Widowed disabled pensioner here.
I have a flat roof terrace 3m x 3m and a ground floor patio about twice that size. They were both filthy and covered in horrible green algae and mould.
A roofing company advertised that they clean these things using high pressure water and biocides to kill the algae and mould so I contacted them. They have good reviews online.
When they came to quote they told me £450 for two men, one-and-a-half days. I calculated that if they worked, say, 7 hours a day and 3.5 hours on the half day, that's 10.5 hours x two men = 21 hours. So, just over £20 per hour per man. As that covered the cost of their equipment and the chemicals it seemed fair.
I should point out at this point that I live in a small, poor town where house-cleaners charge about £12.50 to £15 ph and handymen about £20 ph.
However, on the day they were finished after just six hours. I heard the hose going for only about 4 hours of that time. Each time I happened to go into my kitchen I saw them sitting on my patio furniture scrolling on their mobile phones.
Also I thought they were going to use some kind of expensive specialist industry biocide chemicals but they just used Patio Magic, that you can buy anywhere.
When they left, because I had agreed their price of £450, I had no choice but to pay it, but ever since they left I feel cheated. I mean, I only agreed to that price because I thought it was going to be 20 man-hours of work. Now I think they knew darned well it was only going to take them 4 or 5 hours but TOLD ME it would be one-and-a-half days to justify the £450.
Today they contacted me saying that they have put photos of the job online and they want me to join the thread and praise them. I am a bit scared of them, and I don't want to upset them but then again I feel cheated.
Am I being unreasonable? Or have I been "had"?