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Original poster

What happens when a job takes less time than quoted?

34 replies

SinkGirl · 01/06/2019 07:41

Needed some external decorating work done. Got two quotes - first said it would take five days. The second it would take 8 days (2 men x 4 days) and broke the quote down into how much time, materials, tasks etc, so I asked the first to do the same. The first quoted five days. I ended up booking the first one for various reasons, mainly related to feedback (first time doing this sort of thing so I’m a bit wary!)

The first day he brought someone with him, they were here from 8 til 14:30. I’d say that’s two days worth of work (one day each) and am fine with that.

The next day it was just the one guy, here for four hours.

He reckons he’ll finish the job today. I don’t know how long it will take but even if it’s all day, that’s still not five days work.

If you’re going to break down the quote into day’s work and materials and it takes fewer days, should the overall price still be the same? This is our first house so I’ve had limited experience of working with tradespeople.

I think some of the issues looked worse than they were so when they started prepping it took less time than they thought, which is fair enough and obviously I don’t mind that at all. But at the same time am I being a mug if I pay someone for five days work when they’ve done 3 or 3.5?

OP posts:
CIT80 · 01/06/2019 07:44

You pay them for the quoted price. If the job had taken 3 days longer than planned would you be happy to pay an extra 3 days on top of original quote ?

LadyGAgain · 01/06/2019 07:57

You're paying for the job. If job is done well in less time then it doesn't matter. That's a bonus!

princesskatethefirst · 01/06/2019 07:57

Same as cit said,

Original poster
SinkGirl · 01/06/2019 07:58

Actually I would! If unexpected things crop up and it takes longer I’d expect to be charged for it - isn’t that what tradespeople do? I’ve seen people saying that for larger jobs you need to make sure that you get a fixed quote as otherwise unexpected extra time and costs may be added.

I come from a day rate background so maybe that’s why I think about it this way - I did a project that was meant to take 4 weeks, ended up taking 3 weeks due to other factors and I absolutely got paid less!

I’m happy to pay him, I just want to make sure I’m not being a newbie idiot!

OP posts:
JoJoSM2 · 01/06/2019 08:02

They always tell you it'll take more time:
so they can still finish on time even if they get held up/take time off/unexpected problems occur

But also to make rates seem more reasonable. The worst chancers I've seen would quote 11 days for a 2-3 day job with a price steep even for 11 days.

OKBobble · 01/06/2019 08:34

Quotes - you pay what was quoted.

Estimates - they will charge based on what time they spent.

BubblesBuddy · 01/06/2019 08:34

Never expect trades to work all day! As if! They might pick DC up from school and a day is often 5-6 hours in my experience! Often you will just get a quote and not number of days. This is so they can vary the length of the days and go and quote for other work and even finish off other work. Go with an acceptable price.

gamerwidow · 01/06/2019 08:43

What okbobble said.
I don’t understand your attitude really OP you’ve got the work done at the standard and price required what are you haggling about.

johnd2 · 01/06/2019 08:47

There's no money in day rates for building, it's like a salary. The real money is in quoting what a job is worth, and then doing it quicker than everyone else would. Given the disruption building causes, as long as you get more than one quote, having it quicker is better.

TinselTimes · 01/06/2019 08:47

I’m surprised by these answers.

We had a quote for some work recently, turned out to be easier and quicker than they thought so they charged us less.

I see a quote as “we think it will cost this much” - so I’d expect to be consulted if it was going to cost more but I’d absolutely expect to pay what it actually cost.

DonkeyHohtay · 01/06/2019 08:50

You're paying for the job. If job is done well in less time then it doesn't matter. That's a bonus!

Exactly this, the price is for the job. Piecework rather than an hourly rate. It's very common for trades to bring an extra body to get the job done more quickly.

PenguinsRabbits · 01/06/2019 08:56

I have always had a fixed price per job and time is just a rough estimate. Had builders staying long hours at my house but wouldn't expect it.

Original poster
SinkGirl · 01/06/2019 09:11

I don’t understand your attitude really OP you’ve got the work done at the standard and price required what are you haggling about.

Did you read my posts at all?
I’m not “haggling”. I’m happy to pay what I was quoted.

I am not familiar with this industry, and I come from an industry where you’re paid for the hours / days you work, not what you estimate a job will take. DH the same.

I’ve only ever had to hire tradespeople once before in a very different situation. I was querying it because both quotes specified number of days and a labour cost for those days (eg 5 days @ £150 per day for example). I didn’t ask for that information.

You’re telling me it’s unreasonable to question whether this is standard practice when I don’t know? I’m not arguing with the quote, I was checking whether I was being an idiot for paying it.

OP posts:
shirleyschmidt · 01/06/2019 09:32

I do see your point if in quoting they've made the number of days a key factor in calculating that price, but trades tend to quote for the whole job. At the end of the day, you can see the work's been done - the fact it took less time is their upside. I'd be really pleased they were out my hair more quickly!

DonkeyHohtay · 01/06/2019 09:36

I am not familiar with this industry, and I come from an industry where you’re paid for the hours / days you work, not what you estimate a job will take.

No, you are looking at it the wrong way round. When you get a price you are paying for a new boiler to be installed, or your garden landscaped, or the outside of your house painted. The contractor will say how long they expect it to take, knowing what other work they have on and how many "lads" they have to help out. So they say 5 days to landscape your garden and the cost will be £1000.

Then when they turn up for the work they discover they can work quicker than they think, or rope in extra help from somewhere, or get favourable weather. And they're finished more quickly.

But you are not paying them an hourly rate, or day rate, or anything else. You are paying the price for the completed job.

ElderMillenial · 01/06/2019 09:47

Honestly, just ask him. It could go either way really especially from what people have said. I'd expect to pay the agreed price.

Billballbaggins · 01/06/2019 09:56

My OH works in an industry where he quotes for his work, he would not accept anything less than the price quoted if he finished earlier than planned as the price is for the job. If he went over the time (not often) he would generally not charge more unless an issue crops up with the client (like they suddenly can’t allow access on a certain day part way through the job or something which is very rare anyway, most people want it doing as quickly as possible to minimise disruption to their lives!)

Original poster
SinkGirl · 01/06/2019 09:59

So then why include the day rate in the quote?

Again, I’m not arguing against the price and I’m happy to pay it.

But if the majority of the quote is labour and the quote specifies a day right, it’s confusing.

If the quote had given just a total labour cost and then if asked for an estimated length of time you’re told roughly five days, I wouldn’t even be querying it. I didn’t ask for this info, the quote just included it.

For example, if DH gives someone a quote to build a website it’s a total price regardless of how many days it takes and he’ll work on it whatever hours.

If he is working for a day rate to get a specific list of tasks done, he’ll get paid the number of days it takes (and he’ll work full days as that what he’s being paid for).

I didn’t know if things worked in a similar way because I’ve never dealt with it before. Seems odd to quote for labour as a day rate specifically and then get paid it even when you haven’t done that number of days, but that’s probably my own experience of a different industry talking since it can work either way.

Like I say, I have no problem paying it. I was just asking. I just know that if in my industry I quoted a week and only worked two days to finish the agreed work, anyone who paid for the full week would be considered an idiot... so I was just checking!

It’s all a good learning experience anyway, j was just asking the question.

OP posts:
Billballbaggins · 01/06/2019 10:02

You could always ask him about the day rate and see what he says, he could possible knock a little off the price. I wouldn’t, if I was him but if you query it politely then he might.

HappydaysArehere · 01/06/2019 10:03

My SIL said that he quotes for the job but tends to give a bit of lee way so the clients are pleased when they finish on time or before. All building work is prone to unsuspected things that take longer or less time.

Original poster
SinkGirl · 01/06/2019 10:04

I’m not going to raise it, obviously this is how it works and that’s fine. Like I say, I just don’t really get the way it’s presented!

OP posts:
Billballbaggins · 01/06/2019 10:04

Also he may have included the day rate in the quote so if it did go over the specified number of days he would want to charge an extra day and you’d have that information to hand?

AdaShelby · 01/06/2019 10:08

If you don't pay the full amount he'd be entitled to sue you for it so you don't have an option.

Also I assume you're happy with the price so it's a moot point anyway.

LoafofSellotape · 01/06/2019 10:08

I am not familiar with this industry, and I come from an industry where you’re paid for the hours / days you work, not what you estimate a job will take. DH the same

But that way you risk workmen working really slowly to eek the job out and charge more.

Original poster
SinkGirl · 01/06/2019 10:09

Well then that’s definitely crappy isn’t it? You pay the quoted number of days if it’s under, but you pay extra if it’s over?

I don’t understand this industry at all 😂

OP posts: