unused materials are they mine?

tillycat123

Question, if I am paying the tradesman to supply and fit, if there are any materials left over are they mine?

I ask as the wood floor I am having fitted, in the breakdown I was quoted 42 square metres. I've been keeping check on how many packs have been brought in each day and used and it's only been 36 square metres of packs.

Now at £70m2 that's a lot he's either keeping back or miscalculated by and charging me for.

Would you say anything?

Thanks for any help!

Leif

Yes, but be diplomatic in case you missed some.

universalady_2

IMO, if he is supplying and fitting, and you have agreed to his quote, regardless of what you have seen and taken note of, then any left over materials are his.

You could ask to see his receipts for materials bought, and query why he had over-quoted you in the first place, BUT you could have asked a number of other tradesmen to 'quote' you for the job

My OH is a plumber & CH engineer, very often, he'll get quotes from the merchants and go back to his customers with the material cost gudeline (& I say guideline, as sometimes jobs can cost more in time & money once it is started) BEFORE he then adds his labour cost on top

Mojisola

As leif says, be diplomatic but I'd say something like - "It's good you haven't had to use all the packs of flooring. Would you be able to get my money back on those or are you going to leave them with me?"

I've always had left-over tiles, carpet pieces, kitchen off-cuts, rolls of wallpaper, etc, either left after the job has finished or at least asked if I wanted to keep them.

JimmyTheWig

If it ended up needing 48 quare metres, would you expect to pay the difference?

Sounds like he's estimated a price to do the job. Presumably he's got to factor in wood that he damages along the way, tricky edge pieces that may need to use a whole piece for a small area, etc.
Either it was a "fixed price" quote (in which case that's what you pay him for doing the job regardless of what it actually costs him) or it's a "time and materials" quote (in which case you should pay less if it's cost him less, but you would have paid more if it cost him more). Which of these do you believe it was?

If he's supplying and fitting then I would say he's supplying the materials to fit your floor. He's not purchasing a certain amount of flooring on your behalf and then fitting it for you. So any left over from what he purchased is his. he may have factored this into his quote. Obviously if you want it then ask him if he'll let you have it. He might not want it and be glad that you'll dispose of it for him!

vax2002

Oldest trick in the book, its called, over measuring.
Adjust the payment to suit the over measure, if he has ever set foot on a building site in his life he will understand what a quantity controller is.
Keep the labels from the boxes and make a tally, state he quoted to supply and fit 42m and has in fact fitted 36m of product, you will pay pro rata for 36m of product net, if he has any problem, tell him to learn how to finished rate quote, not by m2.

Mojisola

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

If it ended up needing 48 quare metres, would you expect to pay the difference?

I would - if the quote price was for a specific amount of a product and more was needed.

Sounds like he's estimated a price to do the job. Presumably he's got to factor in wood that he damages along the way, tricky edge pieces that may need to use a whole piece for a small area, etc.
Either it was a "fixed price" quote (in which case that's what you pay him for doing the job regardless of what it actually costs him) or it's a "time and materials" quote (in which case you should pay less if it's cost him less, but you would have paid more if it cost him more). Which of these do you believe it was?

If he's supplying and fitting then I would say he's supplying the materials to fit your floor. He's not purchasing a certain amount of flooring on your behalf and then fitting it for you. So any left over from what he purchased is his. he may have factored this into his quote. Obviously if you want it then ask him if he'll let you have it. He might not want it and be glad that you'll dispose of it for him!

This is the difference - if the quote wasn't itemised and I accepted a price for the finished job, he'd be within his rights to keep any unused products. If I could see that he had well over-estimated the amount necessary - allowing for the normal odd cuts and breakages, he probably wouldn't get to do another job for me.

JimmyTheWig

I think in practice I'd mention it in passing. Don't let on that you've been counting the boxes. Say something like "is there likely to be any flooring left over?".

Ruski

IMHO - if you question it he'll charge you the 'corrected' sqm at full retail price - and therefore still make a profit on the materials that he has bought at trade prices - if it were me doing the job then I'd be getting credit for the materials (full unsplit packs) from my supplier and then charge you for the used ones: but this in itself will cost me money! Which is why I do estimates - if I quote I have to cover all bases and that will always give you a higher price. and if you accepted his quote then any surplus materials are his to do with as he pleases.

So be very diplomatic - if it was a final price quote then I'm afraid you'll have to lump it if he gets the hump - that's why you should always be nice to us tradesmen ;-))

If he's a genuine guy you should be able to negotiate this with him - just keep him supplied with cuppas and the occasional biscuit ;-))

Let us know the outcome - I'd be interested to know if I'm being too nice to my customers!!!!!

HTH

Russ

fatbikersbouncebetter

Depending on the shapes and off cuts you can waste 5-8% of planks per box. That will not equate to the difference you are quoting. Without sounding daft?????? Why don;t you measure the floor???????

length x width per room and add them together. Even off shapes are easy to work out as seperate squares or rectangles.

+/- 4 mtrs is acceptable. Otherwise ask him for the rest. I would.

Any triangles, double up to make a rectangle LxW then half it.... simples.

dil1976

If any excess materials are yours he should leave all the sawdust and off cuts for you to clean up and dispose of?