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?.

Thank you all. We have asked for a revised bill so we will wait and see. I am not hopeful.

If he raises an invoice do we have to pay it just because he has plucked this increased figure out of thin air? I would not relish being taken to court. I am not sure how we could prove what we originally agreed or what a resonable cost for the 2 days plus materials would be.

Just FYI the builder is not VAT registered so he says. I was a bit curious about that as his hourly rate is so high at £25 per hour.

I think the VAT threshold is £83,000 now so he would need to be working over 60 hours every week of the year to get near that.

No you should pay day rate as that was agreed. Did u have it in writing?

You had a verbal contract at a daily rate. He cannot just change the terms to suit his bank balance without a discussion. Pay the original rate.

The builder did not turn up last night to finish off and collect payment.

Instead my husband got a very aggressive email today from the builder demanding we pay up in full by bank transfer so he does not have to come round. He says he will not return to fit the wiindow sill (but has included in the bill) as he says if we are so smart about pricing up jobs we can do it ourselves. He claims we are trying not to pay him and we are not the first to try it on for a freebie. This is not the case, we just queried his over pricing.

Never thought a reasonable challenge to agreed rates would come to such a nasty outburst from this builder. Bit taken aback if truth be told as this has never happened to us before.

I feel it safest to pay up and this is what my husband wants to do. My sense of right and wrong says to deduct the amount of fitting the sill (we would have to get another contractor in to quote and do the job). I don't want to inflame him. Bit scared of him if truth be told.

This is par for the course for rogue tradesmen. Much as it rankles it's probably best to pay up. And tell everyone you know what rubbish he is.

If he’s endorsed by anything like a ‘Safe Trader’ scheme contact them and describe his practices on your building job.

Sadly he is not on check a trade nor endorsed by any association. He was recommended to us by our very excellent plumber who is as surprised as we are by this contractor's behaviour.

As I said his work seems to be fine so no complaints there. It is just his level of aggression when questioned that is the big shocker.

Husband has paid him now so thanks to all for your support. It is very much appreciated. Lesson learned.