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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:
HisNibs · 13/07/2020 21:03

And people wonder why some tradespeople ask for deposits are on bigger jobs.....

Do the decent thing and pay for the materials he ordered specially for your job. If it was something he could use elsewhere, he wouldn't have bothered asking for the £40.

Rumbletumbleinmytummy · 13/07/2020 21:09

To be honest, some materials are very hard to get hold of at the moment. If hes taken time to source and collect materials and you've cancelled a job with a few weeks notice that hes pencilled in I'd pay him at this time.

This time is not like any other. Theres a possibility hes been out of work for months.

nikkylou · 13/07/2020 21:09

It doesnt sound like you agreed a start date, and I'm surprised he purchased materials for you before having something set in stone.

I'd also be surprised he hasn't made contact to book you in proper, if you said end of July...I've found tradesman like to book you in the diary asap, especially for a big job.

Are you planning this in later? If so, I'd pay for the pipe for good relations and keep it for them.

If not, it's short notice to 'cancel' and a bit mean to leave him with something he can't use. But actually it's kind of on his own head. He chose to buy it without a contract and confirmed date. You have the right to decline to continue.

He's just trying his luck, to rectify his 'mistake' in trusting you before a contract. If you want to use him again, I'd pay. Presumably you could afford £2000 at the time. Understand that might no longer be the case, but £40 isnt even a 10% deposit you could have potentially lost if booked in properly.

I'd pay, with grace, apologising for letting him down. Otherwise you might find he'd be wary of trading with you again, if he feels you're a bit flaky.

icelollycraving · 13/07/2020 21:11

Also, I’d feel sorry for a builder that asked for the £40 really. Times are tough. Pay him.

PatchworkElmer · 13/07/2020 21:11

I’d pay him

WatchoutfortheROUS · 13/07/2020 21:13

I'd pay him without question. I think you'd be really shitty not to.

PurpleButterflyAway · 13/07/2020 21:16

Pay

OrchidJewel · 13/07/2020 21:18

Nah you agreed for him to start, your mean, pay it, he is letting you away lightly.

VettiyaIruken · 13/07/2020 21:21

You should pay him.
But you should also be given the pipe.

Even if you've no use for it! He shouldn't be out of pocket but he also shouldn't get the money and the pipe.

fatgirlslimmer · 13/07/2020 21:22

You agreed to start the work. As others have said he may have sourced the pipe earlier than usual as building supplies are difficult to source right now. He may have turned down other work. You may be surprised how much work he has already done in preparation.

Pay him the £40 it’s 0.2% of the job. I’m surprised you even asked.

fatgirlslimmer · 13/07/2020 21:23

0.02% that should have read

fatgirlslimmer · 13/07/2020 21:26

2% 😂

AlwaysCheddar · 13/07/2020 21:29

Ask him for the item and receipt. Then pay. Sell it in Facebook.

passthemustard · 13/07/2020 21:30

You gave him the go ahead for a job and he spent money on materials to facilitate what you had asked him to do. You should pay.

Rose789 · 13/07/2020 21:30

Of course you must pay him. You’ve chosen to cancel a large job with less than 2 weeks notice. He is out of pocket because of you, because he bought supplies for your job. It’s irrelevant if it could be reused. Do the right thing and give him the £40.

Sh05 · 13/07/2020 21:36

That pipe will come in use when you do decide to get the work done so just pay for it and store it for future use.
Legally you don't have to but was it a cash in hand job that you were planning, because otherwise I'm surprised you didn't ask for a written contract from him when you agreed to the work

december2020 · 13/07/2020 21:37

Legally you're probably not required to pay it.

Morally, and especially if he is highly regarded and someone you'd consider hiring for another project, pay him!

I lucked out and have our perfect builder/renovation man who I can trust and fixes little things he notices outside the quote and for no extra fee, and my god they're hard to come by!

So if this yours, don't put him out of pocket and lost wages!

whistler2020 · 13/07/2020 21:42

You should definitely pay the £40! But should be provided with the receipt and material. He was probably relying on that £2000 to pay his own bills, it's not his fault you want to cancel, and he would probably have turned down other work now. It may be difficult for him to find an alternative job at such short notice!

whistler2020 · 13/07/2020 21:43

You should definitely pay the £40! But should be provided with the receipt and material. He was probably relying on that £2000 to pay his own bills, it's not his fault you want to cancel, and he would probably have turned down other work now. It may be difficult for him to find an alternative job at such short notice!

Disfordarkchocolate · 13/07/2020 21:46

Pay him. You had asked him to do the job. Keep the pipe if you want to.

hadenoughbleach · 13/07/2020 22:12

Of course you should pay him; he specifically purchased this item to carry out the work for you. You can always get someone else to do the job down the line, and you'll already have the materials.

ShaunaRae · 13/07/2020 22:20

For those saying that he must provide a receipt...should he?

He has sourced the materials, possibly numerous phone calls to different merchants, drove to pick them up and stored them for you.
Presumably if you want the materials he’s charging for, you will also want him to drop them off to you!?

Petrol and time spend. The receipt is irrelevant. You have wasted his time and cost him a lot of money. Just pay it and see that you have got away lightly.

BornOnThe4thJuly · 13/07/2020 22:22

@Morechocmorechoc

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.
Agreed.
KrisAkabusi · 13/07/2020 22:41

*Morechocmorechoc

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.

Agreed.*

Disagree. It's only two weeks away, and some supplies are difficult to get hold of at the moment.

Pay him.

Chloemol · 13/07/2020 22:45

Tell him that’s fine, he can drop the materials off at yours and you will pay Then sell it on

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