Builder Issues

ntb1

we have recently had some work done on our house, the builder managing it has done a pretty poor effort. we have one bill left to pay which has come in considerably more than expected and than was told it would be. anyway we are refusing to pay this, he is now threatening legal action and to invoice for some other work he did which he now claims wasn't part for the original work. (work completed six months ago. heres my question ignoring the bill we owe at least part of, can he 6 months later produce a random invoice even though we have text and e-mails from last year confirming all a part of one bill was paid.

also we have questions over the quality of some of the work and some we've had to get finished by others - could we send him an invoice for all this also for the stress and awful management, as currently approx 20k over his maximum price. i know we've been had in some ways and we are happy to fight the bill in court.

1. does the above make any sense and 2. any suggestions. we are taking legal advice on the bill we owe part off..

thanks

NTB1

Spicy_McHaggis

Two things immediately spring to mind.

Was his price a quote or an estimate?
Before you brought other trades in did you give the original builder a chance to rectify the problems?

Kiran

Did you have a contract, if so what sort?

As above, you need to have given the builder in writing a detailed list of defects and a reasoanble time frame within which to close them out otherwise you would bring in alternative trades to complete their work. If you have done this then the short answer is yes you can claim some/all of the costs back.

With regards the invoice it should say what you have paid for. Ideally variations should always be listed seperately from contract valuations but in smaller domestic projects this doesn't usually happen