Delayed extension and invoices - what can we do?

[sarahb083]

We’re 10 weeks in to what was supposed to be a 12 week extension, and about 25% of the work has been done. We’ve paid all of the invoices so far, and they’ve asked us to pay the second to last one. We’re concerned the work won’t get completed once we’ve paid. They say if we don’t pay the invoice they’ll stop the work. Is there anything we can do?

I'm sorry to hear this, I hate this sort of thing and I can't really help, but if they are prepared to walk away after doing just 25% of the work it suggests they are already 'in profit' from what you have paid them. I feel that there is a high risk that you could give them more money and they still do not finish the job.

Are the invoices itemised, i.e. do they show what they are invoicing for rather than just 'work done'?

Is there a signed contract for the work, with agreed staged payments?

Sorry to hear this. There's no way they'll finish it in two weeks but things do move much faster once the walls are up.

Rather than saying you want to withhold the payment could you ask for a new payment plan to reflect that the work isn't on schedule?

Have you had a conversation with them to say the payments you have made do not reflect the work that has been undertaken? Does the builder have an explanation as to the cause of the delay / lack of progress?

In similar difficulties with our builder - we're in month 7 of what was supposed to be a 12 week build. Extension up and knocked through to the existing house, windows only went in last week and still waiting for door. House isn't secure, its freezing. Builder is completely messing us about (weeks pass where no-one turns up) but we know we're unlikley to get anyone else to finish the job without a long wait and massive expense so he holds all the cards.

I would follow @beggingforsleep’s advice. What a horrible situation to be in this time of year, but it is true, once walls are up everything speeds up !

Are you paying invoices against an agreed and signed off schedule of works? Are the payments to an individual or a company? Do they have any history of being sued?

Just make sure you do your homework before parting with any further money.

I have no advice I’m afraid, but we too are encountering considerable delays with our build. Our invoices have been issued later than originally intended to reflect the delays (and, as above, each invoice is fully itemised). Hope you can request and achieve a similar result.

I've been in a similar situation too. Time line for my build should have been 8 weeks still not quite finished due to constant delays and firm going into administration. It's been 6 months.We have now had to pay for extra materials and trades, which should have been covered from our previous payments, to finish off what was required. Also the electricain has informed me that he did not receive payment from the firm for the work he did and is not issuing the certificate. I did tell him I've paid so not paying again and he will need to contact the administrators.
It's really stressful and I'm sorry that you are going through this.

Our extension is nearly finished, but also took longer than expected. They have been good at only requesting payments based on work done, though.

I'd been a little concerned at the outset that the payment schedule in the contract the builders produced was time-based rather than overtly linked to completing stages of the work. However, they said they would only charge for what they'd actually completed and have been true to their word.

Payments have reflected work done, valued based on costs in the spreadsheet of works they provided at the outset. Some weeks they haven't requested any payment at all.

I would be wary of paying more without seeing corresponding progress in the building work.

Do you have a contract or any programme of works?

Thanks for all of your replies. Yes we have a contract with itemised works as well as a schedule of works and a payment schedule. As some of the replies suggested, I’ve now asked for an itemised breakdown of what we’ve paid for and what the remaining balance will pay for, and asked that future invoices be delayed until we catch up. Fingers crossed