Unreasonably high invoice bill from an electrician

[AlexanderSmi123]

Good afternoon everyone, I am Alex and I'm new here.

I am posting this to ask for advice with how I should approach this situation.

We called in an electrician, and as confirmed in writing by messages, the original request was to change the socket covers and change lightbulbs through the flat (1 bedroom flat). After completing the job, the electrician sends us an invoice which lists the labour and material costs, and a rough breakdown of the works done. The final bill is OVER £2,000 (almost all of it labour) and lists 30 hours of work. On top of the requested works, it also details a lot of other works, which were not requested nor authorised by us, including various tests and other changes. To make the situation more difficult, we were away during this time as the flat was under renovation and could not confirm what works exactly have been at the time.

Given this extremely unreasonable bill, what is the best way to approach the situation?

Any help would be appreciated, and thank you for your advice.

 

[MDJ]

Been a long time since I have seen a window cleaner up a ladder

been a long time since I have seen a window cleaner

 

[DPG]

Even with all the new technologies that are out there, traditional window cleaning is still the best way to guarantee that streak free finish that all window cleaners are aiming to get.

Ladders in situations where other means of access or water fed poles are not suitable.
For example, low level windows, tight access situations and inside building cleaning.
When carrying out window cleaning with ladders, operatives work with “buckets on a belt” making it possible to keep three points of contact with the ladder at all times. All ladders are fitted with anti slip devices, or footed by another operative.

Industry standard window cleaners ladders are to the specification below:
Pointed top fitted with white rubber block (105mm wide) and a tapered/splayed base

Manufactured from hollow seamless aluminium extrusions with radiuses corners for extra strength.
Rungs of 24mm diameter serrated tube fitted through stiles at a rise of 250mm by a special locking method to prevent turning and for increased strength.
Ends of ladder stiles fitted with rubber plugs.



A few years ago, the Work at Height Regulations changed – a lot of people thought that window cleaners were not allowed to use ladders any more. They are, and the Health and Safety Executive gives guidance for ladder usage.

You haven't seen the window cleaners round our way!

 

[mainline]

 

[richy3333]

This soon veered off topic. Would be good to hear from the OP with the written info?

 

[Dustydazzler]

Window cleaner who does my parents house has a van with a pump in the back he attatches a long pole with to a hose to the pump and can reach the 1st floor no problem. No ladders required,]
£40 cash and he is there about 15 mins

 

[LukeD]

This soon veered off topic. Would be good to hear from the OP with the written info?

Good point...funny how they want help then go quiet ..

 

[HappyHippyDad]

So... Unreasonably price bill has twisted and turned into a discussion on window cleaners.

 

[baldelectrician]

So... Unreasonably price bill has twisted and turned into a discussion on window cleaners.

Q: What is the ideal name for an English window cleaner?

A: Seymour Clearly

Don't thank me all at once.

 

[nicebutdim]

Window cleaner who does my parents house has a van with a pump in the back he attatches a long pole with to a hose to the pump and can reach the 1st floor no problem. No ladders required,]
£40 cash and he is there about 15 mins

Fairly standard semi-detached costs £8 here with water-fed pole. Our window cleaner had to take about six months off for health related reasons. Reckon the windows will keep until his return and, besides, I don't like the guy who cleans most of the houses as he has a habit of blocking our drive, which causes me to break or accelerate every time I drive over the hoses he leaves snaked up and down the street.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

We never quite know the full picture do we. I remember quoting around £600 for changing quite a few sockets and switches. It seemed alot, but it would have taken quite some time. Also, you know that 10% of them are going to go wrong, threads disappear on the lugs, screws snap, you need to use deeper metal back boxes etc etc. I didn't get the job.

30 hours of work at £45 p/hour = £1350 plus the cost of sockets/switches, plus the extra work. Could be around £2000. I do like trying to play devils advocate. we've got to try and look at the other side, however unlikely.

It's very odd the electrician just choose to do lots of extra work, almost too odd. There are many different explanations for this. The most obvious one would be lack of effective and clear communication between customer and electrician.

 

[nicebutdim]

It's very odd the electrician just choose to do lots of extra work, almost too odd. There are many different explanations for this. The most obvious one would be lack of effective and clear communication between customer and electrician.

At this point in the thread I can see how that might be the case.

 

[mainline]

You haven't seen the window cleaners round our way!

And I wouldn't expect to either as Cornwall is a fair way from Yorkshire

 

[mainline]

We never quite know the full picture do we. I remember quoting around £600 for changing quite a few sockets and switches. It seemed alot, but it would have taken quite some time. Also, you know that 10% of them are going to go wrong, threads disappear on the lugs, screws snap, you need to use deeper metal back boxes etc etc. I didn't get the job.

30 hours of work at £45 p/hour = £1350 plus the cost of sockets/switches, plus the extra work. Could be around £2000. I do like trying to play devils advocate. we've got to try and look at the other side, however unlikely.

It's very odd the electrician just choose to do lots of extra work, almost too odd. There are many different explanations for this. The most obvious one would be lack of effective and clear communication between customer and electrician.

The other thing is it involved more than one electrician, so you wouldn't have thought it was a quick sort of job.

 

[Dustydazzler]

We never quite know the full picture do we. I remember quoting around £600 for changing quite a few sockets and switches. It seemed alot, but it would have taken quite some time. Also, you know that 10% of them are going to go wrong, threads disappear on the lugs, screws snap, you need to use deeper metal back boxes etc etc. I didn't get the job.

30 hours of work at £45 p/hour = £1350 plus the cost of sockets/switches, plus the extra work. Could be around £2000. I do like trying to play devils advocate. we've got to try and look at the other side, however unlikely.

It's very odd the electrician just choose to do lots of extra work, almost too odd. There are many different explanations for this. The most obvious one would be lack of effective and clear communication between customer and electrician.

Plenty jobs I do quickly spiral in cost way beyond what I first estimated . However I will never just plough on regardless and always stop and contact the customer if they are not home. AS above when you are working on a hourly rate of around £45+ per hour the bill can spiral very very quickly...

 

[mainline]

I've had a few customers over the years that have a price in their head at the beginning of the job and that's it, no matter about problems arising that's all they expect to pay.

I doubt the OP will be back with any paperwork.

 

[Risteard]

I've had a few customers over the years that have a price in their head at the beginning of the job and that's it, no matter about problems arising that's all they expect to pay.

I doubt the OP will be back with any paperwork.

The idea of contingency planning can be alien to them...

 

[Cbelectrics]

Thank you for the advise James. To be honest considering we originally asked him to only do a small job, change lights and socket covers, even 10 hours seems like is a lot, however I am definitely not an expert here.

I think you mentioned changes bulbs in one message then change lights. There is a difference. Are you changing a bulb or a light fixture? If you have 40 downlights then the difference between changing a bulb to a light fixture over 40 fittings will be different. Even if it’s 10/15 minutes extra to rewire the fixtures. Were the hole cut outs and new fixtures a different size, have you then got to resize all 40 plaster holes to larger ones?

Those are small details that may matter when advising on labour costs.