Advice please - think I may be being ripped off ...

[swayzak]

hi

I recently moved into a new house, which didn't have any keys for lock on the outside porch door.

The porch gives immediate access to a garage (converted to office) which I want to use as a music studio. This has a crappy light wooden internal door with no lock.

So I panicked a bit & got someone local (out of yellow pages) who actually lives a couple of roads away (trading as carpenter / joiner).

He quoted me £375 to:

- fit new barrel to lock on front door
- cut new solid wooden door to fit narrow doorway into sudio & fit 5-lever lock
- re hang bathroom door (it doesn't close properly)

I thought this was a bit steep TBH, and his "quote" consisted of "labour and material = £375").

So I asked him for a bot more of a breakdown ("oh people don't normally ask me that" ... alarm bells rang a bit, but I was a bit stressed).

£175 per day, £50 for 5 level lock, £45 for door

Now he did the front door lock & put the new door in - seem OK (although he has strengthened around one side of the frame with some foam, just splurged it in gap between frame & a channel carrying gas pipe).

He put in an Era Viscount - non BS Kite mark, £14 on line (not the £50 he quoted).

How do you think I should proceed from here ?

Confront him about price & lock ?

thanks

swayzak

 

[seco services]

i would contact him & state about the lock as the min a insurance company require a lock tobe British Standard BS3621:2004

 

[swayzak]

i would contact him & state about the lock as the min a insurance company require a lock tobe British Standard BS3621:2004

thanks

Although technically this is an internal door, protected by a multipoint locking porch door - so maybe it's not strictly necessary ?

 

[gas4you]

So this took him nearly 2 days

 

[swayzak]

So this took him nearly 2 days

Exactly !

So how do I address this - just dig my heels in and refuse to pay the money he asked for .. ?

 

[^woody^]

If he quoted you and you accepted, and he did the work quoted, then he is owed the money and you should pay him.

It is irrelevant whether it should have been this or that type of lock as unless you specified it or statements were made mentioning certain locks, then he can fit what he likes as long as it is suitable.

How would you feel if you quoted for work, put off other jobs, ran around and purchased materials, did the job and the the customers says "I don't want to pay you now"?

 

[noseall]

the time it has taken to carry out the job is irrelevant.

you accepted the labour quote, so be it.

if he quoted specific branded materials, then you should only pay for the materials stated or nearest available equivalent.

 

[swayzak]

He has specified in the quote an "insurance 5 lever lock", and said it would cost £50.

This lock costs £22 rrp (and £14 on line) and is not BS certified.

I will tackle this with him.

 

[gregers]

175 quid a day bloody hell hes in the realms of plumbers and sparkies

 

[Softus]

I think he's quite cheap. For this job I would charge one million pounds.

 

[big-all]

you accepted his quote as long as he works to the quote you have no recourse except as said above the lock dosnt comply to the standard quoted

what you get a component for and what he charges is irrelivent at this stage he is entitled to make a markup because he is then responcible for the lock for a reasonable period

if you buy the lock its properly fitted and it packs up its your problem as he is fit only

he supplies the lock then he has to repair /exchange at his cost if it packs up

 

[HandyHands]

what you get a component for and what he charges is irrelivent at this stage he is entitled to make a markup because he is then responcible for the lock for a reasonable period

Plus the expense of sourcing the materials - time and fuel. Its ok saying it costs "x" on the internet, or "y" at the local shed, but these things don't magically appear in the van on the morning of the job.

Put it down to experience and move on.

 

[swayzak]

Put it down to experience and move on.

TBH that's exactly how I feel about it ....