAS A BIG MISTAKE AND VERY COSTLY!
When he resumed to the project things initially looked better, he was onsite for 4 days, however, the project was now way behind schedule and it should had been nearing completion. Unfortunately we were due to go on holiday soon afterwards, this is now 9 weeks into a 6 – 8 week project. This meant he would still be working when we were away on holiday, not ideal. He assured us during the time we were away the entire project would be completed. The total cost of this project was around £24,000 and at the point we went on holiday we had paid him a total of £11,500, however he had only done around 20% of the works. He needed these monies to buy all the materials to finish the job apparently, so we put our faith in him and his formal looking contract we signed from the outset.
On day two of us going on holiday a neighbour messaged me to say he had taken all his tools off site and appeared to have left the job! Unfortunately, this was true and he avoided my messages and emails initially but then confirmed he had spent our monies elsewhere and could no longer complete our project. He had no money to give back to us as he was broke! He also said he was a failure at building works and money management etc, however, that’s no help to us or consolation.
Having made many enquires into his past works via the web etc, we have now uncovered a history on him and his companies, some have gone bust and other innocent people have been left out of pocket and there homes needing to be put right by a proper builder.
Message me if you need more info on him