Cheeky Chippie

[Andrew]

We agreed back in June with the carpenters that built our timber frame that they would install our Siberian Larch cladding. A (fairly generous) price was agreed and they understood that the timber would not be delivered until September as it had a really long lead time. Three of them turned up for two days in August and installed all of the battens to carry the cladding. 

 

Come September and the cladding arrives. I text the main guy to say the cladding has arrived, when can you come and install? No reply so left it a couple of days and phoned him. He said they'd picked up loads of work and were committed for the next four weeks and then had another job that was probably another seven weeks. "So when can you come?" I asked, an awkward silence followed. In the end he admitted he didn't really want to do it anymore and "it's probably better you get someone else to do it". Not much of an apology or anything else. 

 

I've since found some others to do it, but they said from the beginning the battens weren't right and needed adjustment and have allowed time in their price to make amendments. They'll be finished tomorrow and have done a great job. 

 

Yesterday I received an email containing just an invoice from the original guy. No message, no apology for letting me down just an invoice for 4 units x £200.00/unit - £800 (whatever that means). I assume it's for the couple of days they spend battening but without any other communication from the guy I have no idea. 

 

I'm in two minds what I think about the invoice - they obviously did some work so I guess it's fair enough that they should be paid for it, however the invoice out of the blue with no other communication has pissed me off. I will speak to him but wondered what other thought - should I pay without complaint, try to knock him down due to the money I've paid for others to rectify the battens or simply tell him to jog on. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Declan52]

Your invoice should read.

4 units X £200 per unit =£800

Minus 4 units needing fixed from bottom to top X price added on by new joinery crew.

= £800 - £xxx.

[Gav_P]

4 minutes ago, Declan52 said:

Your invoice should read.

4 units X £200 per unit =£800

Minus 4 units needing fixed from bottom to top X price added on by new joinery crew.

= £800 - £xxx.

I agree. Although you have to give him a chance to rectify first don’t you? 

[ToughButterCup]

You are right. He has done some work and it needs to be paid for. Pay for the work that he has done minus the cost of putting the errors right. You might like to consider taking photographs of the work that has been done to correct the original errors.

He appears to have forgone the opportunity of correcting his own errors, maybe that's why he did not want to do the cladding.

 

In other words pay what you think it is worth on the basis of evidence.

[Declan52]

15 minutes ago, Gav_P said:

I agree. Although you have to give him a chance to rectify first don’t you? 

But the original joiner didn't want to come back to complete the job so has lost that right. @Andrew has then had to source another crew who have spotted the errors and need paid to put it right. This extra money then comes out of the £800 invoice. As above photos and an explanation of the issue would really help when the arguments start.

[Nickfromwales]

Did the OP state there was work needing rectifying during the comms where they both went their separate ways?

• If yes, and the chap didn’t return, make the deduction. 
• If not, pay the invoice, without speaking to them.....

 

......because winding yourself up is the biggest waste of time and energy and simply not worth it. 

[Oz07]

I don't think deducting the original blokes invoice will wind up the OP, more likely the other way round. I doubt he will have the front to challenge OP. For one he has let him down for two the work wasn't right

[Thedreamer]

If your not using the joiner in the future, I would just leave the invoice in a folder/tray somewhere. I wouldn't pay an invoice if they have not even provided a bit more detail, how long would it have taken to add a few lines to an email or on the invoice.

 

It also sounds as if they are not hard up or they would be doing your work.

 

I'm sure if they want payment they will be in touch again and prehaps this will allow some more discussion regarding the matter. Photos and evidence and other joiners invoice ready (prehaps ask them to itemise the batten correction work on the new joiner invoice)

 

I do think with other that they should be paid for some work but that needs to be agreed.

 

Did you supply the materials?

[Andrew]

9 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

Did the OP state there was work needing rectifying during the comms where they both went their separate ways?

• If yes, and the chap didn’t return, make the deduction. 
• If not, pay the invoice, without speaking to them.....

 

......because winding yourself up is the biggest waste of time and energy and simply not worth it. 

 

I wouldn't put it as parting ways, bottom line is the guy agreed to do the job and then changed his mind as I presume he had some other work that was better paying or easier for him. I had the hassle of finding someone else to do it. The work to rectify the battens wasn't huge, probably about half a day I'd say, but I don't have any visibility of what the guys who actually did the cladding added to their price for it - I suspect they probably assumed the worst.

 

9 hours ago, Oz07 said:

I don't think deducting the original blokes invoice will wind up the OP, more likely the other way round. I doubt he will have the front to challenge OP. For one he has let him down for two the work wasn't right

 

True. 

 

7 hours ago, Thedreamer said:

If your not using the joiner in the future, I would just leave the invoice in a folder/tray somewhere. I wouldn't pay an invoice if they have not even provided a bit more detail, how long would it have taken to add a few lines to an email or on the invoice.

 

I'm sure if they want payment they will be in touch again and prehaps this will allow some more discussion regarding the matter. Photos and evidence and other joiners invoice ready (prehaps ask them to itemise the batten correction work on the new joiner invoice)

 

Did you supply the materials?

 

I did supply the materials. I think this is the approach I'll take. I'm not in a hurry to pay the invoice and they certainly aren't hard up. When he gets in touch I'll have a sensible discussion with the guy and I'm sure we'll be able to come to an agreement. 

[Andrew]

Here's a picture of the almost complete cladding btw. The two elevations you can't see are also clad - there's three gables similar to the two on the front round the back. 

 

[Mr Punter]

It is a bit annoying but not a huge sum.

 

The house looks really good by the way.

[Roys]

House looks brill, agree with your bill approach, wait till he comes asking and have a chat, I would probably end up paying it just to stop bad feeling, even although he let you down.

[Nickfromwales]

Lovely house. 

[bassanclan]

You could consider the total bill.

Eg original chippies quote for whole job minus the new chippie cost. If that amount is more than £800 then you are quids in, if not you should make an appropriate deduction.