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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

How would you handle this ?

42 replies

sorrento · 05/02/2009 23:16

We're having a new kitchen fitted and a guy who's kids go to school with ours is doing the electrics.
He's done work before with us so we know he's good however he didn't quote for this work.
So after a day and a half, 5 sockets fitted, one of which he did have to run back to the mains board so lifted floor boards etc, he's asking for £800.
This seems like an extrodinary amount of money, I'll be corrected if I'm wrong but that's £50 an hour in total, in the NOrth West not London.
Would you ask for a break down or handle it differently ?
He's had a cheque for £500 as that was all I had and of course I don't want to fall out with anyone but I feel like i'm being taken to the cleaners.

OP posts:

Ivykaty44 · 05/02/2009 23:18

OMG falls off chair

Right - why didn't he do a quote?

Original poster

sorrento · 05/02/2009 23:21

Falls off chair at price ?

I know we just got carried away, he quoted to do the main board back in November and we paid him, he then did some work in the bathroom, no quote and it was a lot but I thought well he's got to earn a living (£400 to put in a shaving point, a light and a fan). This I really expected to be £400 tops, I'll pay £500 to keep the peace, £800 is too much I think.

OP posts:

ChiefMangosuthuButhelezi · 05/02/2009 23:22

That is wayyyyyy too much. My neighbour, who is a builder, installed our bathroom, tiled it, laid the floor etc, and that only came to £1000. Took him nearly two weeks as well because he had to move the pipes around.

This guy is clearly taking the piss and I would ask for a breakdown definitely. That is shocking.

ANamesANameForAThatsTaken · 05/02/2009 23:25

sorrento have you got quite a big tastefully furnished house. I ask because sometimes people look at my in-laws house and think they are loaded and they always seem to get quoted a lot more for similar jobs than we do? Does he think your loaded? It most certainly does seem like an awful lot of money.

Original poster

sorrento · 05/02/2009 23:28

He knows my husband was made redundant in November and got a decent pay out but he also knows things are tight until we get back on our feet.
He was actually there yesterday when hubby got a job offer withdrawn so that's why I assumed it was me over reacting.
When he told me how much it was he kept saying what a good price it was.
I'm tempted to phone up a few other sparks tomorrow and get quotes.

OP posts:

magicfarawaytree · 05/02/2009 23:29

which area do you live in Sorrento, no need to be exact. I wonder if it is one of the wonder postcode priced one.

magicfarawaytree · 05/02/2009 23:29

wonderful even

Ivykaty44 · 05/02/2009 23:30

Sorry - I fell off the chair as it was such a big bill for ony what seems to me to be a little work. With your next post this is confirmaed.

Chief is right about a breakdown.

if you feel that you have to pay to keep the peice at school then make sure you dont ever use this guy again and always get a quote.

TBH I am surprised he didn't do a quote, I havn't had any one round to do work that hasn't done a quote and thats due to them not me asking - it seems the correct way for a builder/electrician/ etc to go to be covered themselves.

now thinking about it I have a niggling feeling a quote on paper or verbal would give him some protection of getting paid by you... rubs chin

someone on mn will know where you stand.

Original poster

sorrento · 05/02/2009 23:30

As I say the guy lives around the corner from us, my hubby normally does make good money but isn't employed at the moment.
His wife is a mortgage advisor and did our mortgage lol so they know we're on our arses at the moment.

OP posts:

ChiefMangosuthuButhelezi · 05/02/2009 23:33

Don't let this idiot do any more work for you. £400 to fanny about with a light and a shaving point? That just pisses me off, what a greedy, money grabbing bastard. I am actually on your behalf.

Tinker · 05/02/2009 23:37

We had a couple of quotes for putting in more sockets and it worked out at £50 per socket. Also North West. We got quoted £800 when it included updating the fuse board thing. You are DEFINITELY being ripped off.

ANamesANameForAThatsTaken · 05/02/2009 23:47

yep, definately being ripped off. Sounds like his wife has been discussing all your money details that you gave her when applying for your mortgage with him .

Never use friends or family for this sort of thing.

magicfarawaytree · 05/02/2009 23:56

refuse to pay it. They probably thought you were a soft touch when you paid for the first work which you said was a bit cheap. You say you have had a payout, thats probably why they think you can afford it. some people are just barefaced. challenge it, dont pay anymore money to them and explain why.

magicfarawaytree · 05/02/2009 23:57

should be when you paid for the first work with out questioning it it too might have been a bit on the high side.

oldraver · 05/02/2009 23:59

He ripped you off for the bathroom fittings so obviously thinks he can get away with it again

Ask him for a breakdown, maybe mention you thought he was previously OTT but let it go. It might (but doubt it) make him feel guilty

It should be him worried that you will tell all on his robdog excessive charging

what2donow · 06/02/2009 00:34

My ex is an electrician, so I have some idea of rates etc - Is the money this guy's charging purely for labour or sockets, cables etc as well? (I know some of the fittings my ex installs are horrendously expensive - £40+ for single sockets!)

Whilst saying £800 for 2 days work seems a lot, by the same token, most people would expect to pay £3000 plus for a rewire for example - which takes a week/week & half at most, so would be a not dissimilar daily rate.

It's diffcult when you know the person, don't ask for a quote and then end up feeling overcharged. For this reason my ex always refused to do any work for anyone we knew (aside from literally 5 minute jobs like changing a fuse or something).

Original poster

sorrento · 06/02/2009 11:32

Ok two more sparks have just been to price the job, one quoted £375 and one quoted £520+vat.
Neither will touch the job though as they don't want to tread on anyones toes and nobody will certify other peoples work, can't blame them.
But I am fuming about this £800, WWYD ?

OP posts:

ANamesANameForAThatsTaken · 06/02/2009 11:35

well i think you're gonna have to go ahead and use this man to finish the job, otherwise there is a danger that it will be left, and no-one else will finish it.

However, I would show him the other two quotes. He might bring his price down a bit but even if he does, don't use him again, dont discuss finances with friends, and don't remortgage using his wifes company.

Well, you did ask

Original poster

sorrento · 06/02/2009 11:38

I know you are right re the wife, she is one of the reasons we're in such a mess, she forgot to add income protection insurance to the mortgage despite being reminded.
All in all they are off my Christmas card list.

Somebody will finish the job just not a NICE registered person so I wouldn't get the certificates but I actually don't need them it would just be nice to have them, hmmm.

OP posts:

MummyDoIt · 06/02/2009 11:38

I had a chap in last week to do a few little jobs. He charged £30 an hour. I'm in North Herts, fairly close to London, so prices are on the high side here.

ilove · 06/02/2009 11:43

I just paid £630 for 8 double sockets installing on the top floor of our house. Took two sparkys a day. We're in Leeds.

Original poster

sorrento · 06/02/2009 11:55

I think £600 was around what I was expecting, thanks.

OP posts:

debs40 · 06/02/2009 11:59

You could say that you want a breakdown because you actually had the job quoted for on a previous occasion (little white lie) and it had come out around £600 so this was a little more than you were expecting.

ilove · 06/02/2009 12:03

Our price included them supplying all the sockets/cabling/casing etc and VAT btw

littlelyn · 06/02/2009 12:20

I handle a lot of skilled worker contracts at work and the average daily rate for an electrician in your area is £250 plus parts plus VAT. The fact that you didn't get a written quote indicates this job is not being entered into his books therefore you could argue that you were expecting a discount not a premium rate! I wouldn't pay him anymore than the £500 already paid until he provides a VAT receipt. Sounds like a right cowboy couple.

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