the builder misquoted...

Deals_2

a friend who is a builder quoted for some building work. unfortunately when he asked the customer to look under their tarpaulin to check what the ceiling was made of they just said it was hassle to move everything so he gave them a price on the basis how he saw it but he forgot to mention that if it was anything else it would cost more. he got the work but then it ended up take double the time and effort because he had nothing in writing saying that . he now feels !!!!ed off and not enthousiastic to work as he practically wasting his time. if you were in that situation what would you do? i have said he should just bite the bullet and forget it and next time not make that expensive mistake. any thoughts..?

Canucklehead

Good evening: He could try reasoning with the client (assuming he is dealing with a reasonable person in the first place...there are too many rogue customers out there these days:eek: ) and explain the situation otherwise lesson learned i.e. always write up a detailed quote after a thorough investigation of the job and ensure you add clauses to cover the unforeseen...however it is very difficult to cover every eventuality

HTH

Canucklehead

robv_3

did he give an estimate or quote? Quote is fixed price and estimate is best guess.

vetfred

A plasterer will probably quote on walls that are stripped and give an estimate on papered walls. With your builder friend, I would say that talking would be best as Canucklehead pointed out because a reasonable person would understand that a job can change significantly once things are unearthed. Since the customer refused to reveal the full extent of the job, I would probably say you could only estimate on something you can't see anyway.

Deals_2

yes believe it was a verbal estimate and yes they are extremely tight!!!! i know one talks about rogue builders but we do often forget about rogue customers!!!!

nelly wrote: »

If I have to quote for a re skimm before they take the wall paper off I only offer an estimate rather than a quote, because you dont know whats going to fall off.

I have seen plaster come off to the brick on all 4 walls after removing the paper.

Giving a quote on an unknown is bloody stupid!

Also the customer shouldnt be so sodding tight expecting someone to do twice the job for the same price.

You wouldnt fill your trolley at Tesco, pay for it, then expect another trolly full would you?

Canucklehead

Deals wrote: »

yes believe it was a verbal estimate and yes they are extremely tight!!!! i know one talks about rogue builders but we do often forget about rogue customers!!!!

Good afternoon: If your builder mate has given an estimate he is on much firmer ground in regard to charging more for the job as an estimate isn't binding...see more here

HTH

Canucklehead

ukwoody

It is tricky as customers always want a fixed price or a damn good idea of the final costs - as cheap as possible, but then when things go wrong, or are far more complex then imagined, they accuse the trade of trying to rip them off because there is a lot more work involved.

As others have said, if it was a verbal estimate he is on quite strong grounds. Of course if he is not too much out of pocket, he can always walk away from it and ask them to find some one else to do the work - proving it is far more expensive then the customer and builder originally thought. Whislt I never reccomend that course of action, I have personally had to do it once.

Nowadays, I always make the situation quite clear and if I think there is real danger of problems I put it in writing there will be additional costs if more work is discovered.

About 2 years ago, I had to replace 4 cracked floor boards in a house at the botom of the stairs. I lifted one up and the smell of dry rot was over whelming. Upon lifting more I discovered several joists had totally given away and there was very bad dry rot and woodworm. I couldn't refix the original boards down as there was nothing left to fix too. The customer then tried to get me to do all the remedial work for free (even though she was there when the discovery was made) which was worth about £800 (the job was only about £50!). When I refused she complained to everyone and sundry saying I was a cowboy and had left her in a bad way. Thats when I walked away telling her what she could do with her £50!

If there is now ANY deviation or problems discovered during the work, I now stop, show the customer the moment I discover it, and discuss the way forward. Even with the best will in the world these things happen.

Just the same as going to a mechanic for an MOT and then being told work needs to be done.

woody

phill99

woody is right. Customers are often completely unrealistic. I know ir costs me time, but if a job is priced at over £400, I

phill99

Woody is right. Customers can be very unrealistic at times. I know it costs me time, but If a job is going to come to more than £400, I send them 2 copies of a written specification and get them to sign one and send it back to me before the work starts. Also, I head it up as am 'estimate' due to the legal implications. Its saved my bacon on more than one occassion.