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Bad experience with electrician in Bucks County, PA
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Had a very bad experience dealing with Fagan Electric. They gave me an
estimate over the phone and then tried to deny it and charge me more once
the work was complete. The guys on the crew were nice and did a great job
but when I refused to pay the additional amount, the guy in their office
threatened me over the phone and was using profanity. He denied that anyone
from Fagan agreed to that estimate. After yelling back and forth, I ended up
paying what I know we had agreed to before they came out and the workers
left. Bottom line (and I've now learned for good!!!) don't let anyone start
work until you sign an estimate. I won't ever do business with them again.
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You failed to get anything in writing. Shame on you and Fagan.
If you had signed anything, it would contain a statement that the final
price may be higher if there are hidden complications.
But what are we talking about? $30.00? $90.00? For I great job as you
stated.
Call up Fagan and find out why it cost more.
Bob
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An 'estimate' is just that; an estimate!
Not a firm quote.
Sounds sloppy on both sides; more so on the customer's side.
However I'd be willing to bet that Electric company will put out the
word to their employees, if not others in the trade. "Watch out for
........ he seems to think that an over the phone estimate is a firm
quote. We sent two guys out there and it cost $XYZ .... to change a
light fixture and he felt it was more than 'Quoted'. Some customers
eh?"
If it had cost twice as much (and we don't know the range of price
being discussed) it might be a little odd; depending on the breakdown
of the bill. But +30% might be a quite possible and reasonable
difference.
It might be possible that the store boss failed to tell the crew "We
have given the customer an estimate of $ABC. If it's looks more than
that call back in." etc. etc.
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Hmmm,
Your fault. Put down everything on the paper, the more detailed, the
better. It covers both party. Days of making a deal with shake of hands
are forever gone. Estimate and agreed upon fixed price is two different
thing.
Estimate means final total bill can escalate(mostly).
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Yep! The good old bottom line, where you both sign a sheet of paper to
make a permanent record of precisely what you both agreed to. Not what
he thinks he said, or you think he said. We all make mistakes, and
usually learn from them, which should make me a genius :o)
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Are you sure you've learned? An estimate is just that. An estimate.
If you want an an agreed to price for the job, that should be clearly
spelled out in a contract for the work to be done.
You don't specify what the workd done was, but it would be hard to give
an accurate estimate for most electrical jobs without seeing it. On
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Both parties are wrong. Yes, an estimate is just that. The contractor
should have come in, looked at the job, they said "it is a bit more than
expected, it will be $xxx more. Do you still want us to go ahead?"
The guy on the phone is correct that no one to the estimate, they
just gave one but did not firm up a price after their guy actually looked at
the job.
The homeowner should also realize that an estimate is not a firm quote.
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the contractor's side of the equation, some people call up and say,
about how much do you charge to install a ceiling fan? And they say,
well, if its a routine job with the box/wiring already there, it will
be $100. When they get there, they find out it's a 24 ft ceiling with
no box or wiring. Then folks say, "But you said it would be $100!"
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An estimate isn't a firm price. If you wanted a firm price you should
have asked them to come out, look things over and give you a quotation.
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