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I'm beginning to understand how this works. A client has several jobs done on his home that included a lot of material purchases for which he is billed. The contractors take the leftover screws, fasteners, 2x4s, etc. and load them into their truck at the end of the last work day. Then their cousin calls and ask for them to do work on his house in lieu of his working on their truck and voila the declaration in the Title. This isn't right and I certainly couldn't get away with something like this at my office job thus I will start demanding that all unused materials be left at my residence for future projects.
I am sure this does happen however are you sure the contractor billed you for the full amount of all materials that they brought onto the site to perform your job? When you signed your contract with them did they specify how many 2 X 4's, etc. that they will be using/billing you for? When the final bill was paid did they subtract the unused materials from it?
Now you need to keep in mind that unless they are listing the number of fasteners to be used, and other smaller items, the costs for those might have been built into the other materials or a general fee of some type. I have never seen a bill where numbers of fasteners used were accounted for unless they are expensive fasteners individually.
The key to making sure you do get what you pay for with any contractor is a clear statement of work (SOW) that lists all of these particulars. If all you receive is a "Total" quote then you are opening yourself up for loss.
There has to be an amount of "slop" in custom work. The cost of holding up a job for lack of a few fasteners would make such work far more expensive than the cost of the excess material. Does the contractor often take the excess and use it? Sure. That allows him to either keep his pricing down to get more jobs, or to make a slightly better profit. Cost of materials like that are a minor part of overall costs.
The work done on my home was completed at the quoted price... as far as I am concerned the materials are owned by the contractors and I fully expect them to keep them (they left me open paint and shingle bundles).
I'm beginning to understand how this works. A client has several jobs done on his home that included a lot of material purchases for which he is billed. The contractors take the leftover screws, fasteners, 2x4s, etc. and load them into their truck at the end of the last work day. Then their cousin calls and ask for them to do work on his house in lieu of his working on their truck and voila the declaration in the Title. This isn't right and I certainly couldn't get away with something like this at my office job thus I will start demanding that all unused materials be left at my residence for future projects.
Unless you are on time and materials, plus mark up, where you paid for those materials seperately, they just aren't yours.
A contractor gives you a price for the job, not a price for the job and any excess materials he has. he may price the job thinking it takes 100 2x4s to do, he may use 90, he may use 110. he may only buy in stacks of 120 and keep the rest so he has them when he needs them. That is of no concern to you, you bought a job not materials.
I'm not sure what materials you think he's taking from a job that are worth mucho dollars here that he can do a large scale renovation for his cousin.
For the record the labor and materials were separate charges.
I was billed for the full amount of the supplies as I saw the receipts and the leftover were taken away. The contractor did not subtract the unused amount. There was no "general fee." I just think it is just one of those lax things in this trade and it is looked at as the norm. Bottom line is the customer should not be paying for something that is not involved in his project.
Status:
"yankee brusque w/grits"
(set 19 days ago)
Location: The Triad
33,807 posts, read 80,692,655 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by verybadgnome
For the record the labor and materials were separate charges.
I was billed for the full amount of the supplies as I saw the receipts and the leftover were taken away.
This is HIGHLY unusual for a reputable contractor doing residential work.
(outside of big ticket items and custom fab work)
Quote:
The contractor did not subtract the unused amount. There was no "general fee."
And you said/did nothing about it before paying him?
Not so much as a "and just put all the leftover materials in my garage for now..."?
Quote:
I just think it is just one of those lax things in this trade
Nope. It's a lax thing on the part of the so called informed buyer.
Cutting to the chase:
how much less was this guy than the "all included in one price" contractor?
So the Contractor bid a job and the Customer accepted at an agreed price. There is left over material (board cut offs, short lengths, fasteners, half cans of paint, carpet remnants etc) and the Customer wants a refund on these unused valueless materials?
40 freaking years in the construction business and I still get surprised if not shocked at the things the public comes up with. You have got to be kidding me with this.
If I did not take these materials with me I'd be wrong for leaving junk behind. So what will Mr/Mrs Homeowner do with this junk? The Contractor can probably use scraps for various purposes. The Homeowner has little to no use other then to pester the poor guys who did all the hard work and put up with this kind of attitude.
At times the Homeowner asks me if he can have that extra board or extra cut off. Sure man have at it. Less for me to bring to the dumpster.
At times the Homeowner asks me if he can have that extra board or extra cut off. Sure man have at it. Less for me to bring to the dumpster.
Dumpster?? You mean you don't bring all that stuff home so you can use it at your cousin's house in exchange for the title to his truck?
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