Invoice from builder when I wasn't expecting one

[PiKe]

I had over £6000 of work done last summer to remove insulation and retrofit cavity trays.

This was supposed to fix the issue of water penetrating the outer wall which it did for the most part. Last month I noticed there was still some water getting in around the window. I had the original window fitters out and they stated it wasn't the frame and that it must be coming in further up.

I got the builder back and he had a look and he said he would send someone round to seal up a hole in the mortar where the water was managing to track down the vertical damp course (the window and dpc was there before they started the original work).

A couple of weeks back two guys randomly turn up and put mastik in the hole and across the top of the window, yesterday I received a bill for £174.

I was never quoted for the work, I just assumed it would be done as part of the original work, maybe as a goodwill gesture, at no point would I expect to have to pay £174 for a tube of £5 mastik and half an hour (if that) of their time.

He is supposed to be ringing me tomorrow but where do I stand legally with this? Do I have to pay or can I challenge how they came to that amount, maybe by asking for an itemized invoice?

 

[rubberduck]

No need to worry about legal standing as you aren't going to get taken to court for £174... Just be honest with the chap and say you didn't expect an additional charge as you assumed it was an oversight during the original work and see how he responds... I don't think charging you is particularly unreasonable but it should have been quoted before hand, so maybe ask why this did not happen.

 

[~Divine~Wind~]

Yup I'd not be paying that if they'd not mentioned any charge from the first visit until the letter
Similarly if they've repaired it surely that should be covered under any form of warranty/guarantee you had with the works?

bet they try and justirfy it as double the hourly rate as there was 2 of them.
I'm assuming one to hold the gun while the mastik tube was loaded by the other?

 

[PiKe]

I hope it doesn't turn sour, he's been a decent bloke so far!

 

[PiKe]

So he replied stating that this work wasn't included in the original work so the invoice still stands. As it is "merely putting right other defects".

 

[spoffle]

So he replied stating that this work wasn't included in the original work so the invoice still stands. As it is "merely putting right other defects".

They didn't provide you with a quote to ensure the work and cost was okay. You didn't agree to anything.

 

[jpaul]

I had the original window fitters out and they stated it wasn't the frame and that it must be coming in further up.

I got the builder back and he had a look and he said he would send someone round to seal up a hole in the mortar where the water was managing to track down the vertical damp course (the window and dpc was there before they started the original work).

you had made it sound like the leak might have been beyond the scope of the original builders work ...
did the meeting with the builder not clarify that ? ...so, on the basis it wasn't, he thought you were OK'ing the work.

sounds like you should acknowledge any mis-communication and maybe find some middle ground ?

 

[PiKe]

you had made it sound like the leak might have been beyond the scope of the original builders work ...
did the meeting with the builder not clarify that ? ...so, on the basis it wasn't, he thought you were OK'ing the work.

sounds like you should acknowledge any mis-communication and maybe find some middle ground ?

When he had a look and what might be the the source of the ingress he simply said, I'll get xxxx to come round a fill that in. The guy he named didn't actually come but two others, so just by that I'd be paying for 2x the time rather than 1x.

I've told him I would never have gone ahead with the work if I had known how much it cost, I've requested an itemised invoice including materials because I feel like it's disproportionate to the time spent and mastik used.

 

[inogen]

Yeah, he said he'd send someone round, which he did. It's at that point that you didn't ask how much and he didn't offer that up. Comms bad on both.

I'd offer him some money. But not £174. Tell him you could have done the job yourself for a fiver and you thought the repair would be covered by the original work. You would have turned down the a quote of £174 so...

That's if you ever want him to do more work. If not, just tell him to jog on.

 

[PiKe]

If I was to make an offer to him, would £55 seem reasonable? I don't know what the hourly rate for labour is.

 

[rubberduck]

Would offer £75 and a replacement tin of mastic that he is welcome to collect from you at his own cost....

 

[jpaul]

well depends how long it took them too - if it was just the 30mins+mastic,
and it didn't sound like it really needed 2 guys - maybe they were just calling in with van on the way to another job, at their bosses request,
then £50 sounds more than fair. as inogen said.

How did they manage to bill it at £174

 

[PiKe]

Wouldn't it fall under the 12 month contractors liability period to put right defects when the original job was to stop penetrating damp?

Also their website was misleading as I went with them because it stated a 20 year guarantee on penetrating damp works but then when I asked to be sent the guarantee told me it only covers "specialist damp proofing, timber treatment or below ground waterproofing".

 

[PiKe]

Just an update, the invoice was cancelled after an email outlining my other grievances.

 

[~Divine~Wind~]

Yep full on chancer, name and shame please

Never know if he does this to everyone he carries out rectification (to their own work) he'd be quids in!

 

[marms]

Did this stop the water getting in? If it's a steel lintel over the window the mastic along the top of the window will do nothing and if it's a concrete lintel the mastic will stop any water in the cavity from getting out.

Was the hole in the mortar further up where the original work had been done to fit the cavity trays? If so they should fix it for free as it's a defect in their work, if a seperate issue it should've been made clear how much it would cost to fix before doing the work.

 

[PiKe]

It's a concrete lintel and the mastik does appear to have fixed the issue, there are cavity tray above and below the windows, there is a run (worn paint) on the outside wall where one of the weep holes are, so water has been able to escape.