AIBU to pay builders only £2K extra?

[ElleDubloo]

We're renovating our house. Before starting, we agreed with the builders a price of £29K for the whole job.

During the process, they decided to replaster the whole house because it made the painting easier (the original brief was only to replaster "where necessary" and to paint all the rooms). They also cut out a lot of redundant plumbing and neatened up the electrics (not part of the agreed scope of work). When they did this extra work, they spoke as if they were doing us a favour, not asking us if we wanted it done, and not asking us for extra money, and consequently we were very grateful and thought them very conscientious builders going above and beyond, etc.

Since then, OH and I have been talking about what a great job they're doing, and we thought it would be fair to pay them for the extra work they did. (We envisaged about £2K for approximately an extra week of labour and materials.) We asked them to send us their estimate for the extra cost, and obviously they were pleased.

Today they sent through the extra costing, and it was £4.5K. My husband said this was too much, and after a few hours of thinking, they sent an invoice for £3.3K.

What would you do? Bearing in mind:

• We've spent most of our money, and there's other stuff we need to pay for (ie we technically could afford it but don't really want to).
  
• The builders have 2 more weeks of work left to do, and we want them to do it well (ie not get angry at us and trash the place).
  
• We are genuinely grateful for the extra work and want to be FAIR to them.
  
• We didn't anticipate this cost, and one could argue that they quoted too low to start with, which is their responsibility? And they shouldn't have done the work without agreeing a cost beforehand?
  

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[Jellytotsandtinytots]

You asked for their answer and it's not what you expected so you're stuck, don't know why you asked them should have just given the rest as a 'tip' I say give them 3K if they make a good job of the rest

[Booper42]

I would pay the £4.5k - whilst they should have agreed any out of scope work, they have ensured that works are completed probably so that you have a smoother finish- the electrics might ensure that you are compliant with building regs. £2k does not get you very much these days, and they have to make some profit at the end of the day. what exactly are you basing the £2k on? I assume you have received a breakdown from them to justify £4.5k, but what is your rationale for a lower price - and it can't that this is all you have left.... How would you feel if you did a great job only to be told that you were going to have to slash the price by 50%....

[MumOnTheRunCatchingUp]

Pay them properly of course!

[DollyBarton]

I'd tell them that it's over the budget you agreed but you had pulled together £2k extra for them, having no idea it would be more than that (as you were given no quote). Give them the £2k apologetically and tell them not to do any more extras as you really can't go beyond the budget.

They did this work without giving you a cost.

[Mycraneisfixed]

Typical builders I'm afraid.

[Shakirawannabe]

I disagree, I'm in the property development business and I have builders I use regularly. They should quote you and if they do extra (without discussing this and price) then you are in your right to pay only the original quote given. They should have factored in 3-5k buffer on a large job.
It's up to you how you want to go forward. They will try their luck to get as much as they can. You can pay original quote and say you are paying them £2k tip for the extras. If they fight this and kick off then only pay original quote.

[ElleDubloo]

I wish that we'd just offered them £2K outright, rather than expecting them to telepathically come up with a similar figure! Is it unreasonable of us to now retract the offer?

[DollyBarton]

Yes Elle, it's business.

[DollyBarton]

Good luck! I know negotiations can be uncomfortable but you can't let that stop you!

[DollyBarton]

Argh, I mean no OP, it's not unreasonable to retract offer!!!

[Shakirawannabe]

Builders are known for this, they will try and get as much as they can out of you. Stand your ground, that's your hard earned cash. They seem to have no problem asking for more money so you can feel very comfortable in saying no!

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Nope,not a chance I would hand over 4k extra without it being discussed,no way on God 's green earth and I've done lots of places up.

[Rdoo]

Hang on, what has the builders done wrong. Sounds like they didn't ask to be paid for the extra work until op asked them for an invoice??

[pilates]

Surely, if the Builders come across "extras' they should pick up the phone before carrying out the work and advise you of their proposals and, if you consent, to then agree a price for the extra work so you are aware before shoving in a final higher bill.

[FireTruckOhFireTruck]

I'd begrudgingly pay it if they'd done a good job on everything else tbh

[Littleallovertheshop]

It sounds like they did check before doing these things though? I'm sorry but I think YABU - in thst situation I'd be asking for a cost for every single extra which was offered

[RubbleBubble00]

You asked for the invoice for the extra work so you hae essentially agreed to pay for the extra work

[APlaceOnTheCouch]

You mismanaged this - not the builders. I don't understand why you asked them to invoice you if you only intended to pay a certain amount.

It sounds as though they did quite a lot of additional and essential work, and that they kept you informed throughout. If you haven't budgeted for it , you have to tell them that you cannot afford it.

If you are asking what I would do, I would pay it.

[WhatALoadOfWankers]

Mycrane fuck off with your typical builders crap
OP did you assume they were doing it for free
Pay them the 3 grand

[Okay377]

if you hadn't asked them for a quote and they had done additional work without informing you of expense then it would be up to you what additional payment you gave them.

As you have now asked them for a quote then I don't see how you can really refuse to pay. As you say you were being a little U to expect them to just come up with the figure in your heads. It sounds as if they've done a good job. I would say 'that much simply wasn't in our original budget' and give them £3k.

[ElleDubloo]

Ok. We'll give them 3.3K. We did totally mismanage it.

Hopefully this means we now have a good relationship and we can ask them for more work in the future.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Since when do builders just decide to plaster without discussing cost?

I remember a decorator wanting to wallpaper our stairway as in his opinion it would look better but I just said no as I dislike wallpaper. Had he just gone ahead without discussion I wouldn't have paid him.