Left over building materials.

[£15]

I was wondering what people's opinions were on to whom left over building materials belong?

My drive has been laid with block pavers and there is about 80% of a pallet remaining which I can use to make a small patio area in my rear garden. My wife's thoughts are that we have paid for them and as the builder said he won't get a refund for returning them, we can keep them and use them.

I'm not sure. I've read/heard that builders quote for a job and as long as the job is done they get to keep what's left, maybe return to the merchant for a credit, or use on a future job, almost like a bonus. In other words, we haven't actually paid for them and they're not ours.

I wondered what the convention was and if there are any regulations? All I can think of is what might be said in a contract, but as there wasn't one that doesn't apply.

 

[£15]

There was no official invoice. I know, I know! It was sort of a gentleman's agreement, based on trust. There was an exchange of text messages and lots of talk, but nothing to suggest how the work was to be billed, other than the price for doing the job - and that has its own implications.

Left over materials never specifically came up in conversation. The pavers weren't cheap (we had to pay extra over the all-one-colour he was suggesting) and I suspect he may want to use them on other jobs, or return to merchant for a credit of which he obviously gets the benefit.

I told him I'd moved them around back and he seemed a little surprised, but didn't say anything. I think there are a lot of assumptions going around, but politeness prevents direct discussion. He then asked if he could have 6 of them for another job and I agreed. It then turned to 16 (he's just this hour collected them) and he let it slip that they're only to put underneath plant pots! Seems excessive.

I won't argue over 16 pavers, as he's gone the extra mile on the job (he had to replace a drain that was cracked and helped me lay my armoured elec & cat5 to the garage) but I'm reluctant to allow any more as I want to use them for a project in my back garden. It might be an idea to crack on with that, so he can't take any more.