Conversions

Can you be expected to pay a fee for an estimate if no agreement to such a fee was made?

Anonymous user 09/03/2024 - 3.17 PM

In the early part of the year, we sought an estimate from a large reputable contractor in our area for a small conversion job inside our property. There was no mention of fees for this estimate. We've had two site visits from a single builder. During the first visit, we gave him our designs and he briefly looked around the place. During his second visit, he said an estimate was nearly ready pending some final numbers such as the electrician's quote. He brought an electrician with him on his second visit, who, at most, glanced at our fusebox and some already pre-exposed wiring. Now, 6 months on, with very little communication from the contractor, we have received an eye-watering invoice for "professional services". We have yet to receive the estimate we asked for and were under the impression that the estimate would be provided for free. It's worth mentioning that we've sought quotes from other contractors for this job, but no one else has pulled this kind of stunt. Should I be expected to pay this invoice or is someone trying their luck? Thanks in advance.