Gardener only mentions net prices

Hi, maybe you can share the VAT, in December it is only 16%. Does the invoice date or the payment date actually apply here? Regards Olli

The invoice date applies.
Unfortunately, I absolutely do not see why we as builders are always the ones who have to pay for the craftsmen's mistakes.
For me, it's more about the principle than the money.

Garden design is never really something completely finished. In this respect, I would be clear and decisive when it comes to price quotes and signal goodwill to the landscape gardener, indicating that you intend to continue giving him preference in the future. I would also consider a concession – but not 8:8, rather 2:14 plus rounding up the next hundred once for the main items and once for the collected small stuff. Ideally, I would also add a voucher for the next quarter – that is, paying in advance for what is expected to be commissioned in Q1/21. On the one hand, he obviously needs to learn to do his job correctly from a commercial standpoint – but on the other hand, he shouldn’t switch to “lawyer mode” in the future, which would be undesirable for a creative person. I assume that unfair competition was not his motive – on the other hand, as a consumer you have a legitimate expectation that there will not be a seventh sixth tacked on at the checkout as a surprise.

In this case, I also wouldn’t see why I should pay for the craftsman’s mistakes; as a homeowner, unfortunately, you have to do that way too often because you want to avoid conflict or simply don’t have time. It’s about a lot of money. Every craftsman knows exactly that they have to quote final prices.

I had this trick on a smaller scale once as well. I ordered something from an engraver, 2 engraved signs. Everything discussed, asked for the total price. He said 30€. Okay, seemed cheap to me, but well, they were just small tree signs. When picking them up, they then wanted 2x30€ PLUS VAT.... yeah yeah yeah.... yes, they said they only gave me the net price for one sign. Exactly, because as an end customer, the net price of one sign doesn’t interest me if I’m buying 2 signs. All of a sudden, the 30€ turned into almost 72€. I didn’t pay that either. And I definitely would not pay 6000€ more to the garden landscaper if he gave me his prices wrong beforehand.

Unfortunately completely normal, net prices are very often used in construction. If you don't have an offer, you will definitely, no, 100%, come off worse. But maybe you can reach an out-of-court settlement.

That's how it is. And when the landscaping gardener quotes me €4.50 per m² for turf and €400 per tree, I can assume these are gross prices.

Are you sure you always thought in gross prices?
Even I would assume net prices with such neat amounts of €4.50 or €400.

But you know how it is, especially with gardens. Expanding the paved area a bit here, running an underground cable there, changing or expanding the planting, etc. etc.
If I had waited for an offer every time, the garden wouldn’t have been finished in 2022 yet.
Exactly these additional services were agreed upon verbally.

Hmm... I would have expected you to be as clever as ;)

With us, the landscaper always spoke in net prices. But the offer was in net/gross. During construction "the wall is getting longer, that’s 1000 more" was then 1000+19% VAT for me in Excel.

Or has your cleverness now, after the various positions “a bit more here, a bit more there,” rather become the principle of giving the craftsman a lesson?

For me, it’s more about principle than money.