To not pay the full amount?

[Movingsoon21]

I recently had a local company round to give a quote for some new light fittings
in the house. There were 4 lights that we definitely wanted to replace as they were in a bad condition (a light in the front bedroom, the bathroom light and two lights in one of the back bedrooms) and another 2 in the other back bedroom that are ok for the time being but we thought we'd replace at the same time if we could afford it.

I asked the company for a quote and asked them to let me know the price for the two "extras" in the second back bedroom so we could make a decision on whether to go for them as well.

The email came back:
"Option 1: Front bed, bathroom, two rear beds: £xx"
"Option 2: two rear bedroom lights: £yy"
I read this to mean that option 1 was the price for everything, including both rear bedrooms, and option 2 was solely for the "extra" bedroom, to show us what that cost was separately. We were happy with the amount for option 1 so I replied and said we'd go for all the lights. I didn't get any confirmation with the final amount, they just called to arrange the fitting. The lights were all fitted last week and we are pleased with them.

I then got the invoice for the work on Friday, and it was for the total of options 1 and 2 together. So I queried it and was told that option 1 had just meant the front bedroom, the bathroom and the 2 lights in the "must have" rear bedroom. It did not include the "extra" bedroom.
So now I don't know what to do. We wouldn't have agreed to the two extra if we'd known it was the total of the two options (option 2 is 50% of option 1 so not a small amount and we need to do a fair amount of other work which we are saving for) and I believe my reading of the email was reasonable. On the other hand, they've done the work and are a nice local company, I don't think they were trying to be misleading, it was just a miscommunication.

AIBU to suggest paying only 50% of option 2 cost, seeing as I didn't agree to paying it in the first place?

Sorry you were caught out here. However, I read it as option 1 is everything you want, plus option 2 is the added extra if required. That's a pretty standard way of quoting for work. (I both quote myself, and receive quotes in my industry daily). I hate the "shoulda woulda coulda" vibes that are so often on these kind of threads but I think you'll get a few. Sorry nonetheless. Hope they're nice fittings though!

I read it as option one was for the first 3 rooms and option two for the extra room.

I can't see how you can offer less as the work has been done as quoted.

You did agree to pay it. You just didn't understand properly what you were agreeing to. You need to pay.

I would have read it the same as you OP, as option 1 says “two rear beds”, it doesn’t say “2 lights in 1 rear bed”.

Why would they include the other back bedroom in option 2 and then also include it in option 2?

It’s not the most clearest quote but I think overall it’s reasonable to assume option 1 doesn’t include the second back bedroom.

I would pay it all.

It was a confusing quote, you should have queried. There's no good reason why they would have given a quote for just the optional extra 2 if this wasn't an extra cost. If it was the way you read, it would make more sense to have option 1 everything, option 2 just the essentials (not just the extras)

*Why would they include the other back bedroom in option 1 and then also include it in option 2?

You asked for a quote for front bedroom, bathroom, and 2 lights in one back bedroom. Quote one.

You asked for an additional 2 lights in another back bedroom. Quote 2.

It might not have been the clearest of quoting, but they quoted exactly what you asked for. Sorry.

Their quote was vague at best imho.

You could tell them to come back and take out the extra 2, but lights are not usually expensive - I suspect the labour would often cost more than the lights themselves?

Can’t your other half fit light fittings, it’s a pretty basic job if just replacing?

I'm not reading it like previous posters, it says 2 rear beds so I'd take it as quoting for 2 rear bedrooms. Why would it say 2 rear beds if it meant 2 lights in 1 rear bedroom.

I'd try to negotiate.

you need to pay the full amount. It doesn’t read very clear so the onus is on you to check it and be clear before committing to going ahead. YABU I’m afraid

As usual mumsnet reading comprehension or lack of strikes again.
There really is no reasonable way to have interpreted the quote the way you have. Why on earth would they quote you for all or part when you asked for both quotes separately as you might not do the additional?

Why would they say 2 beds if they meant 1 bed. It might have been a strange way to quote but 2 beds is very clear.

The email came back:
"Option 1: Front bed, bathroom, two rear beds: £xx"
"Option 2: two rear bedroom lights: £yy"

I would read this as option 1 as fitting 4 lights. It says beds not bedrooms, I.e, front bed, 2 rear beds and bathroom.

Option 2 is then your extra 2 bedroom lights.

If option 2 is 50% of option 1 then it’s pretty obvious it was separate and you should of clarified. Otherwise why would 2 lights cost 50% of 6 lights..

We were happy with the amount for option 1 so I replied and said we'd go for all the lights.

Why didn't you reply saying option 1 though? That's the part I don't get - you were offered 2 choices and didn't specify just that you wanted all the lights. I would have presumed you wanted both options

Crystal clear to me, you need to pay.

I would have read it as option 1 being the essential lights (four in total) and option 2 being the additional 2 lights in the other back bedroom. So exactly how they intended it. If you needed clarification, the onus would be on you to seek it. You instructed them to do Option 1 and Option 2, so obviously you must now pay them in full for the work done, which was exactly in line with their quote. You can't just refuse to pay for work quoted and carried out because you misunderstood. It's pretty clear that quote 1 is for 4 lights, and quote 2 is for 2 lights, and the fact that quote 2 is 50% of the value of quote 1 bears that out!

@Movingsoon21

yheir writing was a bit 'off', but I think their intention was really clear. Quote for the 'essentials' & second quote for the extras. As you'd asked for!

you said to go ahead with all the lights, they've done a good job. You'll need to do it anyway, just pay up as you know you need to

Quote 1: 4 lights
Quote 2: 2 additional lights

You had 6 lights done, so you owe what quote 1 and 2 are combined.

Why would they have included the non essential lights in both quotes? That wouldn't make sense.

It's not their fault that you misread the quote. It's very clear. You need to pay

I’m with you OP . Options 1 includes 2 rear bedrooms.
I think the fault is 50/50. Would chat to them and offer to pay 50% of the cost of the extra work

I think they were very clear.

What did you think option 2 was for if you read it that option 1 was everything?

It reads pretty clearly to me, sorry. You need to pay for the work they have done.