AIBU or is builder taking the piss?

[Settingup]

Sorry, this is long. Recently moved. Neither DH or I are great at DIY. Needed various DIY jobs done around the house (curtain rails put up, sticking doors planed, lock put on shed, plug socket moved etc). Completely failed to find a handyman, so called a recommended builder to ask for handyman recommendations, and he said he could do the work. Quoted £25/hr + VAT. Sent his Carpenter, apprentice and an electrician. Electrician was there for 5 hours. Apprentice did several jobs very badly (wonky shelves, damaged paintwork) and builder said he wouldn’t charge for the apprentices work. Carpenter was at the house for 5 1/2 days....and during that time spent 1/2 day redoing jobs because his first attempt wasn’t good enough- blinds not central, curtain pole cut shorter one end than the other etc. I supplied almost all of the materials.

Bill arrived; £2400 (£2k + VAT). Wrote to builder asking for bill to be itemised. Said I didn’t think the materials he bought could have come to more than £100 and he appears to have charged us for 11 days work not 6, based on a 7 hour day. Builder writes back saying working day is 8 hours, but reduces the bill by £400 (ie 2 days work).

Carpenter turned up somewhere between 8.30 and 9.15 everyday and was gone by 4pm and sat in his van for an hour having lunch. At best he did 7 hours work/day. Builder listed the materials they used and totals it as £434. I’ve look up said items in Screwfix, and without a trade discount they come to £79.

Have written to builder again asking for a properly itemised bill including receipts and telling him we are taking 11 hours off his labour bill to account for the lunch breaks and the time spent redoing jobs.

To give context we had 2 amazing carpenters where we used to live (south east). They charged £200/day, worked hard and did a brilliant job (we did a high end whole house refurb and extension). I never once questioned their invoices, nor did I feel the need to keep tabs on the time they came and went or how long they spent having lunch. I just think this builder is taking the piss. AIBU and WWYD?

YANBU, OP. I totally sympathise. Stick to your guns and tell him he needs to rectify any damage.

I was recommended a sparky who couldn’t make the extractor hood (which he dented and scratched in several places-it’s a stainless steel monstrosity so very obvious 😢) over the cooker work then claimed he could fit a door. He certainly could, but he made two dents in the ceiling fitting it and mullered the bottom of it and scratched the door to buggery.

Completely taking the piss there.
If it was a straight forward move of the electrical socket (along the same wall? I cant see why it would need to cost anymore than £150)
To put a lock on the shed let's say an hours labour, that's being generous to the builder cos it should take 10 minutes.
Planing a door. £35ish.
I'd say another hour for a curtain rail.

It's less than a days work total.
They've taken the absolute piss.

The rate of £25+vat PH is fairly standard, but the jobs you've requested would have been a day plus materials.

@Apirateslifeforme I haven’t listed all the jobs.... there were 9 curtain rails and 5 blinds amongst some other jobs.......I’d say for everything it was a 3 day job (based on what our old carpenters could do)

Ah ok, well that makes more sense, but still, £2400+vat for 3 days is a bit much.

Me and DH have a construction company ourselves, even based on what you've said, they're taking the mick.

I'd stick to your guns. Not like you'll use him again so nothing to lose.

YANBU, I was shocked at the price, does he know what job you do? He's still a pisstaker but you would have thought he wouldnt try it on with your line of work.

@CuriousCatCatcher how do you know my line of work?

Oh that's awful OP, are you new in the area too? I recently had a bad experience with a plasterer so know how horrible this feels. Hope you manage to sort soemthing out.

Seems like they are taking the piss