Call-out fee for roofer

[anonymous-user]

Had an ongoing issue with a flat roof leak, took some plaster down to see where it was coming from and the sealant between the roof/front wall join had failed (again).

Asked a roofer (by text) if they could help, they said yes; I responded with 'Do you know when you can come to look? Got buckets of water in the living room.' They came that afternoon, checked the sealant and said it needed to be re-done with a stronger sealant, possibly something that is torched on? (it was that company that had repaired the sealant previously)

In the quote for the new work, they've added a call-out charge for that afternoon visit. No mention of a call-out charge was made, and to my knowledge I didn't call them out, just asked when they would be able to come and look.

I'm not sure how much the charge is, but would I be unreasonable to deduct it from the payment? It's not even like they did any emergency shoring up for if it rained again over the weekend, just had a look and left, less than ten minutes.

[Semmelweiss]

Did you think that their time was for free?

The other option would have been for them to have included the call out in the total quote and not have mentioned it.

I'd just ask them how much it was and have a think about whether it was a reasonable amount?

If you upset the roofer, then you might just be looking for another one...

[anonymous-user]

I don't expect to pay every tradesperson to come and quote for a job, no, especially if they only mention it after the fact, and they didn't do it last time. I was assuming it was an 'emergency' call out charge. If I hadn't got back in touch with them would they have sent me an invoice just for this surprise callout charge?

I'll see what's itemised on the invoice and how much it is, it's up to them if they call it out separately.

[TimmyMallett]

Try and forget about it, work out what he was proposing in labour and materials and get other quotes in for the same and look at the total quote figures, that's what you need to worry about, then it's less about what it's made up of.

I wouldn't have paid for him on principle but some people try their luck. Quoting is a cost that is absorbed into your business costs.

[Semmelweiss]

ScotHill said:

I don't expect to pay every tradesperson to come and quote for a job, no, especially if they only mention it after the fact, and they didn't do it last time. I was assuming it was an 'emergency' call out charge. If I hadn't got back in touch with them would they have sent me an invoice just for this surprise callout charge?

I'll see what's itemised on the invoice and how much it is, it's up to them if they call it out separately.

If you wait until you get invoiced, before deciding to pay or not, I'd suggest that's not ethical on your behalf. Make yourself happy and just ask him upfront what the charge will be. If they are smart enough, they would say "£0.00" but we are just informing you that we have incurred a cost and have borne it into the work done.

[Bigends]

If it had been a non rush visit..just come round when you can..there's no hurry..then I doubt there'd have been a call out charge. In this case they've come round same day, maybe delaying other work..hence the fallout charge

[2 GKC]

If they’ve done it once and now you’ve got buckets of water coming in, I’d find another roofer.

[Pica-Pica]

It all depends on how you want the relationship to continue. From you quote as having said, it does seem like you invited him as a ‘call-out’.

On the other hand, I had a boiler guy, a local chap, come to check my boiler (a gunged up trap). He didn’t want anything, I forced £20 on him, as I will be wanting a completely new boiler sometime soon.

[Sheepshanks]

ScotHill said:

In the quote for the new work, they've added a call-out charge for that afternoon visit.
.....
I'm not sure how much the charge is,

It may have just been put there to pad out the wording of the quote, or perhaps to note that they have actually seen the job and are not quoting "blind".

[fred bloggs]

If it was the same company, saying the work they had done previously was not good enough, it should be gratis job, unless it was years ago.

Edited by fred bloggs on Monday 3rd October 12:35

[OutInTheShed]

I'd be getting a builder to have a look.

'sealant between the roof and wall' is either the OP not understanding/mangling what the roofer is saying, or a bodge.