Need a quote of alteration works charged by builder

[squallrj]

Hello,

We have an (1.7 m X 2.4 m) extension project including refiting kitchen and bathroom with one builder.

We didn't put adding cloakroom in extension, adding skylight in the quote. The project is half way through but we have made full payment already since the payment was made weekly and other issue caused some delays.

Now the builder come with a alteration work charge of £4500 for the cloakroom(was verbally agreed but now is denied), raised ceiling inside(was verbally agreed flat ceiling inside, pitched outside, but this was not written down), adding skylight, and walling tiling for the kitchen(I thought this should be included but their quote of kitchen work didn't state wall tiling).

The cloakroom is 1.2x0.8 square meters. The skylight is velux 1x1 square meters. the roof is about 2.1 x 2.5 square meters. Wall tiling is about 3 square meters. This is s 2 bedroom terraced house.

The builder has stops work until we made payment. The cloakroom only has been plastered. Skylight is installed. Wall tiling for kitchen hasn't started.

We haven't been told the cost of any of these works when they started or have finished until now, and we think the price they are asking is too much.

Could anyone give some help here please?
We need a rough quote of how these alteration works should cost? Then we could argue with them.

Thanks very much.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

What is on your detailed Building Regulations working drawings? You do have a set of detailed Building Regulations drawings don't you?

 

[squallrj]

In the begging, there is no drawing when quote and contract was agreed.
We thought this is a small work.

Until we had party wall issue, we got an architect did a drawing and at that time, the cloakroom, raised ceiling with skylight are all in the drawing. This was made in last November.

They started working following the drawing without mentioning the cost.

 

[noseall]

I can't work out whether you are being ripped off here or not.

Things we don't know:

What the builder quoted for.

The wording of his quote.

The content of your extension.

The logistics of your job.

The full extent of the work he has done already and what portion of it is contracted or extras.

The only thing I can say is that if he is claiming that he has done extra work then insist that every hour is accounted for and that every item is costed down to the last grain of sand.

I have often said to people that have work done, without a detailed drawing or a detailed specification, that ambiguity is your enemy and will have builders rubbing their hands with glee.

 

[squallrj]

Hi Noseall,

Thanks for you reply, here are the words from the builder and hope they are useful.

New cloakroom:

New cloakroom which includes wall extension, additional bricks, cement, insulation, timber, roof tiles, wiring, plaster boarding, door fitting, plastering, plumbing, fitting of the toilet utilities such as sink, toilet, spotlights, extractor fan, new switches, new window opening, new floor tilling, and wall tilling, installing the pipes and changing new drain pipe from outside which means the whole pipe system from outside needs to be changed and added additionally, (reason due to the exciting system cant support the new cloakroom), painting of the cloakroom, the old pipe needs to be disconnected, lining and partition wall construction.

Skylight and ceiling raised

The original plan was to have normal ceiling continues throughout the kitchen with out the skylight installed and ceiling raised to create more light and space, the ceiling is now raised and skylight installed, so the roof had to be reconstructed and additional supports implemented due to the window weight,


Wall tilling in the the kitchen:

The kitchen alteration additional wall tiling above kitchen work top on both side of the walls


Extension is after the existing kitchen with brickwalls. The cloakroom is on one side of the extension.

 

[squallrj]

One thing to say is we have detailed drawing made but it was after the quotation and contract signed.

The builder was following the design but they didn't mention the extra cost before start.

 

[noseall]

One thing to say is we have detailed drawing made but it was after the quotation and contract signed.

Sounds like you have shot yourself in the foot here.

Is that the exact wording of the builders quote that you have posted above and the one he gave you prior to receiving the architects drawings?

Because the one paragraph does not make sense if this is the case.

First you wrote this...

We didn't put adding cloakroom in extension, adding skylight in the quote.

Then you wrote....

the cloakroom(was verbally agreed but now is denied),

And these bits from your latest post don't make sense and are contradictory.....

Thanks for you reply, here are the words from the builder and hope they are useful.

Skylight and ceiling raised

The original plan was to have normal ceiling continues throughout the kitchen with out the skylight installed and ceiling raised to create more light and space, the ceiling is now raised and skylight installed, so the roof had to be reconstructed and additional supports implemented due to the window weight,

Either he quoted for the work or he did not. He will only agree to do the work that he has costed for and that will be shown in your written quote.

He may have agreed to do the extra bits but at a cost.

I'm sorry if I'm not helping but I am finding it difficult to understand what's what here.

 

[DaleRCL]

Did you ever ask if there would be an extra cost for work not detailed on your original quote or did you assume it would be free?

 

[squallrj]

No because I thought they were included as a part of extension work and they were nice to accept all the work I mentioned.
I made a mistake here.
I just think if they could tell me the price in first place not at this stage, there will be solution.
The price they asking now is much more than I expected. That's why I want to get an idea how much roughly these work should cost.

Is that the exact wording of the builders quote that you have posted above and the one he gave you prior to receiving the architects drawings?

The quote I posted above is for the alteration charge given by them 2 days ago. I would like to know how much they normally cost.

Here are the original quote before the project started.

Overlook of Works Required
 Removal of the whole kitchen including the pipe relocation, water, flooring, repositioning of the outside door, removal of current window making the opening for the extension, installing the supporting beams on the outside wall, installing the flooring (check if underneath floor board in good condition possibility of placing the pinewood floorboards) and making the walls good for painting, installing new boiler, add new radiators(if need to), add new fuse box (if Need to), new skirting, Underfloor heating, new kitchen
Extension:
 Demolish, lay new foundation to the level agreed by the Building Control Inspector, install new supports, use current systems of pipes relocation on the ground floor, build new walls, first floor construct on the extension, insulate, plasterboard all the walls, wire, add sockets, construct stable structure, close of with the roof, install new boiler systems, add windows, add doors, plaster all the extension and paint, new skirting.
What we include:
timber structures as specified, Bricks, Bolts, screws, plaster boards, cement and sand, joints hangers, pinewood boards, wires, white sockets, white paint, timber studs, flashing, insulation, coat plaster, skim coat plaster, spotlights, doors, door frame, skirting boards plain, plumbing pipes, edge trims, mounting boxes, electrical cables, steel beams, valves, mdf board, mounting boxes, pinewood floorboards, pipes and pipe connections, wooden and carpet flooring, stairs, insulation, eggshell paint (2 coats, colour to be agreed), machinery and any construction tools, Scaffolding, skips and waste clearance are included in the quote

After this quote is signed with contract, we have party wall issue. Then I got architect to do a detailed drawing of the extension which clearly showed the cloakroom and skylight. This was in the middle of November.

The cloakroom I mentioned to the builder when doing the quote but he didn't put it in. I made a mistake that missed this bit.

 

[squallrj]

We didn't specify the details of the work in the beginning and now we are in such a mess.

On the contract, it clearly states that any work which is not in the contract, needs to be agreed price and specification before starting.
I've asked for some alteration works but they started them without giving a price. Has this breached the contract?

Now we have paid in full and project is not finished, even the alteration work is not finished.
We probably need to find other builder to finish the work but I'm worried that we can't get rid of the current builder by just ignoring their additional alteration work invoice.

Thanks

 

[Bosswhite]

As I understand it your post, you asked for additional work to be done did not get a firm price in writing, so assumed the extra work was included in the original cost.

 

[squallrj]

Yes.
I'm fine to negotiate the price now but the quote for the additional work is too much more than I expected.

That's why I try to get some quotes here.

 

[noseall]

Yes.
I'm fine to negotiate the price now but the quote for the additional work is too much more than I expected.

That's why I try to get some quotes here.

The only thing I can say is that if he is claiming that he has done extra work then insist that every hour is accounted for and that every item is costed down to the last grain of sand.

GET ALL EXTRAS (LABOUR AND MATERIALS) ITEMISED.

The only way anyone on here can accurately give you an idea of cost is if you give every detail of the extra work completed including all the materials they have used.
Even with this information it is still difficult for us to cost as we don't know the logistics or layout of your building nor are we familiar about where you live or access etc.

GET ALL EXTRAS (LABOUR AND MATERIALS) ITEMISED.

Then get back to us.

 

[Bosswhite]

Yes.
I'm fine to negotiate the price now but the quote for the additional work is too much more than I expected.

That's why I try to get some quotes here.

I think it might be a bit late to negotiate,

Ask for itemised account of extra works carried out and discuss it from there, Sems like you let him have a free run on the additional works that were carried out.

 

[cajar]

Sounds like he was trying to pull a fast one himself tbh.