Little bit of advice please!

[Bolter]

So this past weekend I was working on a private job I got through a friend for a nice lady round the corner from me. It was kitchen floor and kitchen walls. I quoted her for the labor and told her to go to my local tile shop where I know they are pretty decent people and will help her out choosing some tiles. So she gets the tile names and I said I would try to purchase them myself for a little less as I get a discount, and pass this discount onto her to make things a bit cheaper. She was fine with this, came and did the job and she was very pleased with it. She paid me for the labor as I was still waiting for an invoice to come through for the tiles and fixing materials/grouts etc, which she did.

Got the invoices through for the tiles and one from the firm I sub to for the addy/grouts etc, and I hand wrote her an invoice from myself for tiles and and fixing materials/grouts etc. Took it round in an envelope, and she answered the door. She asked me to look at something and she showed me 2 dings in her brand new kitchen cupboard doors. Quite small, but very noticable. Now I would have remembered if I had bashed into them while I was working, and Im the sort of person that would say something rather than try to get away with it. I denied that I had anything to do with the damage, but Im not sure she is convinced. Thats issue number 1.

Issue number 2 is she called me when I got home and said she thought she was being billed from the tile company themselves and she wasnt happy with the price, thought it was more than she expected. I was lost for words, didnt know what to say. I said to her that I have written everything out that I had used and tried to go through it, but she cut me short and said to go round tomorrow.

Any advice on how not to balls this up would be appreciated :dizzy2:.

 

[david campbell]

i take it you have discounted her on the tile price,if so she can have no complaints as she is getting them cheaper,obviously explain rather tactfully,also explain that you never bumped her doors(dust sheets in future will prevent this),offer to sort this door problem! if her doors are wood soak a sponge in hot water and hold against the indent this can loosen the wood and let it expand again(a trick taught to me by a very old joiner),she does seem if she is going to be hard work so be gentle yet firm with her!!!:veryangry:

 

[Bolter]

Im thinking more that I told her her kitchen walls were 5.2msq but on her invoice its for 6msq and floor 7.9msq and on invoice 8.5msq which incorporates the waste. Thing is I know I had this conversation with her, maybe she didnt understand fully.

The cupboard doors, they are chipboard with a wood effect finish. Look quite nice, but obviously now have 2 dings in them.

Edit: I did use dustsheets. Also put cardboard on the cooker top so I didnt damage that. I know I didnt do it, but I know Im going to have a hard time getting out of it.

 

[shane176]

i agree with david,
if you got her the tiles at a slightly cheaper price shes got no reason to complain,

And david thats a good little tip might have to try it sum time if that ever happens(touch wood it doesnt):carols:

 

[david campbell]

just explain to her you need to incorporate wastage i.e broken tiles in the pack,cuts that occasionaly break pobodys nerfect ha ha, i'm stumped on the cupboard doors though,try and contact any joiners you know and i'll try and get back to you on it:santa_cheesy:

 

[david campbell]

i agree with david,
if you got her the tiles at a slightly cheaper price shes got no reason to complain,

And david thats a good little tip might have to try it sum time if that ever happens(touch wood it doesnt):carols:

no pun itended eh!:santa_cheesy:

 

[Bolter]

i agree with david,
if you got her the tiles at a slightly cheaper price shes got no reason to complain,

This is my problem. I think in future I should do full written quotes before I even start work. My quotes were over the phone, and she was in a rush to get me in and done for xmas, so I got kinda waylaid with everything.

Maybe thats the issue

 

[Gazzer]

I am assuming you charged her to fix the m2 quoted and not the m2 of tiles actually needed ? If so just explain it to her. You cant send the cut tiles back :santa_cheesy:

 

[Bolter]

just explain to her you need to incorporate wastage i.e broken tiles in the pack,cuts that occasionaly break pobodys nerfect ha ha, i'm stumped on the cupboard doors though,try and contact any joiners you know and i'll try and get back to you on it:santa_cheesy:

Thanks.

I'll ask the kitchen fitter how much a new door would cost me.

 

[Bolter]

I am assuming you charged her to fix the m2 quoted and not the m2 of tiles actually needed ? If so just explain it to her. You cant send the cut tiles back :santa_cheesy:

Yes exactly. I will explain it. Also I can offer her to pay over a couple of instalments if it would make things easier.

I'll see what she says tomorrow. She may just be confused. Im just worried cause Ive done a really nice job, and I was chuffed when she said she loved it, and I dont want her to have a sour taste in her mouth.

 

[shane176]

no pun itended eh!:santa_cheesy:

what do u mean

 

[david campbell]

touch wood that never happens(trick for taking dents out of wood)

 

[Spud]

there is a company called magic man that can do an invisible repair on her kitchen doors it will cost you but at least you will get the money for the tiles you can claim the price for the repair against your tax bill hope this helps

 

[user123]

Thanks.

I'll ask the kitchen fitter how much a new door would cost me.

Bolter, after talking to the lady again and explaining that you are sure you didn't do this how about volunteering to using matching woodfiller from the tube that can be painted, sanded or varnished over afterwards, (you may have to remove a bit of the wood finish for poper adhesion with a stanley blade) or alternatively, mix some matching sawdust or even coloured tissue paper mache with waterproof pva glue and smooth in a tiny (teeny) bit prone of the surface to allow for shrinkage, depending how big the dint is. Any of those options can be finished off afterwards with French polish (diluted shellac) which works really effectively and it all dries quickly, the shellac gives hard solid protection and the sheen matches the wood effect finish quite nicely.

How do I know this? By having to do this after finding out that a flying teapot during an argument causes exactly the kind of damage you are describing, but that's another story...:angel: result? perfect....invisible to the naked eye..... and harmony restored....honest!

 

[DHTiling]

How do I know this? By having to do this after finding out that a flying teapot during an argument causes exactly the kind of damage you are describing, but that's another story...:angel: result? perfect....invisible to the naked eye..... and harmony restored....honest!

AHHH!!! A violent woman...:dizzy2: