AIBU - feeling ripped off by builder

[SpottydogDomino]

Our builder agreed day rate of £200 per day and did 2 day's work. £400 labour we thought. Happy with that. Materials are not a problem as he has listed them and we are happy.).

When we got his bill he has put down for 3.5 days so we said his bill was wrong and asked him to revise it.

He then decided, as we had pointed out his error, to bill us on an hourly rate at £25 per hour for the 2 days he was here. Ironically this came out the same as the wrong bill for 3.5 hours!!

He was here from 8am to 6pm but pushed off on both days for 2 or 3 hours to "get materials, have lunch, pop to the merchants, get the dust sheets he forgot to bring, buy a new silicone gun as his was seized".

AIBU to demand that we only pay for the hours he was here on site, and not the hours when he "disappeared".

Am feeling ripped off and he is not budging. I know we are silly for not getting things in writing but we agreed on a day rate (plus materials).

His work btw is good so no complaints there. He is coming back at tea time for his money (no mention of a revised bill) so need to be clear over whether we are right to query the bill and only pay for hours on site and not for his lunch hours or popping out on errands?.

I would pay him £400 as per his quote you agreed for two days work.
If he pushes it you say 'I'm sorry for you if you misquoted us, but we chose you based on your quote.'

If he agreed a day rate of €200 he can't turn around afterwards and say actually he's paying by the hour

he wants to be paid by the hour*

I would pay it and learn from it

Pay him whatever rate was agreed upon when he undertook the work.

Pay him what you agreed , he’s trying it on .

I would pay it and learn from it

Learn what from it? The OP agreed to pay the builder by the day, he can't change his mind after the work is done

Sorry just reread thought it said 2.5 days
Are you were

Never agree Day rates ever though

So did he do 2 days + 1.5 days worth of faffing around or 2 days including a load of faffing around?

Where does he think the extra 1.5 days work has come from?

I don't understand your post. 2 days @ £200 would be £400. 3.5 days @ £200 would be £700. Thats a big difference. But 10 hours per day @ £25 per hour would be £250, therefore £500 for the 2 days.Thats not the same as £700. How much has he actually billed you for?

8 to 6 is 10 hours .... 2 days is 20 hours at 25 an hour is 500.... 3.5 days would be 700... maths doesn't add up somewhere

Cross post hueandcry

So did he do 2 days + 1.5 days worth of faffing around or 2 days including a load of faffing around?

Sounds like 2 days and the faffing was within those days :

He was here from 8am to 6pm but pushed off on both days for 2 or 3 hours to "get materials, have lunch, pop to the merchants, get the dust sheets he forgot to bring, buy a new silicone gun as his was seized".

Rule number 1, never agree to day rates!

Did you get the quote in writing? I would try and be really firm with him and stick to your guns, it’s totally unfair.

I'd pay him the agreed day rate.

It is often better to get a quote for the whole job. We did this with a chap who decorated the outside of our house. He gave us a price for the job which we agreed. When he finished he tried to charge us more as it had taken him longer. "Longer than what?" We asked. Than he anticipated apparently. But that was his problem not ours. And as DH pointed out when the chap started to get arsey, if he had spent less time having fag breaks it wouldn't have taken him so long.........

We got nothing in writing (lesson to be learned sadly), just verbal day rate of £200. We all seemed happy at the time of agreeing.

He was only here 2 days. I have the dates so there is no doubt. He billed us for 3.5 days but did not name any dates, just slapped the total in at nearly £700. We were expecting more like £550 to include two days work and materials.

He is a bit aggressive and has been round twice whilst my husband is at work to finish up as he puts it and settle up. Both times I told him I would let my husband deal.

I did tell him that he had a duty to advise us if he found more work/need to up the price/whatever reason he had for changing the goalposts when it arose. I think by questioning him he is a bit nasty with me. He just expects us to settle up and is not accepting any argument.

If the job is complete I'd ignore the threats as best you can.

If you have nothing in writing there's no way he can force it except by intimidation. Pay what you owe. And review him on a builder site.

He agreed £200 per day so that is what you pay.
Have the money ready and be outside waiting for him when he arrives.
Have your phone to hand and if he starts being aggressive start videoing him, tell him and then warn you will call the police.

He’ll shut up and go away at that point I’m sure.

He's trying to intimidate you. Text for his bank details as you'll be out. Send £400 plus materials (plus vat?).
Hopefully he'll back off.
Next time ensure you have something in writing even if by text. You don't say if the rate includes vat... might want to check that.

*Cost of material...

Never agree Day rates ever though

This. Get a quote for the whole job and UNLESS something unforeseen/major crops up, this is what you pay.

A good friend has employed a decorator and is paying him by the day. He's slower than an elderly tortoise and it's costing her heaps more than she anticipated.

We had some work done a while ago and ended up with bills higher than agreed. Fortunately I had written quotes and was able to prove that work he was trying to charge extra for was included in the initial quote. Without anything in writing it's really hard to counter inflated bills. I honestly don't know why they do this - they don't get repeat business and you'll never recommend them.