Hey guys,
Just wondering where I can go to contest an exorbitant charge by a handyman that my property manager got to do work on my IP in Victoria. Fair Trading perhaps?
And also wondering whether people think it would take 52 hours to complete the following jobs:
- Remove debris covering ensuite ceiling fan and install barrier to protect fan in roof cavity
- Replace broken DIY light shade in hallway
- Repair cracks in the walls and ceiling in the ensuite
- Repaint ensuite walls and ceiling to match the existing colour scheme
- Repair cracks in the walls of the main bathroom
- Repaint main bathroom walls to match the existing colour scheme
- Install new towel rails in the ensuite and main bathroom
- Repair leaking ensuite toilet
- Fit new door stops in the ensuite and main bathroom
- Apply three coats of sealer to the tiles/grout of two shower recesses
- Secure carpet edging strips to the floor in loungeroom and bedrooms' doorways
- Replace all silicone seals in the shower recess, bath and tile joints in ensuite and main bathroom
Just wanted an opinion to see whether I am getting royally shafted, because even though I'm no handyman, I can't imagine the work taking that long to finish.
How much did it all cost?
Cheers
Jamie
Jamie Moore | Pass Go Home Loans Pty Ltd
http://www.passgo.com.au
Email Me | Phone MeMortgage Broker assisting clients Australia wide Email: [email protected]
Hi Jamie,
It was over $2000. I'm concerned he took way too much time since they all charge by the hour.
Cheers,
Ken
I have had a few issues where I felt I was getting pretty ripped off. Now for any issues I get the agent to advise me first then generally request a quote. If it seems extreme then its not to hard to chase up a quote yourself from another service provider or get the agent to get another one from someone else. All good in hindsight I guess.
Is the property regional? I've had extremely ridiculous quotes before in regional towns. You should tell your PM to get three quotes before proceeding with any work unless its a major emergency.
Tony Fleming | Triumphant Property Group
http://www.triumphantpropertygroup.com.au
Email MeNSW Buyer's Agent specialising in Western Sydney-Blue Mountains-Orange-Albury
52 hours is probably a little to much but not too excessive , Some times a simple fix can be a can of worms. I guess it depends on what had to be done to fix everything,every job can vary alot and isn’t as simple as it seems.
I don't know if it's because I'm from Canberra where everything is expensive but $2k doesn't seem too unreasonable for that amount of work – looks like there was a fair bit of painting involved. I received a quote from a local painter for a relatively small area of a Canberra IP and it was more than $2k for that job alone.
Cheers
Jamie
Jamie Moore | Pass Go Home Loans Pty Ltd
http://www.passgo.com.au
Email Me | Phone MeMortgage Broker assisting clients Australia wide Email: [email protected]
Ill be honest.
If that took me one whole day to get all the materials and i mean one whole day 8 hours. And then the next day i started work.
I've finished more then that in 8 hours.
The guy was not working on your house for those jobs for a whole week.
This is something that everyone learns the hard way. Get a quote first, then agree. At least your bill was only 2k. I had to learn mine on a 4 k ("it should cost you this much sir) which then doubled to 8k on the invoice. Always get something in writing first even if its just a email or a text message with the price and list of works to complete. You just cannot take people by their word anymore. I commented before about property managers even getting kick backs from 'property maintenance handy mans". It does happen.
Did you get a quote for the works. If not pay the bill to the handyman direct and sack your PM.
Or go back through your rental agreement and see if you have a limit to how much your PM can authorize without telling you. ie standard is around $350-500. Im assuming he rang you up and just said theres some issues that need fixing. If he didn't ring you up and just went ahead without telling you, you'd prob have a case.
Your not getting royally shafted. Just most likely the very top of the scale and a bit of ignorance that has been taken advantage of.
Should have been $1500 max but I wouldn’t say you’ve been ripped off. Always get a quote first and if possible never pay by the hour.
Simple way to work out if they are charging you alot of money
– tradies charge by the hour
– accountants charge per block of time
– lawyers charge you per minute.
Who makes the most money lol.
That's the problem with paying by the hour. No incentive to finish work promptly. I had a lawyer who kept me on the phone once talking about something completely non related "his plans for the weekend" and then billed me for a additional 6 minutes of his time.
Thanks to everyone for their valuable comments. It is a good lesson learned and I will be careful in the future about authorising such work without getting extra quotes. And The Dark Knight hit it straight on the head, it is regional Victoria!
kennykennykenny wrote:- Remove debris covering ensuite ceiling fan and install barrier to protect fan in roof cavity 1.5hrs
- Replace broken DIY light shade in hallway 0.25hrs
- Repair cracks in the walls and ceiling in the ensuite
- Repaint ensuite walls and ceiling to match the existing colour scheme
- Repair cracks in the walls of the main bathroom
- Repaint main bathroom walls to match the existing colour scheme 2 bathrooms combined 6hrs
- Install new towel rails in the ensuite and main bathroom 1.5hrs
- Repair leaking ensuite toilet 1hr
- Fit new door stops in the ensuite and main bathroom 0.5hrs
- Apply three coats of sealer to the tiles/grout of two shower recesses included in 6 hrs above
- Secure carpet edging strips to the floor in loungeroom and bedrooms' doorways 1hr
- Replace all silicone seals in the shower recess, bath and tile joints in ensuite and main bathroom 1h
So lets say 15hrs at $35/hr = $525
Plus $80 travel………………. = $605
Plus materials – $200……… = $806
I'm really struggling to get to a $1000 here. So I would want to see an itemised account and I mean itemised along with justification for such a high bill.
My argument has always been is that if you are going to charge pro rates or close to it then the work must be done in a timely fashion and to an acceptable industry standard. If one or both of those conditions are not met then the rate is not justifiable. So someone who is competent but slow cannot charge a high time rate. I find 56 hrs exorbitant to say the least. That is at best twice the industry average.
Unless this operator can convince you that the time charge is reasonable I would pay half and dispute the rest.
painting, and preparing to paint, takes ages. removing old silicone is not a 2 second job either.
Jacqui Middleton | Middleton Buyers Advocates
http://www.middletonbuyersadvocates.com.au
Email Me | Phone MeVIC Buyers' Agents for investors, home buyers & SMSFs.
JacM wrote:painting, and preparing to paint, takes ages. removing old silicone is not a 2 second job either.I could strip and resilicon a shower in about 30 minutes Jacs and If I couldn't prep and repaint 2 bathrooms in a day I'd hang up my brushes.
Using an 8 hour day, this bill amounts to 6 1/2 days @ $38 per hour. Way too long.
Cheers
thecrest
thecrest | Tony Neale - Statewide Motel Brokers
http://www.statewidemotelbrokers.com.au
Email Me | Phone Meselling motels in NSW
Freckle is on the ball in this case and I do agree with him.
when you are faster than a tradie you know something is wrong.
get a job in construction – solution
you’re not alone in questioning charges for handyman work; it’s a common concern many property owners have. Contesting the charges could potentially involve the Fair Trading agency in Victoria, and you may also want to consult a legal advisor for this kind of dispute.
As for the time required to complete the jobs you listed, 52 hours does sound like a lot, although the actual time could depend on various factors like the complexity of the work, materials required, and so on. However, for a ballpark idea, you can take a look at this article on the truth about tradie call-out fees and labor charges. It breaks down some of the hidden costs and other elements you might not have considered, giving you a better understanding of what you’re paying for.
If you still feel that the cost and time involved are exorbitant after doing some research, it may be worth pursuing a more formal complaint.
realestatepro | Pro-Handy Australia
https://pro-handy.com/au/Professional Handyman Services Australia Wide
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