Quoted for job but invoiced per workman

housebuyer7

Hello, I was quoted £30 an hour from a stonemason. to remove a section of render from the rear of my house so I could see the condition of the bricks underneath (damp issues). They were maybe just over an hour so have invoiced for 1.5 hours (fine ok) but two of them arrived and I have been invoiced for two people, plus VAT the total comes to £108. My written message prior to this appointment was “The cost would be £30 p/h”. I just feel aggrieved do I really owe £108?

killerferret666

If it was just one person it would have likely taken over double the time. So would probably be more than £108.

Also if you expected it to be half that, it means you expected someone to be working for £15 an hour which im afraid is highly unlikely in a trade job.

The question is really do you think the job was worth £108. Labour costs are expensive now for any work from any trade. I actually think the price isnt too bad for the job.

Bendy_House

How much render was removed, HB7 - was this just an small examination piece to allow an investigation, or the whole potentially-affected section so actual remedial action could be taken?

Anyhoo, as KF says, if both folk were working to remove the render, then they have in theory halved the time required. Swings and whatsits.

I would suggest future quotes should be based on £ourly rate and likely time for the job, or a fixed-price. The latter should leave out any guesswork (tho' jobs can legitimately overrun.)

diystarter7

OP
I am with you 100% and I hear you loud and clear.
Not good/fair practice at all

Personally, I would avoid hourly rates as some can stretch an hours works into 2 days/etc

It's too late to argue now as the man would say what others have said that works would have took double the time with one man or even longer as you get worn out as time goes on

Nest time you see a price/quote, ask them approx how long it will take

Thinking back, I've never done an hourly rate but I've heard plumbers/etc mutter or it should take about 2/3 hours and will be xx quid. I often ask if the quote/price giver will be the lead. At times its easy to get a quote as the job is clear but other times like your job you can say if its an hours of 4 hours work and they should quote advise accordingly

Not good practice but I'd leave it rather than being fed rubbish by the bloke

TELLIT01

I would be just as annoyed as the OP if I had been quoted £30 per hour instead of per man hour, and not told that the work would require two people.  The overall cost doesn't seem excessive, but that really isn't the point being raised.

stuart45

The work, which was shown in a previous thread, was a roughly 9x9 inch square. It's only a one man job, but the 2 men probably work together and have fitted it in between jobs. 
All you can really do now is to question with them why it required 2 men.

Risteard

The HSE advises against lone working.

TELLIT01

Risteard said:

The HSE advises against lone working.

Advice against 'Lone working' generally refers to situations where somebody is alone in a building or similar.  Millions of people work alone on a daily basis without being at risk.  Farmers, lorry drivers etc do it all the time.  If it was necessary to have two people to do any and every job it might reduce unemployment but would double all labour costs.