Paying for a quote?

[rubybleu]

We had a builder around to quote on a new bathroom renovation, knocking down an internal non-load bearing wall, replace a window with a French door and redecorating our two bed flat thoughout (new floating floorboards, replastering & making good).

He's just come back and wants £150 to prepare a quote. We're in London. This is trying it on, isn't it? Do people actually pay this?

Tell him to jog on, he's taking the mick.

No way! What a p-take!

If I thought the builder was a contender for the job then I'd be prepared to pay for a quote if the cost was then knocked off the work instructed. I'd rather a builder did this than you just never hear from them because it's either a job too small and fiddly for them to want to do or they think you are going to shop around so they don't bother properly quoting.

LOL. He's massively taking the piss.

I wouldn't pay this for a quote unless they were planning on offering professional drawing.

The cost will be knocked off the work if we go ahead, but he can't guarantee his availability to do our job.

Given he's on our street for 4 months doing a big job I erroneously assumed he'd be interested in the extra work whilst he's here!

Some people do this when preparation of a quote will take them a couple of evenings work, and when they know that most people get several quotes (and many then end up taking none of them).

Otherwise they could spend their entire life working on inspections and quotations and earn nothing.

Perhaps it is a good sign that he has better things to do, even if it's just having a rest after a hard day.

I agree with PigletJohn.

I think he has learnt from experience to charge for quotes. This way only serious people who want the work doing will go ahead. (im not saying your aren't serious btw)

It would be very frustrating to spend all that time on something to not get them. As they take a lot of time to prepare.

I'd pay it on the understanding that it was either taken off the price of the job, or refunded if he couldn't start within (choose number) months.
TBH if there was alternatives I'd be looking into them tho!