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Bathroom Fitting

Dispute over job price - trying to resolve it fairly for both parties

Anonymous user 23/02/2024 - 3.43 PM

I was quoted £6000 for a full renovation of my 4 sqm bathroom (all products supplied, except tiles + accessories). The price included, amongst other, fitting a remote operated "smart" bidet toilet. The quote was itemised, and I was to pay for any extras. The price of the shower panels seemed too low, but the fitter responded to my query, "I do have discount on that so just get the full list together". The quote also included a sliding door, which was to be finished as per a photo: an all-white, smooth door with a hidden track. Before the work started, we agreed on a regular toilet rather than the smart bidet one. On the other hand, I requested a few extras: mirror, cabinet, colour matched grout and trims. It's been 6 weeks since the renovation started, and it's still not finished. The fitter left for a week to do another project. He also made several mistakes: he sloped the wetroom incorrectly; he bought a wrong size door – only realized this after he painted and installed it; he hung the vanity unit too high. Fixing the errors added to the overall delay. The man is now asking for "at least" £200 on top of the £6000, once the job is finished. He claims that he didn’t get the discount on the glass panels, complains that he can’t return damaged/broken items (because he's discarded the packaging), and tries to convince me that he didn't quote for painting the sliding door (although he supplied just a primed one with raw wood edges, whereas the reference photo showed a fully finished door). I do feel sorry for his trouble, but according to my calculations he's only owed the £6000. The extra/upgraded products cost another £300, and as a gesture of goodwill I am happy to add £50 for the door paint and drill bits. On the other hand, he quoted £800 for the bidet toilet, and since the regular one cost just £150 + frame + cistern, no wiring and less plumbing required, the quote should be lowered by some £300. I also need to deduct £50 for the door, because the fitter refused to buy the replacement correct size item, and asked me to source it, which I did. Please let me know your thoughts - what do you think of this situation? Do you agree with my assumptions and calculations, or am I being unfair? Should I pay any extra money, or stick firmly to the agreed price? Many thanks. Apologies for the length of this post. Edit: Thanks all. L and T - I did try repeatedly to go through the numbers together, sadly the fitter "had no time for this". Safer Bathing - The fitter starts at 9:30, works for a couple of hours, then leaves "to get a few things", returns around 2:30 and gone by 5pm, hence the slow progress. Nothing bought was unused, and all the extras I'm paying for and not disputing. Albion - Yes, though the work should be done "in reasonable time", no? I am not withholding the whole £6000, he got paid for the work done, I'm just keeping roughly the cost of having the work completed by someone else, should the fitter walk out.

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4 Answers

L and T Home Improvements

Rating: 5 out of 5

Kidderminster

You should both sit down and put forward each others point and try to reach an agreement, after all, he's only asking for 3.5% extra. 6 weeks does seem excessive though

Answered12 November 2021

Safer Bathing

Rating: 5 out of 5

Spalding

Personally I think you both need to sit down and both make sn itemised list. You can then see the differences and work on resolving them. I find it strange it's taken 6 weeks and he took a week to work elsewhere . If this is all genuine he has not made any money working for you and may have needed to work elsewhere to get aome money in. Extra work or materials will need to be added to the overall cost Equally any items ordered and not used will be subject to a restocking charge ie bidet seat Hope this helps

Answered12 November 2021

Albion Bathrooms Limited

Rating: 5 out of 5

Burton On Trent

If you didn't actually agree a timescale for the installation to be finished and as long as you didn't make time 'of the essence' when he started the job, he could really have taken any time to finish the job so the 6 weeks to finish (although it does seem a bit excessive) is a bit irrelevant here. As others have said, make a list of what you think the amount to be paid should be and ask him to comment on your list and produce a list of his own to justify the extra amount he is asking for. If he has completed the work it is very unfair to withhold the entire payment and you should pay him the £6,000 with a note to say you consider it to be in full and final settlement unless he can justify the extra amount he is asking for. This will hopefully foster good relations and should you need to have him back for any type of issue he should attend. If you don't release the payment to him and an issue does occur, he probably will not come back and you will incur further costs getting somebody else to fix the issue, also you stand the risk of being labelled a 'won't pay' and the subsequent expense of a court action that may follow. Answer to edit: The trouble is with 'reasonable' it's not a defined length of time and your fitter could say his time was reasonable in his eyes. My impression was that he had virtually, if not completely finished. I would write to him detailing the items you consider to be unfinished and explain the deduction. It's a shame this can't be sorted amicably for the reasons stated earlier.

Answered15 November 2021

Baldwin landscapes

Rating: 3 out of 5

Romford

Yes definitely

Answered12 November 2021