Overcharging builders advice

Duncan · 2006-10-01T18:25:06+00:00

I recently employed a building firm to do some work on my property. Unfortunately, despite them being recommended and being FMB registered, they turned out to be cowboys. They didn't turn up for very long, and hardly worked when they were there. I was busy at work, and so couldn't keep an eye on them, but my neighbours on either side did. They managed to turn what should have taken a few days into nearly two weeks. Eventually, one of them did a ridiculous bodge and tried to pass it off as okay when asked to put it right. At that point, I asked them to stop work and not come back. In order to avoid any legal business, I agreed to pay for what work they'd done. That left a very large job on the original estimate not done. I was happy to get rid of them - then I got the invoice :(They are basically asking for the majority of the complete figure as payment. It's over three times what it should be for the work, and not an inconsiderable amount. They'd not stated what work they were claiming for, so I wrote back asking them to state the individual work and costs to justify the amount, saying I'd be happy to pay fair costs. They then wrote back saying that it was estimated work, and so each job wasn't recorded, but did list the work. They reiterated their ridiculous sum was "very fair" despite leaving a very small sum for the work they didn't do (I've a quote from another builder for the same job they didn't do, and it's a number of times more).I'm not sure what to do next. Unfortunately I only got an estimate from the builders, which was a breakdown of the jobs and a single figure, and I verbally agreed to the work based on that. If I'd got a proper quote with the individual jobs itemised I'd not be in this trouble. Lesson learned.I'm considering giving my own breakdown of costs, and saying I'd be willing to pay for that. But I'm pretty sure they'll not accept since they seem determined to rip me off. Should I just wait to be taken to court for non-payment and see what...

Oct 01, 2006 20 Replies

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If they sue, prepare a counter claim listing ALL the remedial work that you will have to do to get the job finished to the standard specified.

Make it creative, long, expensive, and get a lawyer to add some boiler plate round it.

My experience with tradesmen, is that

1/. They never complete the job.

2/. They always leave it with them on balance owing YOU.

3/. They will try it on, but if it looks like trouble, they will vanish into the darkness whence they came.

Your job is always to retain payments until work is done, or if they screw you around, to retain as much as you have left, and make sure they vanish quickly and without traces.

Overcharging builders advice

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Overcharging builders advice

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