Invoice for work I didn't request by an avionics guy I haven't spoken to in a year

[gsxrpilot]

26 minutes ago, Baker Avionics said:

Agree with you more, I couldn't.  The points you brought out are valid and real.  That is why I opened my shop because I worked and plenty of companies and this was their mantra.  If it is not approved, it doesn't get worked.  If we do something and the customer didn't approved it, we give it to them for no charge.  The real issue is that IF the unit was installed per the Installation manual and STC, which points the Installation Manual, does it state to do the 91.411 and 91.413?  I understand the customer's frustration and he needs to stick up for himself to ensure the shop doesn't do it to others.  Paying the bill and talking to them, even if the customer doesn't go back is doing nothing but empowering that shop, in my opinion.  We are a small community and we need to help each other out in this way.  After all, isn't that why we are on these forums, to help each other out?

This approach to business is reason enough to fly to Oregon for avionics work!

[Baker Avionics]

1 hour ago, gsxrpilot said:

This approach to business is reason enough to fly to Oregon for avionics work!

Paul, we aren't that far apart!  I've been telling you this!  We see each other's posts and pretty much agree on everything to include Pete's posts and feelings!  Haha!!!!

[DXB]

Going into someone's hangar and doing work on their plane that they didn't come anywhere close to authorizing is just plain bizarre. Certainly it would have been preferable to tell them to stop immediately upon discovering them working on the plane, but I could see being so dumbfounded by the situation that I wouldn't react forcefully initially because I had no idea what the f*ck is going on. I might even question my own memory and/or sanity for a moment.

The closest situation I've encountered was with my avionics guy, who is capable and fairly priced, and we had a good relationship. He installed an extra component with a new piece of hardware that I hadn't discussed or approved because he realized I would definitely want it to get maximal functionality out of the unit (specifically the magnetometer for a GI 275, which had just been released a week prior and he was learning the components himself for the first time).  Luckily, he was completely right, but he probably should have called first and added the relevant amount to my quote after I approved. I can imagine shop guys getting into this bad habit, and then it's a slipperly slope to the kind of behavior experienced by the OP.

[khedrei]

10 hours ago, RLCarter said:

Being that it was not authorized nor had it even been discussed I wouldn’t pay. Regardless on how far into the checks the technician was when the owner walked in, they are obligated to reassemble to the point of where it was before the work started. As the owner of the aircraft I wouldn’t pay, I also wouldn’t expect the log entries either, as the shop owner I would except the error and as a offer of good faith hand the aircraft owner the log entries at no charge and apologize for the mistake. I will say If the shop owner did the above I would at that point (depending on how hard it was to get there) I would probably pay something if not all being  invoiced. Should the shop threaten or even file a lien, while a pain, it’s just paper work, counter his moves with criminal trespass and tampering with an aircraft which could be jail time, fines and/or loss of certificates, the shop would be miles ahead to just walk away if it comes down to this

^^

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