To refuse to pay them more money?!

[aubergineface]

Was quoted for a building job in the garden, £2200. They estimated it would be complete today but it is not.

They've now sent me this message asking for another £300. AIBU to say no, it's not my problem they underestimated how long the job would take?!

Slightly related but not, I'm also not particularly happy with the work.

Yeah no. Sorry buddy the fact you haven’t managed to get the work done in the allotted time is not my problem. We’ve had plenty of workman try and do the same to us and it’s always a hard no.

If it was an estimate you need to pay it! Fed up of the opinion these type of trades get.

@JurgensCakeBaby

That text doesn't give enough detail to be a quote, 2 labourers maybe 3, plant hire/some plant hire, he didn't say if it's day rate or job and finish. I wouldn't use them again, but I think your're going to have to pay.

She certainly doesn’t have to pay. They had a written contract that stipulates a certain price. Unless they can prove the OP has made fulfilling that contract difficult/impossible they do not have the right to spring an extra £300 at the end.

Now if they had a contract that has within its T&Cs the potential for prices to change depending on price increases or weather and the OP signed or agreed that, that would be different.

I’d be asking for a breakdown and how/where it has overran. He knew it was winter when he quoted

Just text back - I'm sure we can come to some agreement - see you Monday!

I've paid 50% already and was due to pay another 50% on completion.

"Hi Mate,
Thanks for your message, unfortunately, I've looked at the situation slightly differently than how you have explained it. The price you gave me was for the work to be complete, and that is all I am looking to pay.
The opportunity to come out and price the work, allowed you to take into account the circumstances in which you were expected to work, and the weather is not uneasonably cooler, wetter or with less daylight hours than would usually be expected."

You have agreed a price, no change in the scope of work has occurred, and no circumstances around this work have been changed by you, so cheeky of them to ask for additional money.
It's not like they are even saying, ah you know, snow stopped us working, it's unfortunate- we would appreciate you taking pity on us and chucking us the money we lost.

Absolutely not for you to be bridging their quotation not allowing them enough time to do the work.

That's a quote, I wouldn't be paying anymore

Jesus that is so unprofessional!

Did you do any due diligence on and review sites? Ask for references? Check their ltd co was registered at companies house?

Also ask for an invoice, I bet he's not declaring this income ? Seems very shody to send everything via text . Not very professional at all

I reckon he won't finish job now until you pay the extra. It's obviously 2 x £150 day rate. I think some builders charge day rate and sometimes do a short day. We used one once who used to turn up briefly then disappear off to builder merchants & clock off around 3.30. So only really working 5 hours.

Just say you aren’t happy with how the fee has been handled. He isn’t wrong to work on an estimate basis and charge you for the time spent, but he hasn’t communicated it to you properly. Not everyone works on a lump sum fixed fee basis (which is what you had assumed it was by the sounds of it). I work in construction and work on both fee basis but make sure clients know from the start exactly how I have quoted and keep them updated on costs as the work progresses. No one wants a surprise when it comes to fees.