Forum Topic

Invoice versus estimate?

If you are given an estimnate for some work based on two and a half hours' labour but the chap is only with you for one and a half hours, That's all the invoice should be for, right?Or do you have to pay for the two and a half hours because you have accepted the invoice and the extra £75 + VAT for the unused hour is just bunce for the workman? I would have thought the former but am I wrong?

Sara Nathan ● 5428d3 Comments

I suppose it depends where he travelled from , if it was next door 1 hours extra time would be a bit much , however maybe his estimate included travelling time ...or should this be given free ???? hmmmm

Joseph Birotz ● 5428d

Well you could turn that around I guess and say, what if he were there for 3.5 hours. You wouldn't want to be charged more would you?Personally, I would avoid work by the hour and get a quote for the job - it's much easier that way.However, if his estimate was clearly charged on a per hour basis, I would argue that it was an estimate and therefore by definition not a quote so the final quote should be for the hours actually worked.Carl

Carl Tamboli ● 5428d

You have been slightly hamstrung by accepting the terms of the estimate on an hourly basis. Contractors will always overstate the possible extent of the work where this is the case, to ensure their costs are covered (including travel/call out charge).All in all there is no harm is making a reasonable challenge to the costs (as a surveyor, I certainly would) though you can expect a response along the lines of;•        Opportunity costs – could of done another job•        It is his minimum call-out rate•        Travel / logistics / paperwork time.Finally not sure on the nature of the work but for ref. £75/hr is a way over the rate I would accept for any trade related job.Hope this this helps.

Thomas Maher ● 5426d