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So, had the flue replaced on our stove last week, during the work we constantly asked if we were still within budget/further costs to the job. Told by the firm all ok, no further costs, so we were happy.
Got the bill today through the post and its £350.00 more than the estimate.
Bugger...as we only budgeted for the estimated cost 🙁
Offer 50%?
as we only budgeted for the estimated cost
Always risky.
Aye, i wouldn't mind £50-100 but £350.00 is taking the michael...
What was the total cost?
£350 could be 10% or 50% extra...
Did you get the original estimate in writing ?
If so go into dispute mode and ask for a writen detailed breakdown of the extra costs.
If you were constantly asking if you were in budget and they assured you that you were then I would definitely pay only the agreed price ..
Original estimate was an email [which we still have].
Total cost on estimate [inc vat ]was £1650.00 [replace flue with new twinwall, modify current chimney]
Stove is still the original.
A full day of labour plus parts
We called the Stove shop and spoke to the lads on the job to confirm any extra costs.
A quick 'just wanting to check what the extra costs were for, as the estimate was £XXX' call would probably be in order
You paid 2k for a replacement flue and a bit of chimney mods! **** me!!!!
What did they modify on the chimney to make it £1,650 ?
What were the other quotes like that you got ?
Ask them for a detailed breakdown of the final bill and also to explain where the extra £350 was spent against the estimate.
To add an extra 20%-ish is a bit poor considering you were checking if it was running on budget and they said yes.
You paid 2k for a replacement flue and a bit of chimney mods! **** me!!!!
Shhh! We were all tip-toeing around that.
Ha ha ha... that is the cost of stuff in Cumbria. Just getting someone out to do the bloody thing was a nightmare.
The price was average and we went on recommendations from previous customers..
The chimney modifications were to allow a wider twinwall.
Looking at the estimate it clearly says Inc VAT on the price, but the extra £350 is close to adding VAT to the original, which makes me think they forgot to add vat to the original estimate...
go back to your email.. does the word estimate or quote appear anywhere on it.. estimates are just that.. quotes are binding unless agreed.. how many days labour did you get for your 2k invoice..
Defo says estimate,broken down into 2 parts- labour @ £ 450.00 and Flue parts £1209.00 both inc VAT
1 day of full labour..
quotes are binding unless agreed..
They aren’t.
My first thought was inc/ex VAT, but op has said that’s not the case.
Bloody eck. In my game , the estimated cost is what you charge . Simple.
If there are hidden things that may throw up extras then you put that in your quote (i.e if we find tx or y, then the cost may go up).You then agree the extra costs with the client when they become apparent before doing anything.
If I put 20% on my bill for something I missed or didn't allow for then the client could quite rightly tell me where to go
A full day of labour plus parts
So for costs to go up either labour must have been more than a day or more parts must have been needed. If they didn't take more time for the work I'd be asking what the additional materials were.
You then agree the extra costs with the client when they become apparent before doing anything.
This.
"We've found a problem, it's going to be another £350 to resolve, is that ok?"
Just bumping up the price with no explanation is taking the piss.
No way should the cost be so different - should have been flagged up during the work - it's not as though the job took days/weeks.
Have they stated a reason why it's so much more - i.e. materials ?
A quote should be the price, unless you've agreed changes !
what they say demand an explanation with my default being never happened not paying as i checked constantly with you and you said nothing
Sometimes building work throws up extra work any builder I have ever used as explained to me and asked me what i want to do
Was it an estimate, quotation or fixed price?
Bloody eck. In my game , the estimated cost is what you charge . Simple.
I don't get that, you're saying that with an estimate you have guessed about all those unforeseen issues that you would have had to make provisions for and have approved by the client in your quote.
Are you saying that you'll swallow that 20% over run that you missed?
An estimate is something you write on a napkin based on a best guess.
A quote is formalised with caveats for unforseen things that need approval.
How many candies in that jar?
Estimate - Let me guess.
Quote - Let me count (but if the jar turns out to be broken I'll advise you and seek your approval for the cost to repair the jar)
Quote = legally binding.
Estimate = not legally binding.
In building work never accept an estimate.
Who keeps candles in a jar ?
I don't get that, you're saying that with an estimate you have guessed about all those unforeseen issues that you would have had to make provisions for and have approved by the client in your quote.
Nope,
If there are hidden things that may throw up extras then you put that in your quote (i.e if we find tx or y, then the cost may go up).
In my business , most things are cut and dried and it's easy to allow for them.
However, if I had to connect to something I couldn't see , I would make sure I pre warned them that there may be additional works to overcome these issues.
For example, the last job I priced to erect with a large scissor lift. The ground floor staging was scheduled to be put in the week after we finished our bit.
When we got there we found they had already installed the staging , so couldn't get the scissor lift in.
I therefore had to change the scissor to a cherry picker and get a crane in . Also had to allow to take out roof steels to allow the new steels to go in from above .
Worked out this could cost an additional £2k due to the extra plant and slower erection time, so agreed with the client before continuing. Actually cost an additional £1.5k so only charged them that. ( get lots of work from this client so always pays to keep them happy)
Slow erection is no use but good to hear it did get up eventually
Get prescribed mycocsafloppinn and that should do the trick
£350 is almost exactly the VAT cost on £1650!
EDIT: Gah missed the post that already said this!
I'm more interested to know if you would have stopped at your budget limit and then sat there in the cold with a non fire working fire 😕