Builder over-estimated?

SwordofLight

Hi All,

I've had a guy and his team do some work on my roof - originally he had a look at it then told me it needed x amount of work. The guy doesn't speak much English, is pretty rude to say the least and it was tough work to find out more and eventually agree a price.

Fast forward and his team have completed the work, but they completed it much faster than expected and it looks like the 5 sq m of roof he said needed replacing, has been less than one sq m.

I'm thankful for the work done, but the guy is such an angry person I'm thinking twice about saying anything about the price. I don't know if he pretends not to understand me or if he is using it to his advantage to say very little.

What would you do?

omega42

Did you agree a price or did you get an estimate for the work? Ask him for a breakdown of the costs, you never know he mightn't try and charge you so much

muddle84

It doesn't matter how angry he is, if there is money to be saved then you should try. I am cynical by nature so i would assume its a tactic. If he doesn't speak very good english you can claim that wasn't how you understood the agreement to be either. If it is a tactic I'm sure he will understand fine when you push back on the cost.

But as Omega42 pointed out it depends on how you agreed the cost with him. Did you pay a deposit until the work is complete?

If you're happy with the work then fair enough, but if he didn't do all the work agreed i wouldn't be paying out the full amount without understanding the reasoning.

e.r

divide his price by 5 as per quote.
& is the rate for one square meter reasonable for the time & materials.

Calahonda52

What sort of shekels are involved here?
I am not trying to put you off here but some of these guys are not the most understanding when they think someone is trying to short change them.
The last person I know that did what you are proposing came home to find the middle of the front door cut out with a chain saw.

You agreed a price, so you were happy with the price.

You may well have been shafted here but is the game worth the risks

SwordofLight

Well it turns out I had the work looked at by a friend and he had lied to me saying he had done something which he hadn't. I phoned him and said it and he back-tracked saying he had been misinformed by his team...(sure)... so it looks like he at least will do that much and then yes I will just have to go ahead and pay the guy. Calahonda is right, it is the game with these guys and when they're tough to come by what choice do we have. Just be thankful they don't operate this way in the hospitals and other sectors with actual accountability !

muddle84

SwordofLight wrote: »

Well it turns out I had the work looked at by a friend and he had lied to me saying he had done something which he hadn't. I phoned him and said it and he back-tracked saying he had been misinformed by his team...(sure)... so it looks like he at least will do that much and then yes I will just have to go ahead and pay the guy. Calahonda is right, it is the game with these guys and when they're tough to come by what choice do we have. Just be thankful they don't operate this way in the hospitals and other sectors with actual accountability !

Its your money!!! If you're happy to be done with it happy days!!

SwordofLight

muddle84 wrote: »

Its your money!!! If you're happy to be done with it happy days!!

Yep to be honest just want to see the back of the guy. [note to self - deal with fluent English speakers (from wherever, so I don't sound racist :rolleyes:) - at least that rules out one problem when things take an unexpected twist.