Estimate vs reality - what is fair?

amanwithadog

I have just had some flooring laid in my house. It was done by my regular builder who has done a fair bit of work for me recently and in the past. We have always worked on a time +materials basis so I'll pay a day rate and buy materials required/pay rental for equipment etc.
Day before this job started it was sprung on me that he had subcontracted out half the job to someone else. I asked for an estimate because last bloke he did this with ended up landing me with a big bill I wasn't expecting due to a much higher daily rate being charged.
Was given an estimate for 2 guys for 3 days (one at 200 pounds and one at the usual 140 a day) equalling a total of 1020. This was well out of my budget as I've done similar work before myself and expected the job to take 2 guys 2 days at 140 each per day (560 pounds) and had budgeted accordingly. I reluctantly came to an agreement at 700 for the job which was specified to me as 200 for the one man for two days and 100 for the other guy for 3 days. I agreed because I didn't want to leave the builder short a days work as he was expecting to come to my job the next morning. and having cleared the area wanted to get on and get the job done.
In the end the job took one guy 3 days and the other guy (who charges 200) only came for one day.

I have been asked for the 700 for the job. Do you think this is fair?

My proposal was to pay the builder who normally comes his full rate for the 3 days that he spent here (ie 140 per day instead of the 100 that was included in the 700 pound quote) and the 200 pounds for the other guy for the day that he did so 620 pounds in total. I feel that's fair, he doesn't. What's the best thing to do?

AndyMc.....

amanwithadog wrote: »

I have just had some flooring laid in my house. It was done by my regular builder who has done a fair bit of work for me recently and in the past. We have always worked on a time +materials basis so I'll pay a day rate and buy materials required/pay rental for equipment etc.
Day before this job started it was sprung on me that he had subcontracted out half the job to someone else. I asked for an estimate because last bloke he did this with ended up landing me with a big bill I wasn't expecting due to a much higher daily rate being charged.
Was given an estimate for 2 guys for 3 days (one at 200 pounds and one at the usual 140 a day) equalling a total of 1020. This was well out of my budget as I've done similar work before myself and expected the job to take 2 guys 2 days at 140 each per day (560 pounds) and had budgeted accordingly. I reluctantly came to an agreement at 700 for the job which was specified to me as 200 for the one man for two days and 100 for the other guy for 3 days. I agreed because I didn't want to leave the builder short a days work as he was expecting to come to my job the next morning. and having cleared the area wanted to get on and get the job done.
In the end the job took one guy 3 days and the other guy (who charges 200) only came for one day.

I have been asked for the 700 for the job. Do you think this is fair?

My proposal was to pay the builder who normally comes his full rate for the 3 days that he spent here (ie 140 per day instead of the 100 that was included in the 700 pound quote) and the 200 pounds for the other guy for the day that he did so 620 pounds in total. I feel that's fair, he doesn't. What's the best thing to do?

Yes, you agreed to pay £700 for the job.


I bet if it took them 5 days you wouldn't offer to pay more.

Doozergirl

The bit where you agreed to pay £700?

That bit.

sevenhills

amanwithadog wrote: »

Day before this job started it was sprung on me that he had subcontracted out half the job to someone else. What's the best thing to do?

Next time get a price well before the work is due to start.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

So it was going to take 6 'man days' when the job cost a grand but knock it down to £700 and they manage it 4, sounds about right...

amanwithadog

The quote was stated as 200 pounds for one man for two days and 100 pounds per day for the other man. I have no doubt that if the job had gone over that work would have stopped and I'd have been billed for the extra time.

amanwithadog

Doozergirl wrote: »

The bit where you agreed to pay £700?

That bit.

The way I understood it was that I was agreeing to pay one man 200 a day for two days and another man 100 for 3 days, but the man who charges 200 only came for a day... My feeling is that paying the man who was quoted at 100 a day his usual rate of 140 was fair but paying 200 for a man who didn't come isn't.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

I assume you are paying your builder who then pays the other guys, if so and you want your builder to do more work for you in the future I'd just pay the full £700 otherwise you sour the relationship and will likely end up looking for another builder (of course that view could go both ways and the builder may lose you as his customer).

unholyangel

amanwithadog wrote: »

The quote was stated as 200 pounds for one man for two days and 100 pounds per day for the other man. I have no doubt that if the job had gone over that work would have stopped and I'd have been billed for the extra time.

Was it a quote or an estimate? Theres a difference.

Also, how was the contract entered (over the phone, internet, face to face in your house or at the traders premises) and what information were you given in writing?

You might want to look at the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation & Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. They need to tell you the total price and if that is not possible (because they don't know how long it will take for example) then they need to tell you how the price will be calculated (ie £x materials + £x per hour/day/week).

Risteard

They did inform of the total price though. Pay up!

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Risteard wrote: »

They did inform of the total price though. Pay up!

OP pays their builder a day rate, an estimate for the subcontractor was provided based on a day rate, the OP haggled to a different day rate and now the bill isn't based on a day rate.

OP agreed 100 for the guy who stayed 3 days and 200 for the guy who stayed 1 day, I think they are being generous in offering the 100 guy 140 a day plus the 200 guy had 2 days to go off and earn their 200 a day somewhere else so OP pays 620 and the subcontractors still had the opportunity to earn the full 1020 they originally estimated for 3 days work.

What is the extra £80 for if OP is paying for time?