Builders charges

[Shano23]

Hey everyone

I haven't posted on here for a while but I thought I would probe for some expert advice.

I recently received my final bill from my builder (1st time used) and the costs seemed a bit out. He (conveniently) lost his buntings receipts through moving house, but he provided his bank statement showing the overall costs for each visit. To me this isn't good practice, he could have just gone into bunnings and printed them off (which I did myself).

After looking into this he has double charged me for something, included a cost for something which had nothing to do with the reno and added gst onto things that already had gst included etc… These I can sort out

Some other things he has included I'm not sure able so I wanted to get some views:-

1. He's added a 17.5% markup on all materials without ever mentioning it (this might be debatable) and says its common practice.

2. He has included some tools in some other invoices i.e a chisel, a knife, drill bits, glue gun etc… (i asked him about this and he said it tools get broken and it was common practice to charge the customer)

3. He agreed to do the tiling and then subbed it out (no issue here) but when he suggested the tiler do some upstands around the bathroom edging to make it look better, i agreed as he mentioned a cost around $200-300 (verbal not written). Now he's saying the tiler charged him $890 for it the upstands and he's passing that cost onto me. What can I do here?

I thank you in advance for your replies

S

[elguapo]

1. Adding margin to materials is normal if he's purchased them. You should always agree a rate for this before works proceed. 17.5% is not unusual for a small job.
2. Not usual unless you have agreed to it. Drill bits can be considered consumables and chargable, but chisels not really depending on how much they are.
3. Tell him the number discussed and ask why the difference. It may still be justified, but your argument is with the tiler really, so contact him directly.

Always have a good understanding of what your builder is going to charge before you proceed. What rate he charges at for extras, margin on materials, margin on sub-contractors etc. When you instructed them on changes, be very clear on what the works are and how much they will charge for it, is the number an estimate, or a fixed price etc.

[Davo36]

Yeah try and get fixed quotes for everything in the future.

It's not you job to sort out his bills at all. If he's done things like charged for stuff not used on your job, double billed GST etc. I'd be saying to him, this is not my job, sort your bill out and I'm not paying a cent until you do.

Give him 3 weeks or so and he'll come crawling back to you with a lower figure. Don't pay until you're happy it's right. And don't use him again.

[Shano23]

Thank you, your answers are useful.

There was no mention of any mark up but I'm new to this so wouldn't have known. Love hindsight

I found one invoice from bunnings (one of the ones he lost) which had a $128 hammer drill on it he had purchased.

Another thing he quoted for was to supply and lay tiles but then charged my $300 on silicon on top. Would this be 'common practice'?

[gavinc]

I found one invoice from bunnings (one of the ones he lost) which had a $128 hammer drill on it he had purchased.

Another thing he quoted for was to supply and lay tiles but then charged my $300 on silicon on top. Would this be 'common practice'?

He's a builder he should have a hammer drill - it is a tool of the trade as is a chisel. The consumables are chargeable.
I am not a tile expert but silicon for what? MS silicon is about $18.00 a tube so 15 tubes seems a lot.

[elguapo]

I found one invoice from bunnings (one of the ones he lost) which had a $128 hammer drill on it he had purchased.

Another thing he quoted for was to supply and lay tiles but then charged my $300 on silicon on top. Would this be 'common practice'?

He's taking the piss. Hammer drills are not billable, unless he's leaving it with you when he finishes.

Def not acceptable practice to bill materials on top of a fixed price quote.

[jimO]

if he has charged you for something its now yours enjoy playing with your new glue gun, 10% would be more like it, when you say upstands do you mean skirtings? i would be asking the tiler direct to justify his account if in fact this is what he charged, tile skirting in a average bathroom should cost no more than 2hundie imho sounds to me like the bldr has added a whole lot more to that account, dont pay anything until he produces invoices for bunnings

[TheLibrary]

Did you have any sort of building contract - An uplift on materials is normal, but should have been in your building contract. I wouldn't pay that if I hadn't agreed it. Any tools he purchased for your job should have been left with you, and its ridiculous that these are all broken. Unless hes buying them from the 2 dollar shop, new tools just don't break - show some wear and tear absolutely, but not just break.

Essentially agree with Davo, don't pay until hes ready to negotiate.

[Shano23]

Again thanks, I'll request he produces the bunnings invoices, but I'm not going to tell him I've already obtained some of them.

[Maccachic]

I would have thought a hammer drill would be a lot more than $128

[Leftette]

No way would I be buying his tools.

[elguapo]

I would have thought a hammer drill would be a lot more than $128

You can buy a B&D one for $50.

[speights boy]

You can buy a B&D one for $50.

A bondage & discipline hammer drill ?
Bit at the extreme end of the scale I would have thought.

[Leftette]

Sure. I can see straight through your "I would have thought" like a pane of glass.

[speights boy]

Always had you pegged as one who likes to watch.