customer added work on and refuses to pay more than initial quote after work has begu

[tiler1000]

I started a job I got through a kitchen company and after an initial quote to work before the kitchen was fitted. On arrival the client had purchased a 10 x 8 bathroom tile for the wall and a low gradeceramic tile for the floor. I began the work on a wednesday afternoon, after not being able to start the work on the morning because the lady was having her hair cut. I bit my tongue about both issues and started tiling the floor, the floor began and continued smoothly and the next day I began the walls, an initial quote for six metres at a reduced rate soon turned into more work as they decided tiling around the fitted cooker hood was neccessary and behind the fridges and the washing machine which was in a fitted cupboard. Again I bit my tongue and only spoke to the kitchen company when some socckets needed removing to fit the slightly unusual kitchen wall tile, they informed me that the work they'd done was intended as minimal and the customer had been chaging his mind and getting extra work out of them and would therefore be unable to put any extra time in to alter sockets. On friday morning it was apparent at least an extra days work would be needed once various jobs the customer had changed his mind about were done. I finished the floor and said we would book another day in once the appropriate work was done, and an electritian could be arranged. I finished the floor and asked the customer to pay for the floor which they were happy with, he refused saying he would only pay when the whole job was done, I explained that having to change jobs around and wait indefinitely until the kichen company had changed a shelf because his wifes ornaments didn't fit on it and a few other jobs it could be a week until they got round to doing it I needed to be paid for the floor and I would happily finish the walls when it was suitable. He still refused and therefore I am unwilling to put more days into a job where the guy won't pay for work that's already done and unwilling to cover cost of electrician or cover costs of work he added on. Does anyone know my right's on claiming for the floor as I'm a one man band and can neither afford to lose the money or waste any more days on this idiot.

 

[Raja]

hello and welcome to the tilers forum nice to have you on board Personally if it was me and i shouldnt be saying this and probably get into trouble but i would of given him a proper slap across his face or my partner wud of broke his jaw.But i hope you can take a little critisism mate u sud of said no from the word go rather than bite ur tongue. I am sorry u r in this situation where bouts u from? Best thing to do is tell the customer if he doesnt pay the tiles are coming out and if u feel intimidated by him then askk other help. Ionce had a customer not wanting to pay my partner soon corrected that when he got his sledge hammer out.

 

[DHTiling]

hello and welcome to the forums............This sounds like a tricky situation mate....
If they refuse to pay..you could always send them a solicitors letter...might kick them into touch......or the heavy mob will reply with other comments just know..........lol lol...

 

[White Room]

A general of thumb when you do a quote as soon they change their mind about somethink (extra tiling or what ever) the quote go'es out the window, I allway's estimate, Personally I would'nt do any more until some money changes hands. He's being a t**t Try doing a search I'm sure there's infomation on other post's about court thing's

 

[Fekin]

Frankly, people like this need some serious damage doing too them for refusing to pay people for what they have already done, and can't complete because of the customers fault.

For some jumped up little w****r to hold you to ransome over a situation like this is totally unacceptable when you are a sole trader.
They know you work to be paid that week unlike a company, and to refuse to even consider paying for the extra work they have decided they wanted doing and unwilling to pay for an electrician... makes my blood boil.

I'd be tempted to have just got my bolster under a floor tile and said either pay me for the work already done or the whole lot comes up and get someone else here to mess around mate, and if he wasn't showing signs of paying then start hammering one at a time.

I know people will probably say this is against the law for us to do this, but I wouldn't be bothered, I would have to do it for that's the kind of person I am.
I wouldn't mess anyone around like this and would never take it from anyone else.

ps.

I would never stay quiet about extra charges when a customer was adding areas on to be tiled, so that's probably your own fault and might not get the extra you should have had, but for not paying for the floor because your waiting for the kitchen company having to change something he don't like, then thats not on.

 

[Raja]

Frankly, people like this need some serious damage doing too them for refusing to pay people for what they have already done, and can't complete because of the customers fault.

For some jumped up little w****r to hold you to ransome over a situation like this is totally unacceptable when you are a sole trader.
They know you work to be paid that week unlike a company, and to refuse to even consider paying for the extra work they have decided they wanted doing and unwilling to pay for an electrician... makes my blood boil.

I'd be tempted to have just got my bolster under a floor tile and said either pay me for the work already done or the whole lot comes up and get someone else here to mess around mate, and if he wasn't showing signs of paying then start hammering one at a time.

I know people will probably say this is against the law for us to do this, but I wouldn't be bothered, I would have to do it for that's the kind of person I am.
I wouldn't mess anyone around like this and would never take it from anyone else.

U have said my heart u really have Fekin

 

[Holohana]

nice of them isnt it. You do the job, over and above and then they wont pay.

Lovely!

I had this just before Xmas, id rather my husband saw it 1st before i pay you. Sorry but ive done the work and id like paying please as i dont want to have to come back nor wait for the cheque in the post etc. She seemed most put out i was asking to be paid.

Tell you what love what about filling your car up with petrol driving to london using half of it then pay for it, i dont think so.

I digress!

In answer to your question im not sure what your grounds are and would depend on what contract was signed etc etc.

He could have at least paid for what you have shelved out on materials at the very least.

In my case i offered reassurance that if there were any problems i'd be more than happy to come back and rectify etc and as i was local it was ore than my reputation was worth as that what i traded on.

Some customers just dont get it.

Imagine if their boss or whatever turned round and suggested they were not getting paid on time but not until they finished their project at work that another dept was holding up.

Keep smiling big man.

 

[tiler1000]

Thanks for such quick responses,I know I shouldn't have bit my tongue but the kitchen company I'm working through are good and have got mesome good job's. I thought they were more involved than they were, I had a hammer in my hand ad was on the verge of going back in and lifting thembut it would mean they wouldn't get money they were owed. I've just moved back to bristol and am working hard to build upa client base. He's an old guy so I'm not initmidated by him personally but he's local and if I start getting heavy I don't know who might turn up. Once the kitchen companies paid I maight go and lift them and replace the **** tiles he bought ust to prove a point. The annoying thing is if he'd sort me out for the floor I would't have minded finish the extras for a good rep. lessons are being learned.

 

[tysfoot]

Hit him with an axe in the head and strangle the wife..... sorry did i say that out loud

 

[Fekin]

Hit him with an axe in the head and strangle the wife..... sorry did i say that out loud

Nah, just get your nailgun out and tell him you've done this before... once

 

[tiler tom]

Re: customer added work on and refuses to pay more than initial quote after work has

Could you not explain to him that you want paying for the floor he is happy with as you have overheads and that until you are paid you are not prepared to do the kitchen and you could blag him by saying that you could make sure that every other local tiler was informed of the situation and they were not prepared to undertake it either.

Tom

 

[chappy]

Re: customer added work on and refuses to pay more than initial quote after work has

hi, this is a ****y situation, i myself have been in a few times, years ago, the 1st time was i layed a 35m2 terracotta floor, to perfection, sealed and waxed the customer was over the moon, said that they would pay cash the next day, i went to receive payment and they refused, saying there was a mark on the floor, BULL**** the floor was spotless when i left it, they continued to refuse payment, i proceeded to return to my van and go back into the kitchen with a tin of black gloss paint, and told the littel **** if he didnt pay the floor was gona be proper ****( edited), HE PAYED!!!

in your case, you have to make it clear that u are a sole trader, with a family to feed and you are more than happy to be paid for works completed to their satisfaction, and that its not ur fault if the kitchen has been held up, u only want paid for what u have done, people think we are ok to wait for payment as most big companys will wait, they dont understand that we cant, you should kindly remind them of that!!!
good luck mate

 

[White Room]

Re: customer added work on and refuses to pay more than initial quote after work has

This post started Feb, Hope he got his money

 

[CCTiling]

Re: customer added work on and refuses to pay more than initial quote after work has

Nah, just get your nailgun out and tell him you've done this before... once

I would just show him a pic of you Fekin and say if you don't pay then I will get this thing onto you. That will prob give him a heart attack!! (Forum pic that is mate) :lol:

 

[Daveyboy]

Re: customer added work on and refuses to pay more than initial quote after work has

Quotes are never a good idea; I tend to do estimates and the moment the job changes (more time, tiling, delays, etc) I tell the client and make sure he/she agrees the extra costs before continuing. Also, on the big jobs (over £500), I ask for a deposit and stage payments so that I am never left out of pocket. If your quote said payment on completion of work then legally you haven't got much chance in court. Your client may well pay up when you finish; if you go back, tell him you want paying when you finish and in cash. If he doesn't agree, start removing the tiling you have already done. Good luck! David