BUILDER quote increase on build-yorkshire

So...what on earth to do?
Have a contract in place and a good builder. We are at watertight stage-roof on/windows in.
We had previously agreed price on everything excpet PC sum on bathroom stuff-but spec didnt change.
Its labour only on bathrooms:
Builder being asking for bits extra as we go along which is constantly adding up..we sucked it up.

Now the plumbing /heating side of it has increased by 30%...an extra 5.5k. Yet it was agreed at fixed price . So, he breaks costs down and says its because things have gone up. Personally, I feel he is adding more because he underestimated the price.
He won the build over other person on price but he is not any cheaper now.
We are going to struggle to finish this project now and desperately need a home.
I have two choices:
1) pay the extra and forget any garden paths and drive will have to be done by us-we dont know how?.
2) end the contract and subcontract it ourselves..but the problem is I am very green and work...no time or knowledge. The eleccys and plumbing doesnt worry me but we have no drainage lined up for bathrooms or downpipes except a main stack pipe for toilets etc.
I feel angry at this as we have sucked up alot of extras along the way to keep the build going...now this is tipping me over the edge.
I know we could stick to the contractual conditions and are fine on legal side but there is a big hassle factor there including no time or energy to deal with it.
Any thoughts?

Comments

  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 33,763
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    People do underprice jobs it!!!8217;s not usually intentional. One should never pick a builder based on their price for your spec and you get in trouble when your hands are tied to a point where you are only picking a builder to suit your budget. It doesn!!!8217;t surprise me that his price is heading to match the other builder. Pricing a job is a skill, not a science. The price of materials and labour don!!!8217;t fluctuate much. The end price for a clear specification shouldn!!!8217;t be too far apart between builders. The ones that come in low are the ones to worry about, not jump at.

    My way of working is to ask budget first, then we work to it. It means you cut your cloth accordingly.

    If he!!!8217;s a half decent guy, go over the specification you provided (you did provide one?) and ask what he missed or how he calculated his overall price. Ask the plumber if he provided a quote initially to the builder. Perhaps he didn!!!8217;t!

    Are you saying it has gone from £15k to £20k? What is the price now? The bathroom fittings can really make a difference to the price of a bathroom fit as different fittings require different levels of work. Are these concealed fittings, high end products?

    You may well be protected from a legal point of view, but if he does not have the money to finish the job even with you paying him, you are still not going to get a finished job if he is ultimately paying for your build.

    Are you running the payment schedule accoring to a valuation of the works being completed?
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 33,763
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    This post might be better on the main In My Home board. Stuff here doesn!!!8217;t always get seen by the regulars although your use of capitals did attract my attention.
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
  • Furts
    Furts Posts: 4,474 Forumite
    edited 13 February 2018 at 1:22PM
    I doubt you can end the contract at your whim and then start sub contractors. Contracts are legally binding to show a commitment from both parties. Put the ball in the other side - I suspect you would have objected in strong terms if your builder had walked away from the Contract say two months ago. Deep down he might want you to try this on, and could then hit you with costs ... so I suggest an alternative approach.

    No Forum users know if the "extras" are fair and reasonable. To help establish this any independent, or third party person, would have to look at what you drew up for the builder to price against.

    Unfortunately a typical scenario with consumers here is woeful. For example, no working drawings, no Specification, no Bill Of Quantities, no guidance on finishes, no specialist drawings for joists, or for roofs or for kitchens .. enough said! If any of this rings any bells with your situation then you cannot be angry if "extras" are appearing.

    If you then say some "extras" are justified one moves to the next stage and asks if they are "reasonable". Again this bounces back to the consumer. That is because the consumer has to control and manage this scenario or have professional help on board to take them through it.

    Having said all this you may have a builder taking you for a ride, or trying it on. It happens, but you are the client it is your duty of care to yourself to have mechanisms in place to counter this.


    Over to you now, where do you stand, and do any of these scenarios apply?
  • System
    System Posts: 178,076
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    Community Admin
    who is administering the contract and what does it detail as protocol for changes?
    If you've paid extras along the way knowingly then there must be somewhere these are recorded and justified?
    Sounds like most of the low tenders I've seen, priced incorrectly and then increases to what the companies who priced it properly said it was going cost...
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