We have an older house and are renovating it on a tight(ish) budget. We got a written quote from a Swiss firm to paint the inside walls (CHF 7k) and also asked how much it would cost to have them replastered (becoz I hated the 70s artexed walls). The company's boss told us "3x as much". When the work started, I asked the job coordinator about this and he said, "no, only 2x as much". So we told them to go ahead with the painting AND plastering. Naively, I didn't ask for a revised written quote for the plastering but, privately, I budgeted that it would cost 3x as much anyway.
After 2-3 weeks, we received an interim invoice which was already much more than I'd been expecting. When I called the coordinator to query this, I asked him to tell me how much the work would cost in total. He told me "approx. 28k". I told him this was as far as my budget could stretch and he said "that amount should be fine". Admittedly, we asked them to do another couple of small jobs since that discussion, but nothing that should amount to more than 2-3k, even being generous. I expected a bill of around 30-31k (a sum I already reckoned extortionate for the work involved).
We have now received the bill and it comes to 38k. I am astounded! I have called the coordinator and he justifies it by telling me that his 28k figure excluded VAT and was also approximate, so a 10% increase is fine. Every other figure the firm has given me has included VAT, and I also don't see how he can simply add on 10% to the figures without at least warning me, especially after I told him my max. budget.
I realize that I was too trusting in not getting everything in writing from them I did for all other work we've had done but trusted that this painting firm wouldn't mess us around after we'd got two different verbal quotes from them. I don't have legal insurance, which I now regret, and I wonder how far I can take this? Has anybody had similar experiences?
Isn't 10% over an estimate the acceptable range for overruns? Verbal contracts hold here, but I imagine that conversation is hard to prove, it can be contested. If you really feel you are being taken advantage of, I would contest it. But you may need a strong stomache for it. If you handle it right, perhaps you can arrive at an amicable amount both you and the company agrees on. Yet these kinds of situations can make you sick. I would take all emotion out of this equation. It's only money and not worth your health. But if you try, stay rational, without all the stress of battling, maybe you can get to just the right charge, if in fact they are overcharging you..
Why ? If you do that i can guarantee here and now the bill will be exactly Chf 38k or whatever it is now.
You're best bet is trying to negotiate a little, maybe partly paid in cash.....or just say, Chf 31k + 10% x 8% (VAT) and pay it.
You need to come to an amicable solution as all these trade people talk to each other and if you get a reputation as a bad payer or whatever, it tends to stick.
Speak with them, explain your position and negotiate a little downwards.
You need to know exactly how they calculated the cost 'cos if you want to take it further & consult someone, you'll need a detailed breakdown of the charges. You can't just cry wah I got a big bill without showing what it is for. No one can say whether it's too much or not with just a ball park figure whatever the discussion was.
Don't know where you are but here we also submit certain renovatio charges to the tax office with our tax returns.
Switzerlanded? It sounds like a huge amount, however if you have not had the quote in written first I don't see how you can argue, other than negotiate a goodwill discount (eg 2 per cent off for 10 day payement). Painting is expensive here, but they do it very well. Our painter has also been back for touch ups and so on for free, after we damaged the walls moving.
You can however deduct this amount from your tax returns, reducing your taxable amount and your tax bill. Not a one to one savings but still, you will subsantially reduce the amount of tax you pay for the year 2015.
Of course he has got a problem! Tradesmen seem to be the same all over the world - you just have to play them at their own game.
In my case their mistake was to assume that I did not understand Swiss-German... they were very surprised when I started striking things of their bill based on the conversations they had had between themselves while working for me - like the fact that their apprentice had mistake sticky tape for masking tape and two wall had to be repainted at what they expected to be my expense!
It is a frequent trick, especially in building trade, to verbally quote a price and then subsequently try to inflate by 8% on VAT excuse. I am reasonably sure if you had asked for a confirmation paper after verbal offer, it would have been VAT inclusive for same amount (when he still needed to be competitive).
I would suggest having a firm conversation with them. You have good arguments in your favour, like having told them your upper limit, which for a consumer always includes after all taxes. Don't worry too much about getting a bad-client reputation in Builder-Facebook, it may be a long time before you need any more building work.
We're looking at a similar thing (on a lesser scale) with landscape gardening work. They mention something in passing & you vaguely say ok, yes maybe that sounds like a good idea then the bill suddenly gets extra this & extra that added on to what was originally estimated. A few extra rocks +200, oh & it took longer than planned so another 400 etc.
A costly way of finding out that plastering is expensive .... and Marmoran (artex) isn't so bad after all.
I don't know why Marmoran is favoured so much, here, as it's almost the same as plaster to apply (with a trowel), and a smoothish finish still has to be attained; but for an original quote for painting only, of 7K, jumping to 38K for plastering and a few other additional jobs, is extreme plastic surgery, when it comes to cutting your nose to spite your face.
The job has taken (approximately) 5 times longer + 8% VAT.
The question is whether the workers were on site doing 5 times the work - if so then there is a little to complain about. Re-plastering could be a far more involved job - removing old plaster and clearing debris, re-sealing the walls, replastering (2 times) and then smoothing - then sealing with a primer and painting. I count 6 extra jobs in there.
I agree that the price jump is big - but if the OP asked for extra work to be completed and time was spent doing those tasks what can you expect.
Once again it is a case of making damn sure you have a quote for the work to be completed.