Is a devis a quote or an estimate?

[chocccie]

Is an agreed and signed devis the actual agreed price.  Or when it comes time to pay can it become "ah, yes, well - that doesn't take into account...."?

Cheers

[Opel Fruit<P><BR>Opel Fruit, Dept. 53<P>]

It's a contractual document and therefore a quote.

[La Guerriere]

And you'll note that a French devis is very detailed and will tell you exactly what he's proposing to do, so any changes to the work are a lot easier to identify than in UK. The one thing that it doesn't tell you is WHEN the work is likely to be done. French artisans seem to wortk to a much longer time horizon that builders in UK

Jim (50 and Oxfordshire)

 

[Coco]

You're right Jim!  When we had a new shower room put in the price was exactly as quoted but I had to really nag and nag the plumber to get him to come and finish off.

The thing I have done with my last two devis is to sign them with a note that says "only if work is completed by...." and certainly with the roofer and the landscaper who did the devis it has worked.  They ummmed and ahrred over it, but both completed the work within MY timescale.

[Nick Trollope]

[quote]It's a contractual document and therefore a quote.[/quote]

Indeed so.

However, any changes to your original design you want included must be the subject of a revised devis. Don't accept an "oh it will only cost you xxx" - get a devis. Otherwise, you will be charged exactly what the builder want's you to pay.

It can get very long-winded on a large project - builders I know simply won't accept variation to the devis because they can't be bothered with the paperwork...

 

[LesFlamands]

"French Artisans seem to work to a much longer time horizon than builders in the UK"

There are a lot less builders per client in rural France than there are in most parts of the UK.

A 'devis' is an estimate but when agreed and signed by both parties it becomes a contract i.e. specified work to be carried out for a fixed price. Many Brits. fall foul of this system because they have often not understood the minutia of the estimate and when they see the Artisan doing something they don't want they ask him to change it. The Artisan is very reluctant to do this as change inevitably involves cost (another trip to the builders merchant, for example) and delays, and he has already promised to start work on the next job on a contractually agreed date.

I wouldn't allow a client to jump the queue unless he was paying a premium price and I would never charge a premium, so for us clients are dealt with in strict order. Some clients don't accept estimates because of the delay but often come back when they can't find a legit builder to do in any sooner, or put up with sub standard work from someone working on the black.