Builder charging huge prices for specific work as he has control of house and doesn’t want other contractors in

[Haplessdiy]

Builder was signed up based on a price. Loads of extras being added as they were missed off original quote - removal of walls, removal of dormers etc. Now put in a crazy price for a set of stairs knowing that we can’t get them done outside of him being on site, and he will slap a huge % on top for managing any other contractor brought in, thus making it unviable!! Being held over a barrel!!

 

[johnny2007]

How can you miss removal of a wall or installation of a staircase in quoting a job???
He's taking the Mickey.
Sack him.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Did you go with him because he was the cheapest quote?

Did you read his quote and compare it to the other ones?

How much was his quote and how much were the others?

Andy

 

[Fred Blogs]

FFS it's your house your money, sack the begger. If he tries to take you to court let him. I don't think he will get very far with that.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Sack him, and don't pay him another penny - let him take you to court and justify any further amount you might owe him.

 

[Haplessdiy]

How can you miss removal of a wall or installation of a staircase in quoting a job???
He's taking the Mickey.
Sack him.

It is a HUGE job, but I’m just surprised at how much was missed in quoting. The stair price was put in as provisional, but now it’s fully spec’d the price he is quoting seems crazy!
The whole project is a bit of a mess tbh! Architect quoted a fee and then said can’t do it for that!
Drawings weren’t finalised before builder came on board and so can’t hold him to them either. Architect keeps stating that these reno jobs will always throw up additional problems - of course… but within reason!!

 

[Haplessdiy]

Did you go with him because he was the cheapest quote?

Did you read his quote and compare it to the other ones?

How much was his quote and how much were the others?

Andy

We went with this builder as he seemed like the most approachable and understanding of our project. He was the cheapest and provided a hugely detailed quote. But given how many walls were coming down I didn’t look to check he included everything. I’m not a builder. We got a QS involved and he just said a very generic - the price seems about right! We took lots off of his quote as it was higher than our budget - I checked that he would still be happy doing a ‘smaller’ budget job…. It’s NOT in any way a small budget!! Even now!

 

[Haplessdiy]

FFS it's your house your money, sack the begger. If he tries to take you to court let him. I don't think he will get very far with that.

But how is it meant to work if he has work that needs doing but has not charged for it??
If I sack him, the architect will also walk and that leaves me back at square one!! It’s taken THREE years to get this far!!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

But given how many walls were coming down I didn’t look to check he included everything. I’m not a builder.

You don't need to check he included everything, if it was on the drawing he used to quote then he missed it, that's his problem.

 

[johnny2007]

It’s taken THREE years to get this far!!

3 years?!?!?!
You can build a block of flats in less time!
What have they been doing???

 

[Haplessdiy]

3 years?!?!?!
You can build a block of flats in less time!
What have they been doing???

Purchase, drawings, planning permission, quotes and getting work started.

 

[kp00110]

So you got the cheapest builder you could, and then knocked lots of items off his price, despite not having full drawings and only provisional prices etc. And now everything is going back up - seems inevitable!

 

[Haplessdiy]

So you got the cheapest builder you could, and then knocked lots of items off his price, despite not having full drawings and only provisional prices etc. And now everything is going back up - seems inevitable!

What is your point?

 

[Haplessdiy]

He isn’t a cheap builder and the QS agreed his price was in the right ballpark. We removed huge elements such as canopies over gable ends, reduced sizes of extensions and decided not to replace the roof. The architect advised to move on with drawings as they would always be ‘fluid’. Provisional sums were for joinery etc! How should any of this result in our costs ever increasing due to elements missed off of the quote?

 

[blup]

Give examples of specific provisional sums and actual prices for work done.

Blup