Homer Price - Fair

The price was agreed! You even said it in your OP - you accepted.

If you didn't like it initially, you had every opportunity to say no or obtain other quotes in comparison. The quote is for the job, not who does it. One man taking twice as long as two men doing the same job is still the same number of man hours. It may well have taken him less time than he anticipated, but I can certainly imagine what you'd have said if it took him longer and he asked for more! You did not agree an hourly rate, you agreed a price for a job. Electricians get paid more than £20 an hour, anyway.

You have crossed a line. I wouldn't dream of doing what you've done and I'm not suprised he's angry with you. Pay him.

Greenyblades wrote: »

Appreciate your views.

I think he knew from the start it would be 1 man but to get more money priced 2 men. Dishonest imho.

Job would never have taken double the time. Only a small job.

If you understand the nature of the job and how long it would take, why did you agree to the quote?

Greenyblades wrote: »

Appreciate your views.

I think he knew from the start it would be 1 man but to get more money priced 2 men. Dishonest imho.

Job would never have taken double the time. Only a small job.

Electricians are more than £20 an hour. You're inventing a price, which is dishonest. If you want it snagged, ask him to snag it.


You don't seem to be able to grasp that one man can do any domestic wiring job perfectly adequately. You don't need four hands, two are fine. He would have wanted a mate to half the time at yours, not half the man hours or half the work. The work was always the same so you don't get to half the price.

I'll try and be impartial as a lot of people who frequent this board are builders/tradesmen or of similar ilk so it's difficult to get an unbiased opinion on stuff like this usually.

He quoted you a fixed fee and you accepted, legally and morally you need to pay, no real room for discussion on that front.

Do I think he probably over inflated his quote and over estimated the work, well yes probably. Do I think a domestic electrician is worth £40? Definitely not. But that begs the question why did you agree to it to begin with if you where not happy with the price.

That said you do have my sympathies, my own experiences of trades people haven't been the best, shoddy work that I have ended up fixing my self, not turning up, not finishing jobs etc. That said the general consensus on this board seems to be they are worth what ever they want to charge and you should be happy they turn up at all...