What happens when a job takes less time than quoted?

[SinkGirl]

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?

I wouldn't pay for more days OP. The number of days is a estimate but the quote is for the job. Unless he uncovered something that impacted the original job no way would I pay more for the original job to be done.

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.
Have you never taken a car to the garage?

It's not that hard to understand

I am chuckling at the idea of OP being outraged at a builder who finishes the job within the time-scale. She will learn...

"You pay the quoted number of days if it’s under, but you pay extra if it’s over? "
I think that's pretty much exactly how it works in domestic work with inexperienced householders! Some of them will take what they can get!
The builders are doing this every day so they know how to get the maximum money, in commercial work everything is sown up by the client so it removes a lot of the risk.
Ignore all the rude posts, noone is as polite on the internet as they are in real life!
When we had a similar experience where the job was increased from the quote, when we had the extension done we had it organised by an architect, and if we hadn't we would certainly have been taken for a ride.

I think you can just confirm with them whether it's a fixed price quote or day rate quote. Here I think it's pretty clear that they quoted a fixed price and only supplied the extra detail to "justify" the quote when you specifically requested it.

If you would rather they worked on a day rate you can ask if they'd do that. I wouldn't - I'd rather they take the risk on the timescale. Yes the price of the work can go up but if you have a fixed price quote that should be justified by extra problems being discovered. I think that's ok - it's not unusual for underlying problems to be discovered that simply weren't visible when they were quoting. Of course you need to assure yourself that this is a genuine change.

I am chuckling at the idea of OP being outraged at a builder who finishes the job within the time-scale.grin She will learn...

Don’t be so bloody patronising. That’s clearly not what I’m saying, and clearly I’m not outraged. I was right to be concerned though, as they’ve already gone and the job isn’t finished, and they wanted the full payment today.

Have you never taken a car to the garage?
Only for an MOT, which is a fixed rate unless they uncover additional work. I don’t drive, only DH does. And I’m pretty sure a garage wouldn’t give you a quote that specifies a day rate for labour, so I’m unsure how that’s relevant. That’s what’s caused the confusion here, not the amount of time taken.

I can’t get my head round someone specifying that you’re paying them for five days work and only doing 2.5 days work. Where’s the line - quoting for three weeks specifiying a daily labour rate and it only taking three days? If you don’t want to specify a day rate, just give a fixed rate for labour for the job - I didn’t ask for it.

For me, if I quote for set tasks to be done and then it’s much quicker / easier than I thought, I charge for how long it has taken me, not how long I thought it would take, so it seems odd to me but there we are. Clearly it’s one of those things where most people accept something seemingly illogical to the point of getting insulting if someone questions it 🤷‍♀️

It works both ways op. They quote fixed price (usually - always check). If it takes longer their own tough luck. Once had a decorator trying to blackmail me into paying more plus he dragged it out for ages!

Usually it's a fixed price. Time is an estimation. It can take less time or more time. Personally I would be happy it's done and they are out of your hair.