Problems with my builder

[Redbean730]

Hello, I really need some advice from you! Sorry it's a long story.

I posted a job (with a picture) on 'mybuilders' website to fix my wall in my shower room because there was a leak from my shower a month ago. I said we needed someone to fix the wall and reput the new skirting. one guy messaged us that he could help and he gave us a quote for £150. I checked with him if the quotation included the materials and the labour and he said yes.

I arranged a time with him while my husband was at work. He came and said the hole on the wall is bigger than he though but he did not say he would charge more than what he quoted. He put the plaster on and said it would need to be dry so he would come back for another day to finish the wall, it would take him about an hour. He asked if I want to paint the wall and I said yes. We agreed to pay him by bank transfer so he said we can pay him £100 and pay the rest after he finished the whole job.

Our shower was till leaking (such a nightmare!) so we asked the plumber to fix it and it took 2 weeks more to let the wall to dry. it only took extra 2 weeks to dry the wall but did not really affect the plaster itself. Later on, I asked the builder if he could reseal the shower tub for us and put the original plastic board under the shower. So I said that will be a separate job and asked ho much he would charge. He said he will get a new skirting and the paint, but I emailed him the pictures of my shower tub and explained he would not need to paint anything and we had the plastic board so no skirting for the shower is needed. Then he said all the job was £150. I though he meant the fixing of the wall.

Then he came again to finish the wall when my husband was around this time, so he painted the wall and put the new skirting on the wall and helped us to put the silicon on one side of the shower tub and put the plastic board back. it took him about 3 hours (which we kept going to ask him if everything was fine and he said it was fine) We were happy with what he has done and he spent longer than he said so we said we'd like to pay him a bit extra. He said it was up to us. So we said we have already paid him £100 last time and we should give you £50 more but we are happy to pay £80, so we will transfer him the money. he nobbed his head.

After we gave him £80 we texted him. He replied that we should transfer him £150. Because the first day is £150 and the second day is another £100. He asked if we wanted to paint the wall and I said yes. So painting and putting the skirting on will be a separate job from putting the plaster on. he spent £100 on the material and he spent 2 days on the work. So it had to be £250 in total. I have all the record of our conversation and I think the communication was a bit unclear; his understanding is different from mine. We emailed him again that we misunderstood on both side, so we hoped we could agree the price at the mid-point that we were more than happy to pay him £200 in total so we could transfer him an extra £20. He kept saying he needed to charge £250 all together... It is so stressed to deal with him while we have a little one to take care of! Although we pointed out from our conversation but it seems he was not really listening... What can I do now?

[OnePlanOnHouzz]

What have you got in writing ? What's on the paperwork. If he didn't give you any paperwork then he should have. It's a legal requirement.

[ScoutsMam]

He's chancing it. I'd never do more work than I'd quoted for without giving someone the option of opting out of extra work or making sure they understand they have to pay extra.

He agreed to the extra 80, if he's got nothing to say it would be more then he's humped. Make sure you put this hassle on his review. It's not on.