If the people defending this type of tactic are self employed, I hope you never get featured on watchdog or rogue traders.

Nope, major corporation.

And, Nope, I’m not defending sharp practice. If the OP feels he has been ripped off, he should challenge the supplier.

HOWEVER, fixed price / lump sum puts the risk onto the contractor, and they need to price that risk, legitimately, in their bid. We frequently have scenarios where clients demand a fixed price bid. It’s complex work, normally with a degree of uncertainty, so we need to give justification for those costs – ie x hours, y £/hr, z sub contract. If costs were to go above the bid price, we would have to ask for more budget, or suck it up. (I would much prefer to bid on a time and cost basis…..)

Many clients are entirely reasonable and open to negotiate a revised cost. Others, less so.

On the other hand, if the costs are less than the bid cost, who should benefit from the efficient delivery? Preferably, both parties should share the benefit. Is it fair and equitable for a client to want the risk certainty of a fixed price and then screw the supplier down to actual costs if they can deliver more effiently?

(fwiw this does seem to be an example of a piss take)

How is it possible for an experienced contactor to be so inaccurate in the quotation process?

Was this a new mortgage on a property you already lived in or were you moving into a new property. If the later and it was a requirement following a survey I would have expected the vendor to meet the cost.

Fixed price job eh?
You’re pay for the end result not the man hours unless you get a full breakdown showing materials, hourly rate, expected time for the job and of course VAT then you actually have something in writing to contest.
Did you get any of that in your quote?
Or just a price and some verbal?

might be worth reading woodworm treatment container, does it need more than one coat? if so can it be re-coated so quickly, did it need drying time. might have some form of argument if they have not followed manufactures instructions.

You get quotes. You chose the cheapest price.You give them an order based on this price. The work has been done.You pay the bill.
Simple

You get quotes. You chose the cheapest price.You give them an order based on this price. The work has been done.You pay the bill.

Do you work in the public sector?

OP you’re just butthurt because someone who didn’t even go to university made a load of money from you 🙂

Just for the record I had something similar once. Got quotes for a job, priced based on hours, guys come in and do it in way less time. Phoned and said that something was up and they halved the bill. Always worth asking.

on the flip side, ive been working away from home last week so did ten days work in seven by working 9 till 7 instead of 9 till 4 and now my customer is saying im over charging asking for the ten day price. im too tired to argue, 10hrs of laying stone a day is no easy feat

If the quote was for 2 men/2 days and it took 1 man/3hrs I’d be asking myself has the job even been done properly.

For all the company know the workman was onsite at your house for 2 days when in reality he may have been sat at home with his feet up pulling a fast one.

Plenty of cowboys trying to beat the system.

Fair enough.

So what I said doesn’t apply to you then, but thanks for quoting it and replying anyway 😉