Not to want to pay extra for this?

[Fianceechickie]

We're just coming to the end of our extension project. Generally we've been really happy with the Builder. Our original quote included fitting of new kitchen flooring. At the time I said it would be a wood laminate product but two months ago at the start of the project I changed my mind to vinyl tiles (karndean type). I checked with the Builder and the fitter that the product was okay and showed them a sample before ordering. I had it delivered on the day they chose. Once they started fitting it they complained it was a pain because the tiles were half the size of a laminate plank and it was too lightweight and needed to go under the kitchen not around the units as they'd originally wanted to do. They also found it hard to fit so it took longer. Now the Builder is saying we have to pay £250 extra towards the cost of the fitting. The joiners (who also did the kitchen and roof) are saying it took longer than they had planned for. They've also left the Builder needing to hire another joiner to do the skirting and doors as they now don't have time. Would I be unreasonable to say no to paying the extra?

I think you would, it takes much longer to fit vinyl like Karndean than laminate - £250 extra sounds good to me

Though I'm a bit worried for you that they're not experienced fitters of it, it goes on top of a resin glue.

They definitely didn't glue it! It wasn't karndean it was TLC click loc vinyl. Karndean do same product for same price. I just preferred the TLC one. Hope it didn't need glue cos it didn't get any! I just feel they should have at least warned me what I'd chosen would cost more to fit. I checked out reviews etc on line and all said was easy to fit.

I would pay it. Its different to the original quote and tbh £250 extra isnt too bad if its a kitchen extension. Ask for breakdown of material costs

I would query why they didn't tell you this in the first place but leagally there isn't really anything that you can do about it. Economic duress/failure of Consideration for variations very limited in construction cases.

Yep I’m afraid you ought to pay it. For years I aggravated builders by trying not to pay stuff like this. Once I started sucking it up, their goodwill more than paid back the extra sum. You don’t want resentful builders - they may cut corners elsewhere to recoup.

If it was them that took longer to fit the original flooring then I wouldn’t pay it, but because you changed your mind which made the job take longer then you need to pay it

I think had i been the builder, i would not have touched the flooring but would have contracted a flooring contractor to do it.

You should pay the extra, when you swap a product they aren't necessarily thinking about fitting it, you said you asked if it was suitable but not if fitting it would be more complicated.
If you have no reason to distrust them then you should pay it and you'll have evidence that it took them longer etc so not like here fleecing you

Thanks everyone. Have just started to get a bit worried as there's another issue with the patio doors I'm definitely not BU about so I'm a bit jittery and thinking the worst. I really did try to get across to both the Builder and the joiner that I wanted to choose a product they could fit for same price as laminate but maybe didn't make myself clear enough. I also wanted to get flooring delivered earlier but they didn't want it. Even as it was it sat there for a few days without them checking it so was a surprise to them apparently when it came out of box!