ᐅ Tradesperson charges travel fees multiple times

Hello everyone,

I have additionally commissioned my heating installation company to carry out the bathroom installation on a time-and-materials basis.

The last delivery of two washbasins and vanity units arrived, and the company was notified. After about a week, I received a call saying that the installation would start the very next day at 10 a.m. However, the company only arrived at 2 p.m., installed most of the items, and left after 2 hours. The following day, the company came back (at 11 a.m.) and finished the remaining work within 1 hour (this was on a Friday).

Now I have received an invoice:
Day 1: travel distance (km)
Day 1: travel time
Day 1: 2 hours labor time
Day 2: travel distance (km)
Day 2: travel time
Day 2: 1 hour labor time

The breakdown is accurate, and I’m sure many here could reference legal provisions to confirm that this is acceptable under the law.

But just the travel distance and time make up more than half of the invoice. Personally, I feel this is unfair. They could have easily completed the work in one day. Why they had to leave, I can only speculate. But even earlier during the heating installation, work always ended at 4 p.m.

Have you experienced something similar? Is there any way I can dispute these double travel charges?

Thanks and best regards,
Stefan

Hello Stefan,

stefanh schrieb:

Is there any way I can dispute the double travel charges here?

What does the contract or signed offer specifically say?

Regards, Bauexperte

stefanh schrieb:
Called to confirm that the installation would start promptly the next day at 10 a.m.
The company, however, only arrived at 2 p.m. the following day

Fundamentally, this could be the key to the solution. The "delay" was not your fault but the company's responsibility. If the work had started as agreed during the phone call at 10:00 a.m., it could have been completed the same day without a second trip.

What happened then at 4:00 p.m. on the first day? Did you comment on the site being left? Or did you verbally approve the (unfinished) departure or express your surprise at the time?

I would advise addressing the issue as a delay. It was within the contractor’s control to complete the work the same day. Most likely, they had to fix an issue on another site or needed more time than originally planned. I don’t see why you should have to pay for a second trip because of this.

Bauexperte schrieb:
Hello Stefan,


What exactly is stated in the contract or signed offer?

Regards, Bauexperte

The contract / offer contains no information regarding travel / travel costs, etc. The installation based on time spent was only mentioned briefly in the main offer for the heating and plumbing installation.

For the work on the heating and plumbing system (which is now completed), travel costs have never been charged separately. At least not as an individual item... that’s why I was surprised that something like this is suddenly being listed now.

After you asked yesterday, I also realized that the workers have always come as part of the heating and plumbing work and then basically continued with the bathroom installation afterwards. So the tasks were mixed, and no travel costs were charged.

Now they came exclusively for the bathroom installation, and suddenly there are travel costs. So I guess I missed including this item separately when awarding the contract, right?

Voki1 schrieb:
Basically, there might be a key to the solution here. You are not responsible for the "delay," but the company is. If the work had started at 10:00 a.m., as was eventually agreed during the phone call, the job could have been completed on the same day without a second trip.

What happened then at 4:00 p.m. on the first day? Did you comment on the workers leaving the site? Or did you possibly verbally accept the (unfinished) departure or already express your surprise then?

However, I would pursue the issue through the delay. It was within the contractor’s responsibility to complete the work on the same day. Most likely, they had to patch a hole on another site or spent more time there than originally planned. I can’t see why you should have to pay double travel costs because of this.

Unfortunately, I was not on-site on the first day; only my wife was. As far as she told me, the worker came to her and said, "You have to leave now, but the bathrooms are almost finished, and tomorrow there will only be a little left to do." My wife didn’t say anything special in response. She was still surprised since only a cabinet was missing, but I don’t know if that showed on her face.

Regarding the delay, I also see a (small) opportunity there, thanks for the suggestion! I will now simply ask politely if it would be possible to waive the first travel fee. Based on my current knowledge, I don’t see any legal basis for this, but maybe the company will be cooperative.

Best regards
Stefan

stefanh schrieb:
From my current knowledge, I do not see a legal basis,

I do.

Hello Stefan,

stefanh schrieb:

So I missed having that point included separately in the contract, right?

That’s how I see it, yes. Agreeing on a flat travel cost fee in advance wouldn’t have been a bad idea. However, our current legal expert in the forum, Volker, has a different view. So how can I argue against him?

Talk to the contractor and then see where the discussion leads.

Best regards, Bauexperte