How do you deal with customers that want more

[Adam Marshall]

I am on a big roofing project at the moment and have been for sometime. We nearly finished the roof and now on with cladding the dormers however the customer has desided to spring it on us that we are now doing the guttering but the guttering is not on the quote I gave him. This is all in writing but this is where it gets complicated, we originally quoted the job at a price we got the go ahead but realised the cladding is a lot more money than we first thought. We went to the customer and explained it would be more money than first quoted he agreed the extra would be fine however we did not print a revised quote with the new figure. Now the job is nearly at an end he springs the guttering on us and for us to fit a window he has supplied. I don't want to fall out with the customer as he owes me a hell of a lot of money and I have forked out alot. How can I approach this without conflict. I know it's long winded but I had to get the full story across. Thanks in advance.

 

[roblane65]

Why is it complicated , surely you have a dairy with the date you verbally gave them the revised cost with the cladding . simply have a chat with them and say you will give them a new costing including the extra guttering and window then note on the costing the date you advised them of price increase of the cladding . Is there any reason why you think they are going to be difficult. I've had jobs in the past that once started have doubled in size . I always keep a site diary and the customer informed as to extra's and cost.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Just pop an email across with guttering and window labour prices.
Refer to the fact that neither item was in the original quote and previous increase to cladding was discussed and agreed

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Why is it complicated , surely you have a dairy with the date you verbally gave them the revised cost with the cladding . simply have a chat with them and say you will give them a new costing including the extra guttering and window then note on the costing the date you advised them of price increase of the cladding . Is there any reason why you think they are going to be difficult. I've had jobs in the past that once started have doubled in size . I always keep a site diary and the customer informed as to extra's and cost.

My quotes are detailed for this reason.
Any extras can't be contested then.

 

[Kayos]

Extras are agreed and signed for before they are started. If you cocked up and they agreed to pay the extra that should be in writing as well

 

[roofman]

I am on a big roofing project at the moment and have been for sometime. We nearly finished the roof and now on with cladding the dormers however the customer has desided to spring it on us that we are now doing the guttering but the guttering is not on the quote I gave him. This is all in writing but this is where it gets complicated, we originally quoted the job at a price we got the go ahead but realised the cladding is a lot more money than we first thought. We went to the customer and explained it would be more money than first quoted he agreed the extra would be fine however we did not print a revised quote with the new figure. Now the job is nearly at an end he springs the guttering on us and for us to fit a window he has supplied. I don't want to fall out with the customer as he owes me a hell of a lot of money and I have forked out alot. How can I approach this without conflict. I know it's long winded but I had to get the full story across. Thanks in advance.

When you say window do you mean a roof window as in Velux etc?...also does he want you to just fit the guttering or supply as well? and my 3rd and most important question is why did you not ask for interim payment part way through the job to reduce your risk and give the customer less bargining power towards the end of job to spring this kind of scenario at you?

 

[gaz1]

up to you but id suggest getting a good chunk of your money first as near on complete

leave window and gutter till last job

when you have your money 3 quarters of it up to you

they always say they have plenty of money blah blah makes no difference

you could say i will do the guttering but you will have to pay for the parts and you will have to pay for the window fitting as well as they are extras that you have not agreed too in writing

 

[angellonewolf]

i had a job done with a mate dig footing/ concreat ring then base etc

he wanted money up front for xyz materials for the job i understand he dont want putting money in to a job and left high and dry

on the other hand i did not want to pay up front for loads of materials for no one to turn up

so we split the job in to small jobs dig a footings paid ,fill ring concreat paid, brick to flooring level paid and on

that way i could see work done he had money for work there was never any chance of either of us going a looser

 

[brightspark]

ive done bigish jobs and got paid in instalments/ then when nearly finished they only owe me 200 quid that's the max I can get had for if it turns sour

 

[Olderisbetter]

Instalments are the best way as you feel confident both ways, only had one time i let it run on and he kept adding stuff on and he had a funny when i mentioned covering some of it so i stopped the guy doing the windows till i got paid and when he met the window fitter he was glad he paid, he looks like a bouncer had a baby with mike tyson and then kept slapping it till he started to bite, nice guy if you are on his good side.

 

[mrsbruce]

Sounds like it’s time to pop in the detailed invoice for work completed to this point. With payment terms on display.

Of course, you politely let him know you are doing this for his benefit, as you are then introducing a quote for new work. Keeps his paperwork, and yours tidy, if all is settled before the new work quoted is started on. Just in case even more work gets added.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I'd approach with "Sure, no problem fitting new gutters. The price will be £XYZ in addition to the cost of the other work"