Bathroom fitter costs

Betfredbarbara

Hi, I got a recommendation for a fitter to come and remodel my bathroom and small toilet. He came and quoted the job £4000 all in including electrics etc and I would strip the bathroom and toilet and remove all the debris beforehand. I would also provide all the materials needed. I told him I had a £1000 contingency but I did not want to use all of this. He said it would take about 3 weeks and started 1st October. He is just about finished now 10 weeks later and has said that it will be an extra £2000 for materials he’s bought and he didn’t foresee that it would take this long! He was supposed to have someone working with him who pulled out at the last minute and then had to pay a Labourer £60 a day who has never done the job before( straight out of school). He has done some additional work, the other wall behind the bath was blown so he had to replaster this, he bought mdf for the flooring, 4x2 to fit the ceiling, ceiling panels, a box of tiles as he ran out, sealant, grouting mix etc and I am fairly pleased with everything except the flooring which is click and lock style and has just not clicked together properly. He also blocked my drains with sealant and grouting etc which caused my kitchen to flood in that horrendous rain we had a couple of weeks ago. I had to call someone out which cost £257 and he said he would take this off the bill. 

Do you think I’m wrong in challenging the extra amount? I agree that I would owe him some and have paid him an extra £750 plus the £257 from the drain but I think it’s wrong for him to charge an additional £1000 on top.

Dhrucku

Never tell them about contingency.

Don't pay, that was his issue not yours.

Doozergirl

I think it depends on what the extra bill consists of.  

We don't have a break down, but I suspect that £750 probably doesn't cover the extra work and all of those materials, but I would expect the floor to be fitted correctly and to take the £257 off.  Where did the amount of £750 come from? 

I think it's wrong for anyone to simply say 'don't pay'.   I think you both need to be fair to each other.  

Betfredbarbara

That’s the thing, he hasn’t given me a bill or invoice, just said the extras cost £2000 but he’s deducted the cost of the drain flood and he said call it £1650. I had £750 in the house and paid him that which leaves a balance of £900 to pay.

jennifernil

If there was to be someone working with him then they would have had to be paid anyway, so the £60 per day for a labourer should surely  not come into any calculation as an additional amount?   

Taking 10 weeks to finish would be unacceptable to me, our bathroom took 2 weeks with 2 men and was £5000 with us supplying all fittings, tiles, (it is fully tiled) ,  cement, grout, and lights.   My OH painted the ceiling himself, and laid the LVT flooring.

 Fittings were  shower mixer, tray 900x1200, enclosure, concealed cistern toilet, basin and mixer tap with 2 supporting units below, large wall unit, large mirror with lights above,  new radiator,  new electric towel warmer,  new wall mounted heater for summer use,  and downlights  in ceiling 

Fitters provided all other materials for plumbing, electrics, and rebuilding, and, as the walls had to be removed right back to the timber studs, and the ceiling boarded over, this included plasterboard, and tape and skim of ceiling by a plasterer.    They also did all the removal and disposal of old fittings, tiles, plasterboard etc.

I would certainly be asking for a detailed invoice of all the extras.

subjecttocontract

I had 4 bathrooms in 4 separate properties refitted by the same firm 5 years ago, total £10K, it took 2 weeks. Stripped, plaster skimmed, electrics, plumbing & tiling they supplied everything. I did the flooring and decorated. They did 2 bathrooms a week. I picked them by recommendation and looking at work they had done for others.

Doozergirl

Betfredbarbara said:

That’s the thing, he hasn’t given me a bill or invoice, just said the extras cost £2000 but he’s deducted the cost of the drain flood and he said call it £1650. I had £750 in the house and paid him that which leaves a balance of £900 to pay.

Okay, well that isn't on.  

There should be an invoice, and in the absence of any extras being agreed in advance, a sensible breakdown as well.  

Albermarle

jennifernil said:

If there was to be someone working with him then they would have had to be paid anyway, so the £60 per day for a labourer should surely  not come into any calculation as an additional amount?   

Taking 10 weeks to finish would be unacceptable to me, our bathroom took 2 weeks with 2 men and was £5000 with us supplying all fittings, tiles, (it is fully tiled) ,  cement, grout, and lights.   My OH painted the ceiling himself, and laid the LVT flooring.

 Fittings were  shower mixer, tray 900x1200, enclosure, concealed cistern toilet, basin and mixer tap with 2 supporting units below, large wall unit, large mirror with lights above,  new radiator,  new electric towel warmer,  new wall mounted heater for summer use,  and downlights  in ceiling 

Fitters provided all other materials for plumbing, electrics, and rebuilding, and, as the walls had to be removed right back to the timber studs, and the ceiling boarded over, this included plasterboard, and tape and skim of ceiling by a plasterer.    They also did all the removal and disposal of old fittings, tiles, plasterboard etc.

I would certainly be asking for a detailed invoice of all the extras.

I agree, they took an excessively long time.
Our bathroom had new large shower/tray/enclosure + new tiling+ new ceramic floor tiles + new toilet and sink + painting and fitting new cupboard and undersink drawers+ new radiator.
One ( very good) guy took 11 working days. ( no new ceiling or plasterboarding needed) 

TELLIT01

If the OP requested the additional work of course there will be additional costs.  Tradesmen don't work for nothing.  Whether the additional costs are reasonable may be open for discussion.

Betfredbarbara

this is the work he did, as you can see sone of the tiling is not flush and the click lock flooring is not clicked together properly. I have paid him the 4k agreed and an additional £750 am I wrong to refuse to pay the rest?

Doozergirl

Dear God, there are crime scenes with better alignment.  

I do have sone sympathy, but did you look at any previous work done or check references before you hired them? 

No, don't give them any more money, please.