Builder walk out mid job....

[J.C.E]

Afternoon chaps

Just had a quick call from one of my builders.

Job was house refurb+ full rewire- local to me. I worked through builder- who worked for client.

I had it all 1st fixed apart from kitchen power and lighting and dining lighting
(was waiting for dividing wall to be knocked down and steel to go in for open plan)
-although I had all the feeds over to the kitchen ready to go.

Payment plan was 25% after I done what I have done ^^ -which I have been paid
Then 25% after I 1st fixed kitchen -obviously not done yet
Then remaining 50% o completion.

Just said hes had another argument with client and he is walking. For me to have a sit down and think what he owes me (if anything) and he will call me later.
- do trust the builder- so don't think he is doing the dirty on me.

-not sure if I will get the job back direct from the client- as he was pretty happy with my work and I did deal with him a few times (email and face to face) regarding positions and socket finish etc- so there is a possibility I might..... (not sure if builder will mind though!!)

How would you go about working out what I am owed....
minus the cost of the whole kitchen
minus the cost of 2nd fix materials
how would you work out labour cost of 2nd fix to minus?
-although I quoted per point- say it would roughly take me 2days to 2nd fix- so minus 2days worth of day rate too?

looking for advise really as still young at 24 and never had this before so bit unsure!!!

 

[hightower]

Surely you are only quoting for the work already done, so if that took you 3 days and you normally charge £200 a day, that'd be £600. Plus any materials on top, and then finally subtract what you've already been paid leaving you with total owed?

 

[J.C.E]

Agreed quoted price was calculated by a per point etc and not materials+ day rate- rewires just wouldn't be worth it.
So trying to work out a way of fairly working out the 1st fix total of my per point break down...

 

[hightower]

Agreed quoted price was calculated by a per point etc and not materials+ day rate- rewires just wouldn't be worth it.
So trying to work out a way of fairly working out the 1st fix total of my per point break down...

That doesn't make sense to me. If you quote for rewire, that price less materials divided by days on the job should be fairly close to your chosen day rate - otherwise wheres the method to your pricing.

 

[J.C.E]

otherwise they would of got a

That doesn't make sense to me. If you quote for rewire, that price less materials divided by days on the job should be fairly close to your chosen day rate - otherwise wheres the method to your pricing.

Lights per point= £40

5m of 1.5mm t/e = £4.10
1x 230v fire rated down light in chrome = £8.40
General bits (sleeving/c.blocks etc) = £5
Labour =£15.00
+20% for unforeseen

 

[Andy78]

Payment plan was 25% after I done what I have done ^^ -which I have been paid
Then 25% after I 1st fixed kitchen -obviously not done yet
Then remaining 50% o completion.

So as I read this you have been paid for the time and materials already invested in the job at the quoted price ?

What sort of cancellation of work fee will you be tagging on ?

 

[David M]

I'd keep it simple,
I would just work out what time & materials you have spent so far then deduct what you have been paid already from the total. What ever the balance is, is a fair cost owed (assuming you are in negative equity).

 

[J.C.E]

I have spent 44hours on site- typical builders job of not 'flowing'- so say at £250/day rate- £1250
My expenses so far have been £1771.35 (without adding fuel/quoting time etc)- not including stuff I just used from van stock (boxes etc)

so a total of £1771

and the 25% already paid is £1641 (technically leaving £4900 on the job)

1day to 1st fix kitchen
2 (3 days MAX) to 2nd fix+cu
= £1000

2nd fix materials will not come to £3900
-£1500 tops!

so now I am loosing £2400 profit (on top of my wages....)

make sense....so now the client gets a rewire £2400 cheaper or the next electrician is laughing!

 

[telectrix]

so, at present you are approx. £130 out of pocket. write it off. deal with customer direct. quote to complete the job with provisions for stage payments.unless the customer is a dork and that's why the builder walked, so you should do the same. your contract was with the builder, so any redress should be negotiated with him.

 

[PEG]

Spot on,Tel...once again,the young bull plans the rush down the hill,to service one of the cows...while the older bull saunters down,and covers them all...

 

[Octopus]

Not sure what the op is on about. You either go back and carry on or you don't. If you don't you take the hit - it's that simple and your day rate can cover it. Many guys don't get £250 per day.

 

[David M]

I have spent 44hours on site- typical builders job of not 'flowing'- so say at £250/day rate- £1250
My expenses so far have been £1771.35 (without adding fuel/quoting time etc)- not including stuff I just used from van stock (boxes etc)

so a total of £1771

and the 25% already paid is £1641 (technically leaving £4900 on the job)

1day to 1st fix kitchen
2 (3 days MAX) to 2nd fix+cu
= £1000

2nd fix materials will not come to £3900
-£1500 tops!

so now I am loosing £2400 profit (on top of my wages....)

make sense....so now the client gets a rewire £2400 cheaper or the next electrician is laughing!

So you are £130 out of pocket + your time, as Tel says, you may have to accept writing it off. Although any loss is annoying in the great scheme of things your loss is minimal compared to what it could have been. I'm sure many of us on this forum have experienced similar if not much worse, I know I have on a few occasions!

Unfortunately this is part of life and part of being self-employed, sometimes you have to just suck it up, learn from your experience and try to minimise similar scenarios in the future.

 

[Midwest]

I with the going back and finishing (without knowing why builder left?). We've all seen what problems customers will get with certification (EIC), which the customer might not be aware. As there is a builder involved, presumably some sort of planning permission or Building regs, with the customer requiring a Completion Certificate, which needs the EIC.

You have to way up how much this will irk your builder, and as to how much work he gives you. Bear in mind all these builders make money out of all trades, by marking up your bill, when they present their bill to the customer. So he's not doing you big favours.

 

[J.C.E]

like said I will get more work from the builder than I will this one client- so I don't want to upset builder

spoke to both this morning...

gave the builder a 40% of my total invoice (which is a little bit more than I have been paid by him so far)
builder is then invoicing client for what has been done overall so far (obviously adding on % to each trade- surely the client will know this though!)

then builder is happy for me to finish the work once he is paid^^

and client does want me to complete- which I will be quoting for at the price of the remaining 60% of my original quote to the builder- so should/could work out a tad cheaper for client because no builder to add their % onto my price to complete- where original there was

 

[Midwest]

Jobs a good in then, everyone's happy What made the builder leave the job?

 

[J.C.E]

Jobs a good in then, everyone's happy What made the builder leave the job?

continuous changes
and numerous arguments about stuff like client filling skips with rubbish from their other house- builders argument is the skip is paid for out of his price for the house we are working on- thinks its was more little things adding up

 

[Midwest]

continuous changes
and numerous arguments about stuff like client filling skips with rubbish from their other house- builders argument is the skip is paid for out of his price for the house we are working on- thinks its was more little things adding up

Arrgh the client is a multi let landlord. Builders & landlords, both as bad as each other.

 

[David M]

I would be very cautious with your quote. Make sure you state exactly what the client is getting for his/her money and that any additional work will be charged for. In my experience (hard learned) these type of folk want blood from a stone!

 

[hightower]

From your initial experience, I'd be wanting full payment up front to finish the install to make sure I wasn't going to be short changed.

 

[Midwest]

Whilst I agree caution is prudent in this case, I don't know of anyone getting full payment for the work before it's completed? Stage payments may be negotiable.