Builder changing prices after verbal quotes

Lil98

Right so I'm asking this on behalf of my mother who's got an incredibly dodgy builder.

Some background: work started over a year ago now, the builder originally said it would take 3 months but it's still ongoing and the he basically never turns up to do anything anymore and has left her in an unfinished house for sometime. He keeps promising he'll come back and finish it but does 2 days then drops off the face of the earth again. She found out from seeing receipts and then overhearing a conversation between the builder and his plasterer that they'd purposely overcharged her for materials for her microcementing and she's not sure what else they've been ripping her off on. I've told her several times to fire him and get someone else in, but he's her next door neighbour's dad, so she hasn't wanted to fall out with them. However now it sees the relationship has completely broken down.

He's done some extra things that weren't included in the original quote like spray painting rooms and hanging doors, they agreed verbally on prices for these. He's now made a new invoice trying to charge her a lot more than was previously agreed. I've told her no matter what, she needs to just find a new builder at this point.

Has anyone else ever been in this situation? I'm just wondering what we can really do if no written quotes have been provided? 

grumbler

Lil98 said:

Has anyone else ever been in this situation?

I think ALL people that don't get a written quote for a big job find themselves in this situation inevitably.

So do some people with written quotes. Even a written quote means nothing unless you are prepared to sue the builder at some point.

wilson1972

This happened to me actually albeit a much much smaller job.

I wanted new fascia, soffits etc on three sides and on the garage.

First guy turned up, quoted 4.5k, i laughed.
Second guy never bothered to turn up
Third Guy turned up but never bothered to quote.
Fourth guy quoted 1.7k and was hired

I texted him that night to confirm it was an 'all in' price with no nasty surprises and was assured it was.

So, he turned up- got 3 courses of tiles off and then announces i need new eaves support trays and eaves felt- and that will be an extra 1000

I felt in an impossible situation, i had no idea what he would do to my roof if i argued.