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

[bigmouthstrikesagain]

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?

It feels like I'm reading a different thread to some posters.

OP had a contract with the plumber. She has no contract with carpenter who is contracted by plumber. Plumber wants paying before the job is finished, and knocks off what he thinks carpenter wants, saying pay carpenter directly. OP is not happy to do this as carpenter may want more, or may refuse to fit bath panel (which was plumber's job, but he has not done).

Plumber has already been paid 50%. He has asked OP to pay carpenter directly rather than through him; this is his choice and does not mean OP has contracted the carpenter. It is up to the main contractor, the plumber, to ensure the job is finished properly, at which point he will be paid in full. Plumber is asking to vary the terms of the contract, not OP.

You hired your plumber to do a job. That job INCLUDED boxing in of the pipes!
He told you his job was finished but the boxing in was not done. THEN he said he would take the money off that he had originally quoted for the boxing in off and that he would send a carpenter around to do that part of the job!
You have no way of knowing whether the amount he originally quoted for boxing in will be in the same ballpark as the carpenters quote. As a result I would be saying to him, we have paid half of the invoice and will pay the remaining half, including the boxing in, to him on completion of job as ORIGINALLY AGREED.

It feels like I'm reading a different thread to some posters.

The standard of English comprehension on open Internet forums is very variable. This, combined with poor attention spans, the love of the sound of their own voice and a very strong herd mentality means there is an awful lot of rubbish posted on threads.