Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Flip

Original poster

Should I question an invoice?

22 replies

agnesrose86 · 14/07/2017 10:18

We recently took a large build-in cupboard out of our spare bedroom to make it into a much needed bedroom for our 7 year old and soon realised the room needed plastering. I rang up a local plasterer based on recommendations from friends. After he visited he sent me a price on Facebook messenger (which I thought was a bit odd). It seemed very high based on other plastering work we have had done but we agreed as we desperately need to be able to use the room. He thought the work would take 4 days but he finished in 2 and he's just sent me the bill for the full amount. It says on the bill 'as per quotation' but I am not sure a Facebook message counts as a quote. Should i query it?

OP posts:

wowfudge · 14/07/2017 10:58

What was the text of the messenger quote?

PigletJohn · 14/07/2017 11:04

" I am not sure a Facebook message counts as a quote. "

Why not?

Would it be different if it was spoken, or in a text, or written on the back of a fag packet?

You accepted a somewhat high price, and have now been billed the amount you agreed, right?

youngestisapsycho · 14/07/2017 11:10

Was he quoting a day rate or finished job rate? Why are you querying that he has charged you what he quoted? Because he did it in 2 days instead of 4?

Original poster

agnesrose86 · 14/07/2017 11:23

Thanks for you responses. The message said something along the lines of, I've worked out a price, labour at X and materials at X. He said verbally it would be 4 days and when he was here doing the work he said to me, "it's been a lot less work than I was expecting". I regret not questioning the price at the time but trusted that there was more to the job than I could see.

OP posts:

wowfudge · 14/07/2017 11:27

All you can do then is ask him if it actually works out cheaper as it was only two days' work. He said it was X for labour though, not X per day for labour. I think you will need to pay the quoted price. A messenger quote is still a quote - it's in writing and you accepted it.

Original poster

agnesrose86 · 14/07/2017 11:28

Piglet you may well be right that a quote can take any of those forms but I would have thought that to be legally binding it would need to at the very least have the word "quote" on it and ideally be presented professionally? Otherwise, isn't it an estimate?

OP posts:

Original poster

agnesrose86 · 14/07/2017 11:29

Ok thanks wowfudge - it is all a learning curve!

OP posts:

wowfudge · 14/07/2017 11:46

OP - you agreed to the quoted amount and now appear to be looking to wriggle out of paying the full amount. As you accepted his quote in the format it was presented to you it's poor form to insinuate it wasn't a proper quote now when you need to pay him for the work he's done. I've already suggested you ask him if it is actually cheaper as it didn't take him as long. It's all you can do, but don't be surprised if he says no, the quoted amount was for the job.

The difference between estimates and quotes would only be an issue if he was asking for more than was agreed in the first place.

PigletJohn · 14/07/2017 12:22

He offered a price, you accepted it.

If you're in England, that all it takes to form a binding contract.

drummergirl34 · 14/07/2017 14:22

Ask for it to be broken down into individual parts. If he refuses, refuse to pay.

Last time I did that, the (professional) guy replied 'I've never been asked to provide an itemised bill before...' and it showed he included a cost that he never even did.

drummergirl34 · 14/07/2017 14:25

The original estimate was for 4 days work, which was never done, so I'm pretty sure you can indeed refuse to pay citing the difference in work time. Any ombudsman would think it's fair that the price is reduced.

Blodplod · 14/07/2017 14:29

Just out of interest how much was the invoice? Can you work out what the daily labour rate is?

PigletJohn · 14/07/2017 14:57

If the quote was for a job "plaster 1 wall" "mend one leak" "mow one lawn" then you pay that price regardless of time or effort.

Most trades will estimate a bit on the high side as they take the risk that it might end up being more difficult than they estimate.

If the quote was "do some painting at £120 per day" then you have an open-ended commitment; if the painter is slow or the job is complicated, then you pay for it. This is how Capita makes all their money.

In this case the quote seems to have been "plaster 1 room £x"

If he did plaster the room, you owe him £x

If you thought the price was excessive you should deal with that before accepting it.

Syc4moreTrees · 14/07/2017 15:00

Pay him. I never understand the attitude people have towards trades people. You should have got more than one quote, but now the work is done you want to not pay? Ridiculous

Floggingmolly · 14/07/2017 15:01

If it was a total quote for the job; that's what you pay. If it had actually taken eight days instead of the four he estimated (and the two it actually took), would you have felt you'd got a bargain?

PippaFawcett · 14/07/2017 15:04

Pay him. And next time get a few quotes if you feel one is on the high side.

anotherdayanothersquabble · 14/07/2017 15:56

Ask him politely ...

I thought you quoted based on four days work.. as it was only two days is it unreasonable of me to expect an adjustment to this price?

If he says yes... pay it and don't ask him to do any more work.

I had a quote 'to fit sink, labour of X and materials of Y'. I told the plumber that I would source the materials and he agreed to carry on. The job was more complicated than he thought so he billed me the full amount including materials he didnt supply. I agreed to only pay for the labour and any extra due to the fact that I had supplied the parts but not any extra due to the fact that it was trickier than he thought.... It didn't end well.

OVienna · 14/07/2017 16:02

I think it's cheeky and not mindful of building the sort of relationship that would make you call him again and recommend him. If it literally did take half the time, and labour was a big portion of the quote, he really should have adjusted his quote. I don't agree questioning this is fundamentally 'disrespectful to tradespeople' and also if it had taken twice as long of course you'd expect the reasons for that to be laid out and to pay more.

It's really not rocket science. Talk to him about it.

EvansOvalPies · 14/07/2017 16:03

So the plasterer sent you the quote on Facebook. You thought it odd, but didn't query at the time. You thought the quote a bit high, but didn't query at the time. You accepted the quote, the work has been done, invoice has been submitted in accordance with the quote which you accepted, and now you are querying it?

You sound like some of our customers. Baffling!

OVienna · 14/07/2017 16:08

I mean adjusted the final invoice.

PonderLand · 15/07/2017 22:45

You should pay him the price you agreed, would you pay more if it took longer? I've been in a similar situation where the builders spent a day less than originally stated, when I noticed bodged sections they came back without extra charge.

So if you notice any errors with the work then you can get him back but you can't pay less now unless the work isn't to your satisfaction, and even then he should have the opportunity to come back and fix it, not give you part refund. You should really get two/three quotes.

On the other hand of this we've just had an electrician who underquoted us by £200. Took him 16 hours to do the job and he only thought it'd be 7-8 hours. We didn't pay more and he didn't ask for more, he said it's his own mistake and I agree. A quote is a fixed price as long as it isn't extra work.

Whatdoiknow31 · 16/07/2017 07:35

A quote is a fixed price. Estimate can go up or down.

Tell me this op, if the work had taken 5 days to do instead of 4 would you pay him extra?
If it were an estimate then you would have to, a quotation then no you don't, it would be the tradesman loss.

So why should he reduce his bill just cause it took less time? He quoted, you accepted his quote, end of.

Perhaps if your going to query invoices for quoted work you should only get estimates in the future!

Flip