Quote and then additions?

[Madrid]

Engaged a builder to build the new extension - and the quote included the electrics. The electrician advised that we have the old house rewired - by him - and we agreed a price. Once completed the old house needed replastering and decorating and so aside from downlighters no light fittings were put back. The replastering and decorating of the old house were scheduled to be done at the same time as the plastering and painting of the new extension. Three of the ceiling lights were put up in the new extension. Today the electrician is back to fit the new kitchen - which is part of a separate quote. He wants to be paid £25 per light to fit all the lights in the old house and 4 ceiling lights in the new extension. I feel I have already paid for this work. Am I wrong?

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

A lot depends on the written contracts with the builder and with the electrician. If you didn't have any then you are in a position where it's one person's word against another, and is not going to be much fun.

 

[Madrid]

I don't have any quote that specifically says that after rewiring, the light fittings, whether new or previous, will be replaced. Nor is the quote for the new extension so specific that it states how many light fittings will be fitted.

 

[securespark]

How much in total is he charging?

I mean, generally, quotes for rewiring include either reinstating light fittings if serviceable, or fitting replacements, but that should be detailed on the paperwork.

 

[Madrid]

£1800 for rewiring the old house (standard 3 bedroom semi, circa 1960) - but that was a verbal quote through our builder which we accepted. Included in the quote for the new extension was an amount of £2200 for electrics. In addition we also paid £320 for smoke alarms, £220 for outside light wiring ( we bought the 7 outside lights) £280 for 14 additional sockets in the new extension and £420 for the BT/Aerial/Data bits. So the wiring is in place to instal all the lights - but the electrician wants £25 per light to instal
- 4 wall lights and two ceiling lights in the livingroom and 2 ceiling lights in the dining room and one ceiling light in the stairwwell. All these lights points were there before the rewire - I've just bought new fixtures (6 of them from Laura Ashely). He would also like to be paid to put up the 3 new pendant lights in the new extension kitchen island and a new ceiling pendant also in the new extension. All of these new light fixtures could have been fitted when the electrician was here originally, but we agreed that it was silly to risk having paint splattered on them, especially as the new plaster would have to be misted and painted twice after that. I feel I have already paid for these 15 wall/ceiling lights to be fixed in place.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The electrician advised that we have the old house rewired - by him

Did he now.

Did he explain why?

I feel I have already paid for this work. Am I wrong?

Right/wrong are going to be nebulous concepts as you have no proper contract.

£1800 for rewiring the old house (standard 3 bedroom semi, circa 1960) - but that was a verbal quote through our builder which we accepted.

Now that you have written that, how sensible does it seem when you read it back to yourself?

the electrician wants £25 per light to instal

As I see it you have 3 options:

1. Pay the £25 per light
2. Install them yourself
3. Initiate some kind of formal dispute process/legal action to resolve whose version of reality is the one which holds the balance of correctness.

All of these new light fixtures could have been fitted when the electrician was here originally, but we agreed that it was silly to risk having paint splattered on them, especially as the new plaster would have to be misted and painted twice after that.

So both parties agreed that fitting these lights would be a separate, discrete item of work. IANAL, but I think it's not looking good for you.

I feel I have already paid for these 15 wall/ceiling lights to be fixed in place.

I'm sure you do.

Your electrician feels otherwise.

All I can advise right now, bearing in mind IANAL, are:

1. Nothing that anybody says here concerning the merits of your case will make a blind bit of difference to how it unfolds.
2. You need to think about how quickly you could burn through £375 if you go down the formal/legal "resolution" route.
3. Learn from this the #1 rule of project management - change control is where you make your profit, and if you ever find yourself in this situation again remember that verbal contracts are not worth the paper they are written on.

 

[securespark]

Surely that should be:
"verbal contracts are not worth the paper they are not written on.

 

[Madrid]

Thank you ban-all-sheds. Advice taken - lesson learned.