Charged more than quoted price???

fawwna

Hi, just looking for some advice.
I'm a bridesmaid for a friend, and she gave us our dresses to get altered at our own cost 2 weeks before the wedding (not ideal, but do-able).
I went to a well known place in our town, who had a look at the dress, had a look at it on me, took measurements etc, and decided to quote £50-60 for corset panel to be put in. I believed this to be reasonable, and instructed them to go ahead with the alteration.
I went back last week to try it before they finished the alteration and it was fine, very good work. However, I was then told that the cost would actually be £82 because the work had taken 4 and a half hours, but they would knock off £12 as a gesture of goodwill. As they had already done most of the work (we're talking about 90%), I felt I didn't have much choice but to hand the dress back to them to finish (since I'm picking it up the day before the wedding).
My question is, are they allowed to increase the cost AFTER they've already done 90% of the work? Baring in mind that I have it in writing that they have QUOTED (edit: I have it in writing) £50-60 (not estimated) and the gentleman who originally quoted said that similar dresses they have done recently cost around £53. I know it's only a small amount extra, but I'd budgeted for £60 max as I don't get paid until 3 days AFTER the wedding. I don't even have a credit card to put it on.

Appreciate any advice or help, I'm going back on friday to pick up the finished dress.
Thanks,
Lauren

Aylesbury_Duck

fawwna wrote: »

Hi, just looking for some advice.
I'm a bridesmaid for a friend, and she gave us our dresses to get altered at our own cost 2 weeks before the wedding (not ideal, but do-able).
I went to a well known place in our town, who had a look at the dress, had a look at it on me, took measurements etc, and decided to quote £50-60 for corset panel to be put in. I believed this to be reasonable, and instructed them to go ahead with the alteration.
I went back last week to try it before they finished the alteration and it was fine, very good work. However, I was then told that the cost would actually be £82 because the work had taken 4 and a half hours, but they would knock off £12 as a gesture of goodwill. As they had already done most of the work (we're talking about 90%), I felt I didn't have much choice but to hand the dress back to them to finish (since I'm picking it up the day before the wedding).
My question is, are they allowed to increase the cost AFTER they've already done 90% of the work? Baring in mind that I have it in writing that they have QUOTED £50-60 (not estimated) and the gentleman who originally quoted said that similar dresses they have done recently cost around £53. I know it's only a small amount extra, but I'd budgeted for £60 max as I don't get paid until 3 days AFTER the wedding. I don't even have a credit card to put it on.

Appreciate any advice or help, I'm going back on friday to pick up the finished dress.
Thanks,
Lauren

Given the circumstances I'd swallow the extra £10. You have authorised them to continue working on it in the knowledge that to do so will take it over the £60. I can't see that getting into a dispute about it is going to help at this stage since you need them to complete the work by the wedding date. Taking it up with them afterwards is probably pointless. Just don't use them again.

fawwna

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

Given the circumstances I'd swallow the extra £12. You have authorised them to continue working on it in the knowledge that to do so will take it over the £60. I can't see that getting into a dispute about it is going to help at this stage since you need them to complete the work by the wedding date. Taking it up with them afterwards is probably pointless. Just don't use them again.

Appreciate your response. I'm now worried that they might up the price even more now that they've already done it once. I was under the impression that a quote should be honoured, since they aren't estimates?

Aylesbury_Duck

fawwna wrote: »

Appreciate your response. I'm now worried that they might up the price even more now that they've already done it once. I was under the impression that a quote should be honoured, since they aren't estimates?

They might, but in the situation you're in, what leverage do you have?

A quote should be honoured, but their argument would be that they notified you it was going to end up costing more and you asked them to continue.

If you end up paying even more than £70, take it up with them afterwards. Personally, I think it's a bit cheeky of the bride to have expected you to pay for it in the first place. I blame her for putting you in a position where you've been asked to push what's affordable for you to keep her happy. Some friend.

fawwna

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

They might, but in the situation you're in, what leverage do you have?

A quote should be honoured, but their argument would be that they notified you it was going to end up costing more and you asked them to continue.

If you end up paying even more than £70, take it up with them afterwards.

I think it's the principal, plus the shock of having to pay even more (no judgement but I ended up crying in the shop because of a number of other money-related issues and this was the icing on the wedding cake, so to speak), if I was in the right frame of mind, i'd have told them to just give me the dress as it was. Lesson learned!

Personally, I think it's a bit cheeky of the bride to have expected you to pay for it in the first place. I blame her for putting you in a position where you've been asked to push what's affordable for you to keep her happy. Some friend.

Don't get me started :):)

Aylesbury_Duck

fawwna wrote: »

I think it's the principal, plus the shock of having to pay even more (no judgement but I ended up crying in the shop because of a number of other money-related issues and this was the icing on the wedding cake, so to speak), if I was in the right frame of mind, i'd have told them to just give me the dress as it was. Lesson learned!

Sorry to hear that. Are you getting help for the money problems? There are some good sections on this forum for various things like budgeting, debt management, etc.

Is your friend aware that there are financial pressures, or is she just wrapped up in her own world? Have you asked her to help out with the cost, given that it's more than you originally envisaged?

fawwna

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

Sorry to hear that. Are you getting help for the money problems? There are some good sections on this forum for various things like budgeting, debt management, etc.

Is your friend aware that there are financial pressures, or is she just wrapped up in her own world? Have you asked her to help out with the cost, given that it's more than you originally envisaged?

I'm actually good with money, it's more that I'm supporting my dad currently who isn't so good, so my money is being lent out when I need it myself for things such as this. thank you though!

She has offered to pay when I told her I was struggling, but hasn't mentioned it since. Plus I feel bad, since the other girls have had to sort theirs as well (including a single mother who has had to put it on her credit card - she's paid £56 for hers to be altered...). I'll see what happens on friday. thank you for all your help!

DoaM

fawwna wrote: »

and decided to quote £50-60 for corset panel to be put in.

Did they say £50 or £60? If they said £50 to £60 then they gave you an estimate not a quote. (And if it was all verbal, how do you prove they gave you a quote, even at £60?)

For an extra £10 don't let it spoil your enjoyment of your friend's special day.

fawwna

DoaM wrote: »

Did they say £50 or £60? If they said £50 to £60 then they gave you an estimate not a quote. (And if it was all verbal, how do you prove they gave you a quote, even at £60?)

For an extra £10 don't let it spoil your enjoyment of your friend's special day.

I have it in writing from the shop "Quote - £50 - £60", so it wasn't verbal. I've already spent about £500 on this wedding including hen do, shoes, accomodation etc, still have to pay for transport TO the wedding (this is still not organised, the bride hasn't arranged transport for herself yet....), still have to get them a gift, still not sure if we have to pay for the hair/makeup. It might 'only' be an extra £10, but it's £10 that could go towards their gift, or the transport etc.
At this point I feel like we'll be asked to pay for our own wedding breakfast.

DoaM

If it's in writing as a quote (albeit giving a range of values indicates an estimate not a quote) then you're within your rights to refuse to pay the extra. They may then decide not to finish the works.

However, as you've already accepted their re-quote and instructed them to proceed then you don't really have any comeback.

fawwna

DoaM wrote: »

If it's in writing as a quote (albeit giving a range of values indicates an estimate not a quote) then you're within your rights to refuse to pay the extra. They may then decide not to finish the works.

However, as you've already accepted their re-quote and instructed them to proceed then you don't really have any comeback.

Accepted their re-quote is a rather grandiose term for crying in the shop and the employee telling me that that's how much I have to pay since the dress is mostly finished :laugh:
Lesson Learned (although I may still question it when I pick the dress up).