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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would I be unreasonable to ask for a breakdown of costs for a quote from a tradesman?

42 replies

DueinSeptember · 21/04/2012 18:20

I've just had a quote for some work on my house from a plasterer. There's a few rooms to plaster and a laminate floor to lay.

It's come to about £1k more than I was expecting. He text me today to tell me the price.

Would it be unreasonable to text back and ask for a breakdown of cost room by room?

How would you word the text.

I'd like to go with him as he's done work for my family and know he's reliable and does a good job but it's just the price I was a bit shocked by.

OP posts:
poorbuthappy · 21/04/2012 18:22

"Thank you for the quotation. Please can you provide a breakdown of the quote detailing labour and materials."

Smile
Original poster
DueinSeptember · 21/04/2012 18:42

Thanks poor but happy, do you think it would be ok to ask for a breakdown room by room so I could prioritise which ones I'd rather get done and which ones I can get away with leaving.

OP posts:
DowagersHump · 21/04/2012 18:44

Yes, of course :)

Original poster
DueinSeptember · 21/04/2012 18:48

Thanks dowagers hump.

OP posts:
BarbaraWoodlouse · 21/04/2012 18:50

YANBU

or should it be

YWNBU Smile

Original poster
DueinSeptember · 21/04/2012 18:53

Thanks barbara.

OP posts:
molepom · 21/04/2012 18:56

A good tradesman will be happy to do that for you. I remember ex having to do that a few times on work and he was more than happy to do that, cost of materials, the site of the place he's getting them from so they can cross reference, the labour, the vat..everything.

Original poster
DueinSeptember · 21/04/2012 19:07

Good thanks Molepom. I'm just sending a text now.

OP posts:
Groovee · 21/04/2012 19:40

Dh is a plumber and gas engineer and often does a breakdown for customers.

HecateTrivia · 21/04/2012 19:44

Yes. It's good to do that.

I once asked someone to break down their quote for me and they replied saying that they had too much work on and now were unable to fit me in and I should look elsewhere! Shock SOMEONE was looking to scam a bit of cash, I think. And when asked to justify their price - couldn't.

So if he gets funny about giving you a breakdown - you'll know why. Although since you say he has done work for people you know and is good, he's unlikely to be a scammer.

Original poster
DueinSeptember · 21/04/2012 19:54

Thanks Hecate and Groovee too, hopefully he will come back to us with a breakdown for each room and I can see which one is expensive or if they are all pricey. I just had a big shock as I had sort of mentally priced up everything in my head based on similar work and quotes that we've had before and it was a lot more.

Perhaps I should get some more quotes next week, but not sure who to pick as don't have any more personal recommendations.

OP posts:
Original poster
DueinSeptember · 21/04/2012 19:56

Do tradesmen give quotes expecting people to negotiate or do they generally fix their price.

OP posts:
HecateTrivia · 21/04/2012 20:01

Some do and some don't. It depends on the tradesman.

Babylon1 · 21/04/2012 20:05

Any tradesman worth his salt will break down the cost as far as you ask them to. So if you want labour and materials breakdown or labour, materials and room by room, then it shouldn't be an issue. Lets face it, how on earth did they arrive at the figure they have quoted if they haven't done a breakdown for themsleves?

If he can't/won't then i'd find someone who can/will as it is likely that he has plucked a figure from thin air, or done a basic breakdown and added a few hundred - either way it is unreasonable to do this.

DH is a plumber/joiner, and he will always provide full breakdown either at quoting or invoicing stage - whichever customer wants really - he's also happy to share receipt details for materials so his cutomers know they aren't being ripped off for materials when he's paying tradesman prices.

Original poster
DueinSeptember · 21/04/2012 20:10

Thanks hecate and babylon.

OP posts:
squeakytoy · 21/04/2012 20:18

I always break down our quotes, showing the cost of materials and cost of labour. As a company our hourly labour rate is always the same and if a customer wanted to supply their own materials that is fine with us, so long as they are aware that if there are any subsequent problems, they dont come to us. If we supply the materials, we deal with any problems if they arise.

squeakytoy · 21/04/2012 20:20

OP, look on Checkatrade's website. They are a very good way to gauge local tradesmen and independent reviews from customers.

Original poster
DueinSeptember · 21/04/2012 20:34

Thanks squeakytoy, just had look and they have no plasterers registered in our area.

OP posts:
GnomeDePlume · 21/04/2012 20:34

You can ask but dont forget that there will be a variable factor as the price probably wont simply be materials plus labour. It will be possible that there is a bulk discount if you have all the work done at once as he will set aside a set number of days. If you split up the work then each job will be round days as that will be what it 'costs' him.

Another variable factor will be how much he actually wants the job.

At the end of the day there isnt a fixed wage for tradesmen.

Original poster
DueinSeptember · 21/04/2012 20:39

Thanks Gnomedeplume, I knew that he'd probably group them all together etc and maybe we'd get a better price for that. I just can't see where the costs are coming from.

I think he wants the work as he can start next week.

I like him and would like him to do the job, but it's just more expensive than we'd expected.

OP posts:
FredFredGeorge · 21/04/2012 20:44

Not sure why everyone assumes it's a scam when someone won't break down the costs. It's a real PITA to do, it takes time, it just leads to questions like "why are you using that plaster when you can get this other plaster for 75% of the cost?" which then have to be explained with yes, but that plaster takes twice as long to put up to get the same finish. Unless you're short of work - which a good tradesmen is unlikely to be - then it's just not worth the hassle. When you're busy, you can pick your customer.

So maybe he is trying to scam and just picked a figure that's way inflated, or maybe he's just too busy because he's actually good and fair. Either way, go somewhere else!

Original poster
DueinSeptember · 21/04/2012 20:49

I'm not really bothered about the breakdown of labour/materials etc. I just want a price for each room. I'll wait and see what he says.

OP posts:
Babylon1 · 21/04/2012 20:51

I don't get why it is a PITA FredFredGeorge - the tradesman in question MUST have done smoe sort of breakdown to be able to arrive at the quoted price in the first place - so why not share that breakdown with the customer?

OK, if we're talking typed up and printed out, then yes, time consuming and a pain, but is it REALLY too much to ask to scribble the costings down on some paper??

Tradesmen MUST do this to be able to quote for a job in the first place, surely??

Babylon1 · 21/04/2012 20:55

Again, room by room shouldn't be an issue - the plasterer must have had to do some rough calculations to get to the figure he has quoted you??

GnomeDePlume · 21/04/2012 21:17

For many trades the material element is not necessarily particularly significant. What you are paying for is the skill not someone to install the plaster!

What is perfectly legitimate is to say 'I dont want to pay that much'. Depending on the tradesman and how much he wants the work at that particular time then he may be willing to negotiate.

He might well be willing to give you a room by room price to allow you to spread the cost. Again this will depend on how much he wants the work.

What he wont want to do is get into long complicated explanations about why he is charging X for room A but Y for room B.

It isnt for you to decide what is or is not a legitimate amount for him to pay himself just as he shouldnt be asking you for details of personal finance to explain how you can afford for the work to be done.

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