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I'm a self employed sparky, recently did wiring on a refurb for a builder i've worked with before. Builder showed me the job and gave him a quote of £2200. Went ahead with the work, whenever i got asked to do anything not in the quote i mentioned this to the builder and made a note of it. End of job extras amount to £950. Builder pays me £2200 and asks me to see the customer for the extras which i do. She does'nt want to pay this because she thinks all the work i've done was in the original quote. The builders quote which shes shown me says all electrics so i can see where shes coming from. Neither of them want to pay me so i'm knackered. Of the £950 half of that was for parts.

Who asked you to do the extras that were not in the original quote?

Builder but the instructions must have come from the customer.

I can't see any reason why the customer should be responsible for paying a subcontractor

The customer would be wrong to pay you and you would be wrong to seek payment from the customer, the *contract* is between yourself and the builder. The issue is whether the additional work you did was performed under the scope of the original quotation, all you have to go on is paperwork which shows what else you have done in addition?

This means nothing to you, this is the contract between the builder and the customer, this could say 'all electrics, including new power station in back garden' and it would have no effect on you at all.

get builder to sign off all extra`s or they dont get done

the builder took instructions from the customer and got you to carry out the additional works. therefore the builder is liable imo.

The mistake i made was not dealing with the customer myself. I think its the builders fault for not making it clear about the extras but i don't know how i can get the money from him. Then at the same time when i look at the work shes had done for £2200 it really pisses me off.

Go and remove the extras!!

tell her if she is not going to pay you will take out the work you have done!!

FYP

lol. you can't just go into the woman's house and take stuff out because you have a dispute with someone else. if you're going to do that you might as well take her tv and jewellery as well

A threat to do this to the builder should help to resolve if the guy has even an ounce of integrity.

take the customers tv and jewellery as payment

why? I have plenty of integrity but if I was in a dispute with someone over a bill it's unlikely I'd be swayed by them threatening to burgle someone else's house

kidnap her children and ask for £950 as a ransom

and then when she pays the ransom ask for more money - just so she knows what it feels like.

Get your money from either the customer or the contractor.

What's that? You can't? Ahh. You're fked then.

Just joking Biddy. it's a bugger when you do the work and don't get paid.

Have a word with vinni.

Just got back from the pub, i like all ideas just thinking about the best one.

Your contract was with the builder. You mentioned the extra work to the builder before performing the work so the builder needs to pay you. It'll be an easy case in the small claims court if he refuses imo.

if you have original quote and the receipts for the extra work tell both parties that you will go to small claims,but you will settle out of court for cost of materials,probably your best shot imo

Just an update. Approached the builder this week telling him i'm taking him to the small claims court. Told me i'm wasting my time because hes folding the business he owes others aswell as me so his accountant has told him to declare bancruptcy. Bastard.

At the very least, you have perhaps learned a valuable lesson in that you're unlikely to ever suffer the same problem again based on your bad experience with this instance.

Be grateful you picked up the £2200 then.....it could have been far worse

Any chance the builder is bluffing to throw you off the idea of courts?  If not, I'd still chance taking the home owner to court as they got what they haven't paid for. 

This.

Know what you're dealing with next time. You obviously can't go to the customer as you have no dealings with her.

dont take this as red. Lodge your appeal anyway. At least if it is in then you will have a claim against any of his assets.

or alternatively you may be the person to send him broke - which depending upon your demeanor may make you happy

GL

I think this one needs chalking down to experience.

Make sure you learn from it. You need to be quoting for all extras and getting orders for them before starting.

I know it's a pain but unless you know your money is safe it's essential.

Whatever you do don't go to the person's house and take your stuff back. That's theft and you'll get locked up.

Yes i'm going to draw a line under it. The main thing i've learnt is deal with the customer not just the builder.

Or at least get to know the builder before starting a job. Get some references for the bloke. Does he pay on time? Does he have a good reputation with other contractors? etc.

I see this mistake made quite a lot in Telecomms; Subbies just don't check out the people that hire them and then they find they have to wait months for bills to get paid, or continually have to chase up the smallest bills. It's nice to get offered work by some companies but you have to make sure they will actually pay you or there's no point in doing the work in the first place.