HELP! Roofer verbal agreement

Danlat

We had a local guy do some work on our roof. It was agreed what needed doing and the cost of this. He did bits of it over a few weeks and we paid just over half when he had completed most of the work. The last time he came round, he confirmed the amount we still owed and agreed he would finish the work next time. He finish the job today and has posted an invoice for way more than was agreed. He has not mentioned anything regarding previous payment or our agreement.
My question is, is the verbal agreement worthless and what if he trys to chase us for the amount on his invoice. Can he do this even though we agreed the cost verbally.
He did not provide any quote before the woek was done and we have just recieved the invoice.
Help!

keystone

Did he give you a quote or did he give you an estimate verbally? One is at his risk and the second is at yours.

Whichever it is will determine the answer.

Cheers

Danlat

Thanks,
we agreed verbally the amount and what needed doing, this was all. Each time he cam eround, we discussed it. He did no extra work than agreed.
It was not an estimate but not a full detailed quote.

docmatt

You should always get it in writing. Have a chat with him, if he genuinely had to do more work then maybe meet him half way.

macman

An estimate is just that and can be revised. A quote is a fixed amount. So you need to ask him to justify the extra charges-which he should have informed you of at the time anyway.
The fact that he didn't supply a written quote makes no difference-it just makes it impossible to prove what was agreed.

keystone

Danlat wrote: »

Thanks,
we agreed verbally the amount and what needed doing, this was all. Each time he cam eround, we discussed it. He did no extra work than agreed.
It was not an estimate but not a full detailed quote.

So you've answeredc my next questions. If he's absent minded then he may have forgotten a) how much the agreed price was and b) that you've already paid him 50%. Unlikley that both would occur but you never know. You need to talk to him about it.

And yes, you should always get it in writing.

Cheers

Danlat

It was only yesterday that he confirmed the remaining amount and what work he had remaining. We have been discussing it since the start and I have been checking the work which has been done at each stage. All the items on the invoice are what we had agreed (apart from the prices)
Im just worrying that he will return for payment and expect the invoice amount and not what we had agreed.
Is there anything other than argue I can do if this happens.
Maybe im worrying over nothing and the invoice is for another reason, im sure he mentioned that he would do the invoice so we have it on record if we needed to make an insurance claim.
Could this be why it is much more? Should I have said this before?

keystone

Kerchinggg! Invoices for insurance purposes (although a bit naughty and deserving of a short sharp visit from the smack fairy) only whilst he is being paid in cash perchance? Are you making a claim? Does he think you are making a claim? I'm not sure you have been talking at all or at least if you have someone hasn't been listening to the other.

You really need to pick up the 'phone and discuss it with him.

Further speculation here is a waste of time.

Communicate!!

Cheers

Danlat

Thanks!
He is coming round to collect rest of money soon so I wanted to check first.
I will pay him what was agreed and if he questions it il be having some words.
I just wasnt sure where I stand with things like this and when you get an invoice for more than double then you worry.
He does work for a roofing company but does jobs on the side, not sure why he did the insurance thing, we are not making a claim nor have I every mentioned insurance.
He seemed like he was listening and we both understood what was agreed so lets hope its all a misunderstanding on my part!