Plumber

[Alltheyearround]

We live in a block of 3 flats. Downstairs say there was a leak coming from our property. We asked for a estimate - it came back 680 pounds (we had a bit of work done on rads like new valves). Estimate was for one day but they were only here half a day and still want to charge full amount. It was him and an apprentice.

What is our legal right here - do we have to pay what was estimated or should we say no it was only half a days' work and should be paid as such?

DH spoke to him on the phone to query and plumber was quite shirty with him.

Am I being unreasonable? He took up a floorboard and looked in the box containing the waste pipe. Then did the radiator work/drained and refill.

680 quid is a lot.

You agreed to paying that amount for the job though. It's immaterial if they happened to finish it before the end of the day. Unless they were charging you an hourly rate?

No not an hourly rate.

The estimate was based on a worst case scenario where they found a leak and took measures to fix it.

There was no leak in evidence so no remedial work was carried out.

So you think I should pay up, even though it says estimate no quote (there is a difference, as CAB say estimates are not legally binding and you can say what you feel is reasonable to pay).

Did any materials get supplied?
If not that's way too much.

Some radiator valves were supplied and fitted @Tigertigertigertiger

I thought it was a lot when DH told me the price but this things about the leak has been ongoing for a year and the neighbours keep asking (they sealed up their part of the pipe as part of a bathroom refit) so we thought well at least we can find the leak if it is there and fix it and settle the issue.

But 680 for half a day's work seems very very steep, not reasonable. I don't mind paying people for their skills and time but feel like he's trying to pull a fast one here. Half a day means he could go onto next job and earn there as well as taking our money.

I'm loathe to piss off tradespeople as its hard to get ones who are decent, they are oversubscribed. At the same time I feel like we are being taken advantage of.

They were here 8 til 12.

What would you say is reasonable for one plumber and apprentice for this amount of time?

£350 - 400? We are in North England if that makes it easier to have an idea/not London.

You pay for the job and not the time it takes.

OK but the job was estimated on the fact that there was a good chance they would find and fix a leak.

Gentle Bump for any more takes on this scenario. What would you do?

My guess is if they found something more complicated they would have asked you to pay more. That's why they said estimate, not quote.

I would fight it. They are taking the piss.

Yes and it could have been complex being flats. It seemed high but for a full day's fiddly work perhaps justified. 4 hours though!

DH wants to call him again tomorrow. I'm drafting an email to say it is unreasonable to ask for that much. Not sure how much is reasonable though. Supplied and fitted 4 valves on rads.

Checkatrade has estimates for prices on some jobs, mightbe worth a look.

...the leak has been ongoing for a year and the neighbours keep asking..

Did they fix the leak? That was the priority. I would be utterly mortified if my plumbing was leaking into the flat below for a year. Has there been damage to the ceiling below?

If you accepted a price for a job, it doesn't matter how long it took.

No damage. They sealed the leak downstairs apparently when they were doing up the room hence why it hasn't been something urgent. This is the 3rd investigation we have had since it was reported to us. Maddening to have now spent £500 on a leak no-one can find. It would have been more efficient for them to leave the box for the pipe open downstairs whilst investigations happened but they chose to seal and tile it even having seen drips of water coming down which in my view was madness. No plumber has been able to trace it from our end.

So - there was no leak found to fix!