Joiner bill

M.Elliott

Hi, we have recently had all the doors in house (10 in total) and the facing around the doors changed. This took 2 joiners 2.5 days to complete working 8am to 4pm. We provided the doors, facing, handles and hinges so it was literally just them doing the labour for it. Our bill just came in and it's much more than we though, almost, 2.1k. Does this seem excessive or is this the going rate? 
Many thanks in advance for any advice.

comeandgo

40 hours so just over £50 per hour.  A bit on the high side but what did your contract suggest?

nofoollikeold

1. If the £2.1k includes VAT, its £43.75 / hour
2. If it doesn't include VAT, its £52.50 / hour
Seems reasonable to me, indeed cheap if its in or around London.

TELLIT01

What was the estimated cost or quote before the work started?  If you got neither you will just have to pay what they bill you.

Ganga

The 2.5 days would be 3 really as they would not be able to start another job that day pus there will be travelling time back and forwards to your house from their depot /place of work.

Ajmason42

surely you got a cost before awarding them the work?

Wanderingpomm

I’ve just paid £70 a fire door and £45 for a normal door to be hung 

john.h

It should of took one joiner no more than 2 1/2 days to hang the doors and fit the architrave. Should of cost less than half you paid. 

GDB2222

I'd have expected a quote for say £150-200 per man-day for a carpenter, plus any materials used, but you seem not to have had a quote.  At the moment, the building trade is frantically busy, so maybe rates are a bit higher?

2.5 days - I'd expect to be charged for 3 days. So, your bill is £350 per day, per man, which seems to be on the high side.

However, you say you hired joiners, rather than carpenters,  so maybe you had a superior job done and should expect to pay top whack?

fenwick458

well it seems slightly expensive, but not by much.
you have 3 options, 
1. if the written quote you have says any different (and there's no reason for them to charge more) then you have a case and you can take them to court
2.you could always get a time machine and go back in time and decide not to get the job done
3, if the above 2 options are not possible, guess you'll just have to pay the bill

whilst paying the bill this may make it a bit easier on you; try to think of it as not only have you paid for some tradesmen to install some doors, but as an added bonus they have also thrown in some life experience, in that you should never just instruct contractors to carry on with work before you know how much they are going to charge you.

mug2007

Paying £1500 for 12 doors.  Don’t know if they had to supply any intumescent strips and perko’s but that could have added to your cost. I am in East Mids.  Guess London would be more. Think they are in demand at the moment so charging more.