BAL Advice needed - tiler almost doubled verbal quote on invoice, never quoted in writing

[Spare Tool]

So just to get it straight...he originally quoted for just sticking tiles on, then you asked him to overboard the walls as well?

 

[James C]

So just to get it straight...he originally quoted for just sticking tiles on, then you asked him to overboard the walls as well?

No we originally told him we wanted the boards on the wall too. He then quoted for the job to be completed, and then spent the week trying to convince us we did not need the boards

 

[Spare Tool]

No we originally told him we wanted the boards on the wall too. He then quoted for the job to be completed, and then spent the week trying to convince us we did not need the boards

But regardless, did his original quote include boarding the wall?

 

[James C]

But regardless, did his original quote include boarding the wall?

As I said, we told him what we wanted (over boarding), he then verbally quoted. The absence of a written quote is the issue here as we were clear what we wanted. He tried talking us out of the boards as a “waste of money” but we insisted, and spent the money buying boards and fixings

 

[Spare Tool]

Not trying to get your back up James, I am working on a large job at the moment (over 200sqm) and there's nothing in writing at all. I visited site and quoted £# so much a metre there and then and they accepted..
There's no laws against a verbal quote that I know of, its a trust thing and am no expert on the law but think once work has commenced then your in a contract..you should have confirmed the price before he started and tbf he should have said the price would be going up for whatever reasons.. Judge Rinder would have a field day with this one

 

[James C]

Not trying to get your back up James, I am working on a large job at the moment (over 200sqm) and there's nothing in writing at all. I visited site and quoted £# so much a metre there and then and they accepted..
There's no laws against a verbal quote that I know of, its a trust thing and am no expert on the law but think once work has commenced then your in a contract..you should have confirmed the price before he started and tbf he should have said the price would be going up for whatever reasons.. Judge Rinder would have a field day with this one

I have no problem with everyone’s opinions on this, but I’m sure if you needed to add a hefty chunk onto the verbal quote before work commenced, you would make sure you communicated this?

If he had confirmed the quote as he was going to invoice we would not have had the work done by him!

 

[One Day]

When you read up on the legality of verbal contracts, you are the party who has had 'consideration'. Unless you are confident that you can prove your verbal contract, it appears he has the upper hand here, if only slightly.

Lesson: always ALWAYS get it in writing. Even if it's only a text or email.

 

[One Day]

Offer him the original agreed payment and tell him it's whilst you get legal advice and talk to hmrc.
He'll probably go away then.

 

[Waluigi]

I think it shows the importance of a written quote, even if it’s a few lines in an email or even a text message.

That said, it’s unethical what he did IMO and is charging you well over the odds. That’s greed.

We can all be greedy but I like my greed to be listed out in a proper written Quotation, with Bullet points

 

[James C]

When you read up on the legality of verbal contracts, you are the party who has had 'consideration'. Unless you are confident that you can prove your verbal contract, it appears he has the upper hand here, if only slightly.

Lesson: always ALWAYS get it in writing. Even if it's only a text or email.

We have had a lengthy email conversation since he invoiced where we discuss the quote being £420 and he did not communicate anything to the contrary, so i have that to prove the situation I guess

 

[One Day]

I think we're allowed ''scope creep" but only about 20% and then it should be fresh or revised contracts.

 

[James C]

I think it shows the importance of a written quote, even if it’s a few lines in an email or even a text message.

That said, it’s unethical what he did IMO and is charging you well over the odds. That’s greed.

We can all be greedy but I like my greed to be listed out in a proper written Quotation, with Bullet points

For work we quote far higher day rates on our trades, but we QUOTE! Our clients can decline our quotes and go elsewhere.

Had this tiler quoted as he intended to invoice, I would have not accepted and we would have found another!

 

[One Day]

We have had a lengthy email conversation since he invoiced where we discuss the quote being £420 and he did not communicate anything to the contrary, so i have that to prove the situation I guess

This is your silver bullet. Pay him the agreed rate and forget him. If he threatens anything legal, you've got him.

 

[Boggs]

When did your backer boards turn up on the Saturday?
Was the tiler waiting for them and is that why he came back on the Sunday?

 

[John Benton]

The spoken word flies but the written word remains.

Let it be a lesson to get EVERYTHING in writing.

Remember that quote and you won't go far wrong.