Film it and ask Claude

A tradesperson resealed the kitchen worktop and sink in my flat. The quote was £80. I could see the result looked messy, but I could not say exactly what was wrong.

So I filmed it. 25 seconds on my phone, slowly along the worktop and around the sink. Then I gave the video to Claude and asked what it thought of the work.

A phone films along a kitchen worktop, and Claude replies with a list of sealant problems and the time in the video for each one

What Claude found in 25 seconds

I got a list. Each point came with the time in the video where you can see it.

White sealant ending in a blob where the wall panel meets a metal trim next to the cooker — ProblemCooker endThe line ends in a blob at the metal trim.

Thin threads of white sealant lying on the black worktop below the wall joint — ProblemCooker endThe line ends in a blob at the metal trim.

Five problems, and one part that is fine. Claude was fair to the tradesperson. It said the real problem is around the sink, not the whole job. Where it could not be sure from a video, it told me so. I trust the list more because of this.

What a good job looks like

Then I asked what a good job should look like. I don't need to know how to do it. I need to know what to check.

What I got

Uneven width
A gap
Smears on the worktop
A blob at the end

A good line

Same width all the way
No gaps
Clean edges, no smears
Tidy end, no blob

There are different ways to get this look. Some tradespeople use masking tape. Many experienced ones work by hand without it, and that is often seen as the better skill. The method is their choice. I only check the result.

Colour is part of the look too. Around a sink, clear silicone is the usual choice, because white on a black worktop shows every mistake.

It just did not agree with me

My first reaction was that I would not pay the £80. However, Claude did not agree and explained that part of the job is fine. The usual expectation is to let the tradesperson put the work right first. If they refuse or fail, it is easier to justify paying less or nothing.

It also gave me my strongest argument. Bad silicone has to be removed completely before it can be redone, so fixing it costs about as much as the original job.

What I did next

With the help of AI I had built a case, and I had the right arguments. I sent the findings, and what a good job should look like, to my letting agent. He said he would pass it on to the tradesperson. I am still waiting to hear back.

If you want to try it

Film slowly and close, in good light. Keep it short.

What to ask: "Look at this video of the work. What is wrong, at what time can I see it, and what should a good job look like? Tell me what looks fine too."

Then check the answer with your own eyes. AI can be wrong, and it only sees what the camera shows.

A 25-second video turned "this looks bad" into a case with the right arguments.