Materials means materials and not tools right?!

[kawak]

Makes sense why Wembley stadium tripled in cost. Materials = consumables, tea, coffee, petrol, newspapers and plasterboard.

 

[joe-90]

Go for a fixed price next time. You'll pay more but you won't have to quibble in a forum afterwards.

 

[kawak]

Me quibble?

no way.

 

[Shytalkz]

Change the posting template, it's getting decidely boring.

 

[radsik]

As spot on as going to the garage for an engine service and to find a spark plug wrench on the bill. Suppose its only fair cos the garage got the materials at cost price blah blah....

It wouldn't be on the bill as it will be included within the 'labour' charge. If it's under 20 quid then whatever blades and bits he got will be blunt after the job. seems like you're being a bit petty to me considering the guy has obviously done a good job (as you're not complaining), provided receipts for everything and not charged you for time & fuel picking them up!!!

 

[noseall]

if i wear out a new drill bit doing a job for a customer, they pay.

if i wear out a new saw doing a job for a customer, they pay.

if i use a complete set of tyres on the van doing a job for a customer, they pay.

how they pay depends upon my price/bill structuring.

make your conditions transparent and be honest.

it always makes me laugh when a customer asks me what i'm going to do with my rubbish, when i'm being paid specifically day rate.

 

[kawak]

Obviously transparency is the key, but that is where I am coming from. You could call me naive, but consumables (drill bits, blades etc) do not mean materials to me, but it seems like many ppl on this forum believe its common practice. I agree, is it worth getting worked up over £20? but the job has not finished, and what happens if this rise to say £50? where do you draw the line?

Thanks again for your input.

 

[TonyWarrington]

IMO the OP asked a fair question "Am I being petty to question why he has added jigsaw blades and diamond tip drill bits to this or is this normal?" which should have elicited a more reasoned and polite response than some made here. My apologies Kawak if my own response started the ball rolling the wrong way!!

I suspect none of us like to think we may have been taken advantage of (in my case particularly financially ) and therefore it was not unreasonable for the OP to ask the question.

 

[Stivino]

I think he should have said at the start that he'd be charging for tools. I also think he's being a bit fly. I'd pay up but I'd mention that I wasn't best chuffed with what he did.

 

[daytona]

he may well have mullahed his own stuff doing your job and finished it off with the new ones.
i always allow a bit for drill bits and the like on jobs .dont see a problem really

 

[kawak]

Tony, I actually agreed with your comment "You may want to use him again for another project and to quibble about £20 (guess this to be a very small percentage of total bill) could put him off working for you in the future" and was satisfied with (most of) the responses I got from everyone.

Just surprised with the reaction of some ppl regarding the question!

Thanks

 

[kawak]

100% agreed daytona...I thought my builder allowed a bit for drill bits etc from the 4k labour i'm giving him!

 

[Bilioustrumpstaine]

If you are really paying £4k just in labour, and adding materials on I wouldn't worry about £20, but that is just me. If you think the guy is taking the p**s the just ask him if he reckons there is going too be a lot of consumables.

Could he have forgotten to take them out of a pile of other receipts when he gave them to you.

I charge an extra 10% on any materials I have to collect to cover my time and inconvenience. If the client wishes to save that 10% he/she can go and get them, no problem.

If I was to take on a job that was going to be heavy on consumables I would factor it into the price if it was an overall quote.
If I was charging myself out at a day rate (labour only) I would expect (and agree beforehand) that the client picks up the tab for consumables.

If this guy does a good job for you would you want to fall out with him for £20

This must be some bathroom he is fitting for £4k

 

[deemac]

Well for what its worth i wouldnt pay it!
These items are subject to wear and tear and not for the customer to replace
A friend of mine is a mobile hairdresser, if a hairdryer packs up while she is using it to blowdry someones hair she doesnt charge them for a new one, she herself absorbs the cost

Anyone charging for EXTRAS like this is a cowboy

 

[joe-90]

But that's a tool like a battery drill. Would you accept that decorators charge for sandpaper?