Hey everyone! I recently finished a shower remodel and I'm feeling like my general contractor is trying to charge me extra for things that shouldn't be my responsibility. We started with an approximate quote of $4,500, and I had clearly communicated to the GC what shower head I wanted, which had its own valve. After a month, I was told the shower head was out of stock, so I offered to order it myself and keep using my old one for the time being.
When the subcontractors installed the shower surround, I notified them that the valve and trim would be arriving that day. However, they ended up installing a cheaper plastic trim and a part of the surround that covered the valve incorrectly. I alerted the GC to the mistake and requested a correction. He said it would require going through the wall, and we didn't discuss any additional charges at that time.
Now that I've received the final bill, they are charging me $500 not once, but twice for the removal and installation of the valve, as well as an extra $150 for the wall work. I argued that I shouldn't be responsible for the additional costs since I was very clear about my preferences beforehand and I paid for the valve and trim myself.
Am I overreacting, or do I have a valid point here? Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!
3 Answers
From what you're telling us, it seems like a bit of a misunderstanding on your contractor's part. If they quoted for a standard valve and then used a different one without confirming additional costs, they might be on shaky ground. Just be firm but polite when you reach out to them – they may be willing to work with you on this!
It sounds like you were quite clear about your preferences from the beginning, and if the installation of the correct valve was a simple correction rather than a change in order, they shouldn't charge you for it. In many places, a revision like that shouldn't incur extra costs if it was not agreed upon beforehand. Definitely worth discussing with them to see if you can negotiate those charges down.
I totally get where you’re coming from! If you communicated clearly about what you wanted and they didn't follow through, they shouldn’t be billing you for the mistakes. It’s great you ordered the parts yourself too! You might want to check your state laws regarding contractor obligations since some places have strict rules about what can and can't be charged without prior agreement. Good luck!