Was I wrong to not pay this person?

[Starch1e]

We're getting quotes at the moment to renovate house. An acquaintance of DH (lets call him David) said the company he works for, although primarily bathroom fitters, would be able to quote for all the work involved (bathroom plus new boiler, loft insulation, redecoration and knocking through kitchen to utility room). So he visited and provided a quote for only the bathroom and accompanying email said 'As to the extension of the kitchen [...] we will need to re-visit to go over the precise requirements. In the meantime I have ask the Structural Engineer to contact you regarding the wall removal in extending the kitchen.'

I wasn't contacted but fixed a time for David to return with Structural Engineer. At appointment today (to which they were an hour late) the Structural Engineer thought he was there to do a survey (didn't happen) & wanted £100 for turning up.

I refused to pay as it hadn't been mentioned in advance; but was I being naïve and should I have expected to pay? Or is it a miscommunication between David/me/structural engineer?

I'd have done the same as you - until a company has been appointed, I wouldn't expect to be paying for a quote. The salesman /person who came to do the original quote should have enough knowledge about how much it would cost to move a wall,to give you an idea, even if he said "I'd expect it to be this, but we'd need to get a proper structural survey, and the worst case scenario it might be that much - I can't tell without the survey" then it's up to you to see if you want a survey at tha t point.

I'd have paid but maybe that's because it would be apparent to me that the structural engineer would charge presumably for speccing a support for the wall being removed, and that info would be required regardless of who you get to do the work

If you aren't decided on whether to do the work at all then I wouldn't have got engineer in - rather looked for scenario quotes eg quote if RSJ required if spec x vs not

You do have to pay structural engineers if they visit without surveying. £100 is v reasonable ime

Not your fault either way as clearly not communicated to you properly

Wasn't communicated properly, but yes you normally pay the structural engineer separately, they have a contract with you about giving an opinion on suitability not with the builder about whether the other work goes ahead. I doubt any structural engineer is going to assess for free.

If you definitely want the wall removed you'll need to pay a structural engineer regardless of whether David does the work for you

Thanks. I am expecting to pay for a structural survey whichever builder we choose. I just wasn't expecting it on this visit with no warning & when David's company haven't finalised their quote - other builders have quoted 'subject to survey' so hadn't realised that he might need survey first.

Sorry, that should be no warning of cost in advance.

In this particular example you should not pay.
Yes perhaps miscommunication but it is the fault of "David" - he booked the engineer. He knew there was a fee to pay. He didn't agree that with you.

Also it does seem unreasonable.
My firm are also a "David" we would be able to quote with out the structural engineer report and we already know what those kind of things cost.

So David owes the S E not you.

Also, see how David handles this mistake.
If he is going to make a big issue out of this and demand that you pay then he is not the man to take on all this work - what will he be like?