A relative of mine recently recarpeted her hallway. She's a single mum so funds are tight, and she asked a friend in the trade how much it might cost. He looked at the hallway and suggested it should be no more than £500.
My relative went ahead and chose a carpet within a range suggested, but when a formal quotation arrived it was for over £800. At this stage she could, and probably should, have pulled out but having got so far down the line decided to bite the bullet and pay the higher cost. However, she was left highly dissatisfied about the difference between the estimate and the actual cost, which was significant for her. Perhaps that story doesn’t surprise you, because we’re all fairly used to tradespeople who give very optimistic estimates of cost and end up charging much more, but that kind of thing...
To continue reading this article...
Join Professional Adviser for free
Signup and gain exclusive members-only insights
- Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
- Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
- Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
- Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
- Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
- Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes
