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?

'Two rear beds' means two rear bedrooms, not two lights in one of the rear bedrooms.

I wouldn't have suspected they meant something completely different in quote 1.

I would have read the Option 2 quote the way you did too, OP - if you don't want all the upstairs lights, subtract Option 2 from Option 1 to get the total without the second back bedroom.

How was it clear that it was for 4 lights, it said Front bed, bathroom, two rear beds

It didn't say 2 lights in rear bedroom it said 2 rear beds which to me reads as the two rear bedrooms.

You have to pay. It's obvious the company have given you the two quotes you asked for ; "must have" and "nice to have."

If you then instructed them to go ahead with all the works, you need to pay for all the works.

Next time clarify "I'd asked for two quotes, one for jobs we must do, and one with jobs we'd like to do. I've only received one, which seems to include everything and one which isolates two other lights?"

If you thought they'd given you a quote for everything, plus a quote for two extras that you wouldn't have fine on their own, you should have raised this when you got it, as it wasn't what you asked for initially.

You need to pay the full amount, option 1 + option 2.

*wouldn't have done on their own

I read the quote as a few others did. Quote 1 is the must haves and quote 2 is the additional extras.

If you worded the email to them- we are happy with option 1 then it should have only been the must have lights that were fixed and no extras.
If you worded the email as all the the lights then yes I would pay the full price for the two separate quotes.

You must pay!
It was very clear to me what the quite included.
They've done a good job,don't refuse to pay.
Hope you soon get your lovely New home finished.💐

It's not confusing at all

You asked for the price for bath, front bed and 2 back bed = 4 or £xx
Then you asked for the price with 2 additional beds = 6 0r £yy

I am guessing you at least noticed the price difference between the quotes

It's on you I am afraid

Totally unreasonable. Shocked you’re even considering not paying.

It's not very clear but I think I would have assumed the first quote was for what you originally asked for and the second the extra. As why would they include the extra in the first quote then again separately. I think you should have checked with them exactly what they meant and the total price before confirming.
I'm sorry but I think you have to pay as they have done the work.

It confusing, and even if it was the price of option 2 being 50% of option should have promoted you to confirm if you thought there was a chance option 1 was it all.

Entirely on you, the reply saying you'd go for all would likely be considered a contract should the company take legal actions.

It's not confusing at all. They quoted exactly as you asked, the essentials and then the nice to haves. You have then chosen to interpret this in a totally bizarre way and are now trying to shaft them. Nobody quotes how you think it was done.

Quote 1 - what you needed done
Quote 2 - the optional extras

not sure how this is confusing, you are due the whole amount.

Pretty clear to me what they meant. You’d be a nasty person to not pay because you misunderstood. They’re presumably a small local firm (from what you’ve said). I work in this field and people who refuse to pay are the worst. We avoid domestic work like the plague because of this. Commercial customers understand quotes and pay their bills.

Hi OP. I agree with you. The quote clearly states that option 1 is a quote for all six lights. Interestingly, there is no Option for the four lights you wanted (which should have clearly been articulated as Option 1 - but wasn’t). Option 2 should have then been all six lights or the 2 additional lights with Option 2 stating "additional to Option 1”.

Those who interpreted the quote otherwise have questionable comprehension skills.

Like others I thought quote 1 was for must haves and quote 2 for the extras. I wouldn't have interpreted it the way did.

But regardless, you must pay because you want further work doing in the future, and believe me, tradesmen talk and all know each other. They know who pays up quick, who they have to chase and who will try to get out paying once the work is done.

Ok thanks everyone, I will pay although I do resent it a bit! I was just quite shocked when I got the invoice as it was a lot more than I had budgeted and expected to pay

Option 1 is 1 x light in one bedroom , 1 x light in one bathroom, 2 x lights in one bedroom?
Option 2 is for the other bedroom.
Option 1 was your must haves and Option 2 was your extras?

I read this as option 2 being for the 2 additional lights should you want to go ahead with that. You need to pay as you've agreed to pay for them all.

This was my thinking too.

How very awkward that neither you nor they clarifed. The quote is badly written.

First, pay the amount you definitely owe (option 1) straight away. Then email them saying you’ve paid X, but re the rest there’s been an unfortunate misunderstanding, the quote said “2 rear beds” so you thought that meant 2 x rear bedrooms. Say you would never have commissioned the work for all the lights if the quote had been clear that the second rear bedroom was excluded from the first quote as you can’t afford that much. Then offer to pay half as a goodwill gesture to cover their costs (without admitting liability for the whole amount).

Actually, reading your post again I can see what you mean! Option 1 could mean all 4 rooms, therefore all lights!!

I read it as two lights in the rear bedrooms. Quote 2 for two more.

To me, the quote is completely clear.

However, while I'm not saying it's trivial, surely the amount you are surprised by isn't that excessive? It's another 50%, ok, but overall you are happy with the work, it needed doing (if not as urgently as the other work) and it can't be completely out of reach?

Just pay & be mildly irked you hadn't realised initially.

Option one was just specifying that it was 4 lights. Two lights in one bedroom doesnt mean 2 bedrooms. You read it wrong. They did the work, you need to pay.

This