Bathroom builder issues

ukcupcake

We are in the process of having bathroom refitted - everything ripped out, stuff moved around and all new tiles and fittings etc.

The builder gave us a quote - that’s what it says on it - but in his email he called it an estimate.

He has gone way over this original quote with “unforeseen” costs. Some of these we feel should have been foreseen or at least allowed for in his quote Eg one example is that he is supplying and fitting a new pressurised hot water cylinder (his recommendation) and he has added on costs for "adjustment on pipework for cylinder and in the loft to accommodate pipework and adjustments to heating tank". He has also told us he is going to do things eg use colour match sealant instead of white; tile up to window the put a cill on rather than tiling it as we initially agreed - and then charged us for those things without telling us upfront that they would incur a cost or asking us if we wanted to do that given that a cost would be incurred!

He is also saying that finishing the walls off - ie making good the walls where tiles were but aren’t now, and painting the fresh plaster is a decorating job and not included in his quote - technically speaking he is correct in that it isn’t specified int he quote but I was under the impression that a refit like that should include making things good before they left.

We haven’t paid his final payment yet and can obviously withhold that but we would like to know where we stand and what our rights are as this is all very new to us.

This evening he has asked for another stage payment which will leave a balance of just £1500. With quite a bit left to do I am not happy handing this over but don’t know where I stand

tacpot12

If you have home insurance, check to see if you have  legal expenses cover. If you do, call the Legal Helpline tomorrow for advice on how to manage the situation. 

Your explaination above is good. I would agree that the "adjustment on pipework for cylinder and in the loft to accommodate pipework and adjustments to heating tank" were entirely foreseeable and should have been included in the quote as necessary part of the job.

With the sealant and window cill, he will say that you agreed the change, but he is obliged to tell you if the change is going to cost more. As you agreed to the work, I think you will have to pay something towards his cost, but he should absorb some of the cost as well. 

I tend to agree with him on the decorating. The quote will have excluded "making good". If you wanted him to "make good" you should have asked for him to add it to the quote. This is one of those learning points that comes up when householders engage tradespeople. 

Does the quote provide for the stage payment he is asking for? If not, I would tend not to pay anything, or pay £500 as a goodwill guesture.  

pinkshoes

So these "unforseen" things he did not see... If you had known about them, would you have kept your old bathroom and not replaced it?

e.g. we had a new heating system fitted but had to add the cost of a new mains pipe to the upstairs as the diameter of the old one was too small and would have been insufficient for the pressure. Yes, it was extra, but we would have had to pay that regardless of who did our bathroom.

If the extras are things that would have had to have been done to replace the bathroom then as long as he has charged a reasonable amount, it will be difficult to refuse to pay. 

sheramber

My friend had to  pay extra  to upgrade her fuse box when she  needed electrical work done on her new kitchen installation.

 That was  only discovered when the electrician arrived to do the work.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

A quote should be just that, a fixed price which typically a builder would add x% to in order to cover unknowns that may be hidden. 

Supplying and fitting a new pressurised hot water cylinder, I think the average person would expect the price to include everything needed unless the builder wasn't able to see all the pipe work, if for example it was hidden behind walls or you couldn't give them access to the loft when they requested, otherwise if it's clear the pipe work needs work from the builder having a look then fitting should IMHO include everything.  

When you received the quote was it itemised in detail? For example did it state on the quote a window sill was included? Did it state making good/decorating was included? 

How many quotes did you get? If more than one how did the prices compare? 

Some traders will quote low to get the job and then bump it up along the way, not great but you are probably paying the same. 

From a consumer rights point of view if you didn't visit the trader's place of business uninvited and this was a distance contract the trader should have given you the information regarding the right to cancel and without this the cancellation period is extended to 1 year and 14 days and you aren't bound to pay for the service even if part/fully completed. 

Whilst I don't suggest you use this, as it fair to pay someone for their work, if there is a disagreement over payment and you have a balance outstanding the trader would have to take you to small claims and cancelling the contract (assuming you can depending upon the information provided) would leave the trader without a claim. 

With regards to staged payments it depends on how much the whole job was and how far along you are, if you pay more than has been done but the relationship turn sour and the builder walks off you are out of pocket and faced with trying to sort that out. 

Equally you could pay the bulk of the job and the builder walks off anyway. 

It's a difficult one to balance.