Plumber Price - Am I in the wrong?

Eldi_Dos

One other thing to consider is your sparky mates plumber colleague's over the shoulder guesstimate might not be accurate.

ThisIsWeird

A good tradespeep should have discussed all that - waste disposal, etc - with you in advance. Nothing should be a surprise - there's just no need.

Risteard

Initialr3 said:

Afternoon all.

Looking for a bit of level-headed-ness. 

Recently moved into a new build, as such needed the main bathroom and ensuite floors tiled. After speaking to a few tilers, getting a few quotes etc. we found a tiler on gumtree, we spoke on the phone and he came out to quote. We were happy he was a decent guy and wanted to go ahead. The tiler advised we needed a plumber to take off our sanitary ware to allow the tiles to be fitted, then refit once the tiles were down. The tiler had a plumber that worked with him - great, we spoke to the plumber via text message.

The plumber provided a quote by text, which I agreed to. At this point I would like to point out I am not a trade-minded person and stupidly agreed to the number he provided thinking it was a decent amount. 

My father in law has moved into the same new build estate and required the same work done + the downstairs bathroom, making three rooms in total. Tiler quoted, plumber quoted and we were all good to go. 

When the plumber was half way through, I spoke to my father in law. We got talking and I found out the plumber is charging the same amount for him as he is for me. One of my mates is a spark, I called him and asked if he was working on site with any plumbers. He was, and he ran our price past him, his plumber advised it was way too much for the work required, however did say if he (me) had accepted the quote there was not much I could do. I accept this is my own doing. 

Once our work was completed, I told the plumber I wanted to chat to him about the price. I was exceptionally nice (so as not to insult him) and simply put it to him that it wasn't fair providing the same quote for less/more work completed. 

At this point the plumber went off on one, was very dismissive, started swearing, got into his van and drove off. I have messaged him since asking for an invoice of works completed. 

I'm just looking for an opinion, was I in the wrong to bring that up? I wasn't nasty or confrontational, just wanted to have a discussion about why they were different prices. I have agreed to it, I am going to pay the man. I just didn't think (and still don't think) it was very fair.  

You were completely, utterly and totally in the wrong. You had accepted the price. You have absolutely no right to renegotiate afterwards. That is harassment.

ashe

It's a bit off, and in the wrong as OP has admitted and rectified, but I think calling it harassment is a bit of hyperbole. 

SergeantBaker

Risteard said:

Initialr3 said:

Afternoon all.

Looking for a bit of level-headed-ness. 

Recently moved into a new build, as such needed the main bathroom and ensuite floors tiled. After speaking to a few tilers, getting a few quotes etc. we found a tiler on gumtree, we spoke on the phone and he came out to quote. We were happy he was a decent guy and wanted to go ahead. The tiler advised we needed a plumber to take off our sanitary ware to allow the tiles to be fitted, then refit once the tiles were down. The tiler had a plumber that worked with him - great, we spoke to the plumber via text message.

The plumber provided a quote by text, which I agreed to. At this point I would like to point out I am not a trade-minded person and stupidly agreed to the number he provided thinking it was a decent amount. 

My father in law has moved into the same new build estate and required the same work done + the downstairs bathroom, making three rooms in total. Tiler quoted, plumber quoted and we were all good to go. 

When the plumber was half way through, I spoke to my father in law. We got talking and I found out the plumber is charging the same amount for him as he is for me. One of my mates is a spark, I called him and asked if he was working on site with any plumbers. He was, and he ran our price past him, his plumber advised it was way too much for the work required, however did say if he (me) had accepted the quote there was not much I could do. I accept this is my own doing. 

Once our work was completed, I told the plumber I wanted to chat to him about the price. I was exceptionally nice (so as not to insult him) and simply put it to him that it wasn't fair providing the same quote for less/more work completed. 

At this point the plumber went off on one, was very dismissive, started swearing, got into his van and drove off. I have messaged him since asking for an invoice of works completed. 

I'm just looking for an opinion, was I in the wrong to bring that up? I wasn't nasty or confrontational, just wanted to have a discussion about why they were different prices. I have agreed to it, I am going to pay the man. I just didn't think (and still don't think) it was very fair.  

You were completely, utterly and totally in the wrong. You had accepted the price. You have absolutely no right to renegotiate afterwards. That is harassment.

It’s wrong, but harassment. Where’s the course of conduct?

benson1980

If at no point you’ve indicated non payment but are simply asking for an explanation, I really don’t see the problem and why people need to get so defensive about it. With any other service, you’d question it. If there’s a reasonable explanation (such as just charging a day rate) then no issue, but I’d rather ask than be suspicious about being ripped off. 

ThisIsWeird

Devil's Advocate - at what point could/would it have been quite reasonable/understandable for Initial to have queried - nicely, as they did - the cost?

Initial admits they had no idea what a fair price for this sort of job would be, so accepted the quote.

When it came to bill time, had Initial since been told by other plumbers that a 'typical' price for temporarily removing a bathroom for renovation was, say, circa £250 (I've no idea of actual prices), and they also discovered that another house had had two bathrooms removed for this sum, and their plumber was changing Initial £500 for one, he should have stayed schtum? Not said a thing?

He makes it clear he will pay whatever - he agreed the price upfront - but that's it? No question?

After all, this forum has a steady number of "My parents were charged £4k to have new gutters fitted/ £3k to replace two slipped tiles - should I pay up?"-type situations. These prices were 'agreed' up-front too.

GDB2222

Doozergirl said:

It doesn't matter how polite you thought you were being, agreeing a price with someone, allowing them to do the work and then questioning it is about the rudest thing you can do, as well as putting you legally in the wrong. 

I have been using the services of plumber for a very long time.  We pay by the day.  If it's a small job, we'll save up a few jobs and get them to do it all in one day so we don't have customers paying full day rate. 

If you paid an hourly rate for a plumbing service that sends workers to multiple jobs in a day, you would pay proportionally more. 

If it's just a matter of removing sanitary-ware ready for tiling, it doesn't surprise me that the cost was the same.   Once you're on site, you're most of the way there.  

I'm afraid that you are in the wrong regardless.  You agreed something, went back on your word and have could now have affected that tiler's relationship with him.  Hopefully it hasn't affected the tiler's relationship with you.    If that happened in our subbie circle, you'd quickly find yourself missing the next subbie.  

I’ve never had to do this job, although I do a bit of amateur plumbing! 

It strikes me that this job is much more difficult than it appears at first glance, as the thickness of the tiles means that none of the original pipe work will line up when you come to reconnect it. Or, am I missing some of the tricks of the trade here?

Doozergirl

GDB2222 said:

Doozergirl said:

It doesn't matter how polite you thought you were being, agreeing a price with someone, allowing them to do the work and then questioning it is about the rudest thing you can do, as well as putting you legally in the wrong. 

I have been using the services of plumber for a very long time.  We pay by the day.  If it's a small job, we'll save up a few jobs and get them to do it all in one day so we don't have customers paying full day rate. 

If you paid an hourly rate for a plumbing service that sends workers to multiple jobs in a day, you would pay proportionally more. 

If it's just a matter of removing sanitary-ware ready for tiling, it doesn't surprise me that the cost was the same.   Once you're on site, you're most of the way there.  

I'm afraid that you are in the wrong regardless.  You agreed something, went back on your word and have could now have affected that tiler's relationship with him.  Hopefully it hasn't affected the tiler's relationship with you.    If that happened in our subbie circle, you'd quickly find yourself missing the next subbie.  

I’ve never had to do this job, although I do a bit of amateur plumbing! 

It strikes me that this job is much more difficult than it appears at first glance, as the thickness of the tiles means that none of the original pipe work will line up when you come to reconnect it. Or, am I missing some of the tricks of the trade here?

If it's a new build it's likely to be plastic and a lot of taps etc will have flexihose hidden behind sinks and baths in many houses, but yes, it's certainly a possibility, especially where showers are concerned, anything is recessed beautifully or it's all in copper.  

Section62

ThisIsWeird said:

Devil's Advocate - at what point could/would it have been quite reasonable/understandable for Initial to have queried - nicely, as they did - the cost?

Any time until immediately before they sent the text accepting the quote.

After that point in time it becomes increasingly less reasonable/understandable to start renegotiating.