Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not pay builder?

55 replies

Atadaddicted · 13/07/2020 19:55

A builder came and quoted for some work.
He returned as had to do some exploratory work (charged and I paid £50 for this exploratory work)

I said that I wanted him to proceed and we agreed end of July.

I now no longer am going ahead with the works. I have just updated him. He has said fine but wants me to pay £40 for a material he purchased.

I will have absolutely no use for this! Whereas it’s very much a material he could use for his work.

Do I need to pay? Nothing was signed or anything. Or via email ie yes let’s confirm a date for work to start please etc

OP posts:
InfiniteSheldon · 13/07/2020 19:57

No legal reason to every moral reason to and its not just materials wasted its outlay at a difficult time, you've wasted his actual time and probably messed up his bookings. So pay him if you are a decent person or scab him off if you're not

CazzaCat · 13/07/2020 19:58

@Atadaddicted what’s the material?

StormzyInaDCup · 13/07/2020 19:59

What @InfiniteSheldon said. Morally, I think you should pay. He's now lost time, he potentially could have filled. You did agree to start the job at the end of July and it would appear that he has purchased materials based on this.

Morechocmorechoc · 13/07/2020 20:00

If you oay hom make sure he gives you the material and provides and invoice for it. Then you could sell it on.

If he says he cant provide this then I certainly.woukdnt he is probably trying a fast one. There is a lot of work so I doubt he will be put out. That's the nature of the business.

Morechocmorechoc · 13/07/2020 20:01

Also I don't know any builder who buys material that far in advance. I have had a lot of work done and know a lot of builders. It is most unlikely.

Daisychains20 · 13/07/2020 20:02

Did you agree in a email for him to commence work on a agreed date?

Why have you changed your mind?

Moondust001 · 13/07/2020 20:02

Regardless of the fact that you hadn't agreed a date, you agreed to the work and did so in writing. A professional doesn't just pop to the shop the day before. They have to prepare. You made a commitment to the work and cost him money- I think you have got off lightly. Pay up.

Daisychains20 · 13/07/2020 20:05

@Morechocmorechoc before the start of this year I would have had to agree with you but since lockdown certain materials are very hard to come by and are being ordered weeks in advance. I should know I do the ordering for one of my jobs at the momentWink

If the builder had this job booked in he could well have already sorted the material and either have it or have it being delivered on a certain date.

Original poster
Atadaddicted · 13/07/2020 20:06

The time?

As I said I have paid The £50 for the second visit he made in order to provide the quote. No quibble about that. Paid within 2 hours!

It’s the material (a pipe) he has purchased.

OP posts:
icelollycraving · 13/07/2020 20:07

How much was the work? If it was 5k you’ve got off lightly, if it was £100 maybe not.
Just pay it. He’s scheduled out time for this job.

vanillandhoney · 13/07/2020 20:10

I think if he has proof of purchase, it would be morally right to pay him. But I don't think you're under any legal obligation to do so.

Depends whether you're going to want to use his services in the future, I suppose, as you have messed him around a little.

Original poster
Atadaddicted · 13/07/2020 20:11

Circa £2000 job

OP posts:
icelollycraving · 13/07/2020 20:13

Then you’ve got off v lightly.

StuffThem · 13/07/2020 20:14

it's 40 quid. You need to pay it, get the pipe and see if you can flog it if you want to recoup some of the loss.

Daisychains20 · 13/07/2020 20:14

If he is genuine then I would pay the £40 you just lost him a £2000 job!!!!

MissConductUS · 13/07/2020 20:17

You should pay and he should give you the pipe in case you want to do the job later.

Davincitoad · 13/07/2020 20:23

If you pay ask for the item

Itwasntme1 · 13/07/2020 20:28

Pay it. You have messed him around and he probably turned down work so he could do this job for you.

Moneypenny007 · 13/07/2020 20:34

Bit shitty to agree to go ahead with works, him to spend time sourcing materials and organising works then for you to decide to stop and not at least reimburse him for the materials. Yes he might be able to reuse it, but might also have to store it for ages before he needs it.

Thisismytimetoshine · 13/07/2020 20:36

The end of July is two weeks away. That's far too short notice to cancel.

Bemorechicken · 13/07/2020 20:40

@Thisismytimetoshine

The end of July is two weeks away. That's far too short notice to cancel.
No quote in writing, no agreement, no details agreed. No pay. Of course, she can cancel.
Keepmeawayfromthebuffet · 13/07/2020 20:41

Think you should pay. He’s probably had to turn down other work and you’ve just cancelled a £2000 job on him at quite short notice

CarrotCakeCrumbs · 13/07/2020 20:47

He has paid for a length of pipe specific to your job, he may not get another job come up for months where he can use that material in the meantime he is £40 out of pocket. You have cost him a £2000 job which means he has probably lost other jobs that he could have in fact taken on. If he is self-employed and not earning an hourly rate through a company then that could be a very significant loss. I don't think many people realise how much it can affect a trades person to be messed about like this and have a customer refuse to pay for the materials.

Feelinghistoric · 13/07/2020 20:49

It’s really hard to get hold of some materials at the moment - and quite plausible that he might have started stocking up (and a sign he’s good at the job) certain things (DP a builder and has had real trouble sourcing plaster etc.

Thisismytimetoshine · 13/07/2020 21:03

Well, of course op can cancel. It's just quite a crappy thing to do with this sort of notice.

Swipe left for the next trending thread