Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think you pay for a job - when it is finished (bathroom refit)

53 replies

bigmouthstrikesagain · 30/01/2017 12:00

I have just had a bathroom refit - tiles, new bath/ loo/ sink/shower/ radiator - the works. Downstairs cloakroom we have had replaced loo and sink and we are going to have the pipework boxed in before we paint it. The fitter was very good as was the tiler but there were a few issues with when they said they would start and when they actually started (over a week delay on agreed start date - further delays once work began) I am happy with the work as a whole.

Part of the work is incomplete - we had to return the bath panel we ordered as the floor tiles came up higher than we originally thought. We had to order new shower parts as the shower has a leak (not the fault of the fitter), the boxing in will need to be done by a carpenter but it was part of the original quote. The carpenter has not been here to measure up yet and cost it himself, the plumber made a estimate himself of the probable cost and took it off our invoice.

I received the invoice on Thursday. I have received several texts and emails asking for the payment in full. Dh doesn't want to pay anything till the carpenter has been round and confirmed he can do the boxing in and when and how much. I was keen to pay half and the balance after the carpenter has been round.

After receiving another text this morning I have paid half and sent text to plumber to say the remainder would be paid on Wed. I cannot contact dh to discuss this as he is in meetings all day. Plumber responded to say that enough was taken off to cover costs of boxing in and that carpenter can do the bath panel as well and I have a voicemail from carpenter to say he can come on wed. (sub text - "pay up in full beeyatch!".

I now have two concerns - plumber said on friday he would be round to fit shower replacement parts and bath panel on tue afternoon, now panel is going to be fitted by carpenter (that is ok) but no mention of shower in latest text so is he still coming? I can't pay full cost without speaking to DH as it is not what we agreed but dh is in big important meeting all frickin day. I don't like being pestered when the job is not finished yet.

So do I respond to the pester text - risk having plumber with a shitty attitude on Tuesday or no plumber at all, pay up, or hold my position and not let it get to me? God it is a pain in the arse! I am sure the bathroom fitter feels the same way but aibu? How do I respond?

OP posts:
Original poster
bigmouthstrikesagain · 30/01/2017 13:48

The carpentry work was part of the first job quote and now it has been shifted to someone else at the end of the job by the bathroom fitter. That is why he has taken money off our quote for the invoice and that is why we are waiting to pay til we have the costs confirmed and a date from the carpenter. As the work is not yet complete as originally agreed. We are not choosing the carpenter but we are paying him so it is a sort of half way sub contract.

OP posts:
wowfudge · 30/01/2017 13:54

So tell him that. You also want to know when the shower will be fixed. Ring him if texting back and forth isn't getting you anywhere.

BillSykesDog · 30/01/2017 15:08

I didn't order a faulty shower I ordered a shower and it has been found to be faulty so it is a bit muddy - as I didn't fit it - I didn't make it either

How would you feel if your work withheld half your salary because the photocopier broke down?

Original poster
bigmouthstrikesagain · 30/01/2017 16:01

Not really same thing bill - not all the contracted work has been completed. That is not entirely down to the shower. The carpentry was listed on the original job and hasn't been done either. That has nothing to do with me.

OP posts:
peggyundercrackers · 30/01/2017 16:11

I agree with bill, the shower which you supplied sounds like its been fitted but isn't working. that isn't the fitters fault - he should be paid for his original work not for fitting parts he didn't supply. if I was your plumber I would charge you more for fixing your parts. if I supplied it I would eat the cost but you supplied it and its costing me my time. there is no muddying of the waters.

peggyundercrackers · 30/01/2017 16:13

he should be paid for his original work not for fitting parts he didn't supply

sorry that came out wrong, he should be paid for his original work because he fitted your parts which is what your agreement was. he is now having to fix your broken shower which should be paid for separately and over and above your original quote.

Original poster
bigmouthstrikesagain · 30/01/2017 16:14

And the fact that the carpentry work was in the original quote and hasn't been done doesn't matter?

OP posts:
WeAreEternal · 30/01/2017 16:18

I would simply reply with "the invoice will be paid in full on completion of the job"
And then ignore any further text messages.

Original poster
bigmouthstrikesagain · 30/01/2017 16:18

I am not charging the fitter for knackering my boiler when he dismantled the old radiator. I paid the fee for getting British gas out to fix it. I think there has been give and take this is a couple af days delay. Not refusal to pay. I will pay once the carpenter has been round and the shower will be fixed tomorrow.

OP posts:
bibbitybobbityyhat · 30/01/2017 16:24

"Plumber responded to say that enough was taken off to cover costs of boxing in and that carpenter can do the bath panel as well."

I'm not sure I understand what this means.

If everything that was quoted for has been done then pay the full invoice amount. Any extras should be invoiced separately. It is absolutely not right to withhold payment for fitting parts that turned out to be faulty and not the fitters' fault. Not muddy in the slightest. Can't believe anyone would think that's ok.

Mumofttwins · 30/01/2017 16:26

I'm in the same position as Cinderpi and completely agree.

It's not about you and your DH agreeing Hmm^^ what you'll pay between you. The only money you can, and should, knock off, is the Carpenter fee.

peggyundercrackers · 30/01/2017 16:29

The only money you can, and should, knock off, is the Carpenter fee.

the fitter has taken it off the invoice

when the carpenter has come round he will give you a quote for the work and I suspect you will pay him for that work not the fitter.

Mumofttwins · 30/01/2017 16:36

ooops Blush Blush

You have no legal right to withhold any money back. No matter what you and your DH arranged/authorised between yourselves.

lougle · 30/01/2017 16:56

"The only money you can, and should, knock off, is the Carpenter fee.

the fitter has taken it off the invoice

when the carpenter has come round he will give you a quote for the work and I suspect you will pay him for that work not the fitter."

But surely as the OP stands, all she knows is that the fitter has taken off what he had quoted for the carpenter's work.

If they pay the fitter for Original quote - original quote's carpenter's work, then the carpenter comes around and quotes original quote's carpenter's work ×2, the OP wouldn't have a leg to stand on: the original quote was a quote by the plumber, who was subcontracting the carpenter, who is entitled to give a preferential rate to the plumber for regular trade. If that carpenter chooses to charge a higher rate to the general public, he is so entitled and can't be compelled to offer a lower rate.

By paying the new invoice, the OP will have accepted that the plumber wasn't responsible for the fitting of the bath panel, so would have no way of sorting it out.

DopeyDazy · 30/01/2017 17:10

I would be waiting for the carpenter to confirm price and do job before I paid him he might give you a low price to help his mate out and then block your calls. I would expect to pay extra for fitting shower but on a separate invoice that I would want reimbursing by the shower supplier.
Really it's not very fair of him to push the carpentry off onto you he should be arranging it and keep to his quote imo

Original poster
bigmouthstrikesagain · 30/01/2017 17:11

We are mot agreeing what we pay. We are not paying the whole amount today. The plumber quoted for work. That work I not complete. If we pay the invoice in full why would he ensure the work is done. He said he would fit the replacement shower a week ago and did not mention charging for it or adding it to the invoice. He failed to mention he was not going to box in the pipes until he said he had finished and we questioned him. Then he hurriedly took money off the invoice and said he knew a bloke that could do the work. We were upfront about what we wanted. I have no intention of not paying him for the work but there is no guarantee that the carpenter is good. We are not asking him to wait till the carpenter has done the work, just till we meet the carpenter. Which will be in the next couple of days.

OP posts:
Original poster
bigmouthstrikesagain · 30/01/2017 17:12

That should say me and dh are not agreeing not to pay or how much.

OP posts:
BillSykesDog · 30/01/2017 17:54

The plumber's work IS complete. He was paid to come round and fit a shower which he did. Not his problem it was faulty. He's knocked off the price of the uncompleted carpentry. Basically you are withholding payment to blackmail him into coming around AGAIN and fitting the shower for free because you supplied faulty goods. You're taking the piss.

PatMullins · 30/01/2017 18:00

Yep I agree with Bill

bibbitybobbityyhat · 30/01/2017 18:09

"He said he would fit the replacement shower a week ago and did not mention charging for it or adding it to the invoice."

But why would you expect him to do it for free?

BillSykesDog · 30/01/2017 18:40

Exactly, he's done the OP a huge favour by agreeing to return and fit it FOC and the OP is repaying that by withholding payment.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 30/01/2017 19:00

Did he order the shower parts? Not unknown for tradesmen to provide poor quality/seconds parts and pocket the difference. I would withhold enough to ensure it is worth his while to come back.

bibbitybobbityyhat · 30/01/2017 19:06

No, Tinkly, op says she ordered the shower.

itsawonderfulworld · 30/01/2017 19:21

This is why we will only contract the main builder and all parts/secondary tradesmen are their responsibility. Yes, it means paying higher margins, but otherwise they can all pass the buck to each other, and it's without fail the customer who ends up carrying the can. This is one case where cutting corners to try to save money (eg ordering the shower yourself) almost certainly ends up costing £££ in the end.

I fear you're in for an expensive lesson, OP...

MrsSthe3rd · 30/01/2017 22:49

You're still choosing not to pay the plumber, despite that work being completed and the carpenters fe already off. Out of order.

The amount of times my DH tells me about customers buying from certain stores and it being less than useful materials to do the job, is unbelievable. It's usually the same businesses too.

Swipe left for the next trending thread