Howdy-
Sorry for being blunt, but I think I’m being screwed on price, and not sure how to proceed. The highlights:
- Used this drywall contractor before, paid $600 for a bathroom (all new) with about 11 sheets 4×8. Did a good job. Owner saw the job, checked in when it was being done. All in all good experience.
- Used him again for kitchen remodel. Sent me the bill for $1300 for about 11 sheets. These were also 4×8. I supplied the board and mud. All in all this equates to about $118/sheet or $3.69/sf. !! Reading around this is well out of a range of $1-2/sf. This job did require some patchwork of smaller pieces but not enough so to be this much more.
- I invited him a couple times to check out the job before starting, he didn’t think it was necessary and said he would just send a couple guys to take care of it. I had reservations about this at first but decided he was good and fair the first time so why not trust him.
- The guys that showed up didn’t have a clue, and were slow (took 5 hours for 2 of them 2 do 4 sheets). The bill was for 32 total labor hours, or about 3 hours per sheet.
- Called the owner at the time, reminded him what I paid before, said I was concerned about price, etc…. He was pretty laid back about it, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt.
So, here I am. Do I a) write it off as a lesson learned, or b) put up a fight because of the principal. I could send him a letter with $800 and explain my case and see what he says?
Kevin
Replies
Sounds like you let him work with no agreed upon price.
Because of the patching it might have been impossible for him to give you a hard price anyways. But you should of asked him for his T & M rates. Then when he sent the B team out to hang the job you could have told them his men were not worth $40/ hr ($1300/ 32).
Hard to negotiate after the work is done. Written contract's are best. Clear scope of work, timelines and quality expectations laid out in advance of job starting.
If you put up a fight he can lien the property. This could make you look bad since you hired him. I would pay him and consider it a lesson learned.
Wood is Good
Adam Greisz
I have been in your shoes, and recently. 4 guys took 5 hours to install half a dozen sheets. I wanted to light a fire under them.
This time you need to pay the bill and learn from it. You should have insisted on a site visit and some kind of price before they started.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Hey thats about the same rate as the team that was at my house, 3 hours a sheet! Couldn't be the same team though since your in Texas.
What comes first, a lien or small claims court. Not that I want either.
Kevin
You said you supplied the mud. I'm assuming he taped the job also which requires repeat visits. Maybe you want to re-calculate the hours?
Pay the tuition fee and don't forget what you learned.
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
Think it's time for a phone call, or better yet, a trip for him to the house. Don't get into the argument (i.e. nasty letter), at least not yet. Maybe you missed something (took extra trips and time to prep/demo/mud), maybe he did. It might be as easy as splitting the difference.
This seems like a sound and reasonable approach. Definitaly can't hurt.
Kevin