Original invoice

[Robtheplumb]

How do you get on when a customer asks you for an "original invoice" from your supplyer for parts you have fitted on a job you are doing?

I have been working on a house extention and because of the builder not turning up when he should this job has run over by a few months and should be finished by now and isn't. Customer is not happy and is demanding the work gets finished, whenever I have been there I have always got as far as I could before going off to another job but I have to earn a living and can not afford to sit at home waiting for the builder to do his bit. I am now getting blamed for holding the job up! Last Wednesday I was due to go and install a new water main, when I got there the trench was not dug, and there was no digger on site so how can I lay a main??? This job has been a total pain in the butt and now I have a letter demanding to see all the "original invoices from my supplyer" but these are my invoices, as far as I am concerned there "original invoice" is the one I give them.


True?

False???


HELP!!!!

 

[quality]

The price you pay for your goods is no concern of the house holder nor is your mark up, and if your contracting for a builder they should be contacting the builder not you

 

[wnjswozo]

i would call a draw if you can,sounds like a right job,builders are the bind of my life.expect you there at adrop of a hat

 

[Robtheplumb]

I am independant to the builder, got my fingers burnt like that before, however it is because of the builder not being there the job has run over, I finaly said enough last Friday and told the customer I would be back after Christmas as I had other people who wanted work done and I felt I couldn't say yes or no with out messing my other customers about so I call time out to let the builder get finished (I don't think it will happen some how!) I shall be composing a letter later tonight...

 

[wnjswozo]

you can only do what you can do,i,ve had similiar promblems,ie phone calls second fix ready only to arrive to find no plastering done,bare stud walls,only tend to get involved with builders if i know them well,

 

[migoplumber]

easily done, go back to your merchant, hopefully your a regular, explain to him the problem, ask him to do you another invoice at rrp - without your discount. sorted

i get 2 invoices from my supplier 1 with rrp,the other is the the price i deserve to pay because i spend so much with him every month

 

[peteheat]

Hi,

A lot depends on the contract you have with the customer, fixed price based on original specification, time and material usually agreed hourly and mark up rates on materials.

Personally I don't reply to verbal requests with a letter (or email), if you are looking for the money you may be entitled to for wasted time like the water main the customer is entitled to a break down of the hours charged.

If you are bringing the job in on budget / estimated cost then I see no reason for the request, if extras have gone way over then the customer is entitled to ask for and receive a break down.

 

[Renewable M]

Some people just want the world on a stick for nothing. How dare they ask for your original invoices. What the hell have your accounting practices and negotiated discounts got to do with them? Sounds like they are trying to cut and run, and will propose a settlement figure..... dont give them a thing, they'll use it against you.

 

[peteheat]

Some people just want the world on a stick for nothing. How dare they ask for your original invoices. What the hell have your accounting practices and negotiated discounts got to do with them? Sounds like they are trying to cut and run, and will propose a settlement figure..... dont give them a thing, they'll use it against you.

Agreed,

One of my pet hates has always the after 6 pm or worse after 11 pm "Experts", they are the one's who come in after you have gone home or worse after pub closing time with their "Expert opinions" on how bad the job is being done or how much cheaper they could get everything so their now best buddy is being ripped off

The internet is now one of those experts, consumers in message boards / forums posting partial details expecting expert answers to beat the tradesman with.

Fair enough there are cowboys who deserve everything thrown at them but a lot of trouble can be caused for the decent tradesman who has his overheads and a living to make by some with a little knowledge that often has no bearing on the job being carried out.

I never take part in what can be the never ending paper trail of a consumer looking for a reason not to pay what they owe, if they can't settle whatever is troubling them looking you in the eye while speaking to you they don't deserve your valuable time.

Problem is the messing usually starts when the tradesman has a lot of his own money tied up in the job

 

[Renewable M]

One of our installing firms has just gone over to a 60% deposit on every job over a couple of grand. The decent, honest customers are paying no problem and the diary is still full.

Their attitude is, if a customer will not pay for THEIR materials for THEIR job at THEIR house, who is to say they will ever pay anything?

In the past, I've had customers for very large jobs refuse to pay a deposit, so then we would ask them to pay the money into an account at the merchants so that we could draw materials that way if it made them happier. Some then were happy with that........ some STILL didnt want to know.

So we'd tell them in no uncertain terms that we did not trust them and were not prepared to carry all of financial risk, building a house or whatever that we were never going to be living in.

Bonkers.

 

[Robtheplumb]

I went thru the original estemate for the job last night, not only am I on time (in relation to rest of work, although the job should be finished by now) I am also under budget!!! FFS what is bugging this bloke? He wanted me to tile and second fix the new shower room, it didn't have any roof tiles on till last Thursday!!!!

 

[Winston]

Migo has the right solution with regard to the merchant providing a quote I have done this myself. It is nobodys business to know the mark up on materials, I always try to pass them on to customers. But it is also an essential part of our business, should work not go to plan.

We are in business after all to make a living

 

[peteheat]

I went thru the original estemate for the job last night, not only am I on time (in relation to rest of work, although the job should be finished by now) I am also under budget!!! FFS what is bugging this bloke? He wanted me to tile and second fix the new shower room, it didn't have any roof tiles on till last Thursday!!!!

Not trying to be cheeky but in your shoes that is exactly what I would ask the customer when standing in front of him, not on the phone or by email.

Let him vent if that is what he must do, major home improvements can be very stressful even when everything is going to plan.

The average consumer does not want to know about your problems with the builder I think you will find the builder is giving him a story that suits his agenda which is usually blame the one who isn't there (you).

I would arrange a meeting between all concerned to come up with a schedule of works that suits the man with the money (customer) and that both trades can actually meet.

Christmas is coming none of us would want to be living on a building site for the holiday