Quote legally binding?

Withquery

We have recently had building work done on our property. I signed a quote and and agreed a price. The work is underway.

We have now requested additional work. I was given a written quote for £5k which I signed. I got a copy of the written quote but crucially not a signed copy of it.

 Two days later, the customer manager from this building company has emailed me saying he got the figures wrong and the work is actually  £8k. He says he got the labour rate wrong.

Legally, where do I stand? Can I say "we verbally agreed  £5k so cannot go back on this?" The email he sent admits the error but I don't know whether I can keep them to the contract verbally agreed?

Doozergirl

Has this extra work been done? 

shinytop

The issue of whether it's signed or not is irrelevant at this point.  You are a long way from having to consider whether something is legally binding or not.  Time to speak (not email or text) to the company and negotiate. If they have made a genuine mistake you should expect to to pay most if not all the extra.   

Withquery

Doozergirl said:

Has this extra work been done? 

It has begun but not completed.

Unfortunately the customer manager has not been the best at communication and I have had to ask 5 to 7 times for basic work to be completed. I am worried that if I agree to an extra £3k, they can turn around and now say my original contract was wrong too.

Doozergirl

Withquery said:

Doozergirl said:

Has this extra work been done? 

It has begun but not completed.

Unfortunately the customer manager has not been the best at communication and I have had to ask 5 to 7 times for basic work to be completed. I am worried that if I agree to an extra £3k, they can turn around and now say my original contract was wrong too.

They can't turn around retrospectively after the work is done, so the main contract isn't an issue.  They should be detailing extras that need to be charged on before they happen.  

The extra work that you have commissioned, you need to give them the benefit of the doubt over.  I suggest that they stop on that work until you agree what will happen.  

You're dealing with small companies here who don't have a team of lawyers on hand and you are in all claims territory at £8k, so no one is going to be claiming back expensive solicitors fees as it will end up costing more that the disputed amount.  

In the real world, you both have a relationship to maintain.  They either stop work now and you both agree that it was their mistake so there's no charge to stop right now and make good, or you negotiate the fee.  No one should be working for free or paying you to do a job for you if they've pointed it out at a reasonable point in time, but I don't know what the job is, how far forward it is and how easy it is to stop.
 If you're past the point of no return then they should suck it up. 

Withquery

Thanks for your advice Doozergirl.

GDB2222

The contract does not have to be signed by both parties to be binding. They issued a quote, you accepted it, which is probably sufficient, but in any case they commenced work which means they also accepted the contract. So, you can insist that they complete the work for the lower price.

In practice, having the builders on site and extremely unhappy is not a good idea. Having them walk away leaving it unfinished is even worse.

So, give them a call and compromise. Maybe agree to pay half the extra?

Withquery

Thanks GBD.
I will call them and try to negotiate. 

Aspiration

Great advice from Doozergirl. 

I’m with most posters, try and be reasonable and agree what’s fair. 

Where we are good trades are hard to come by and if the £8k felt reasonable and the work was to a high standard I’d pay it and just accept it as their mistake. 

Very uncertain times at the moment so I’d definitely try and keep everything amicable and see the job through to completion.
Hope it’s all sorted relatively quickly for you OP.