Is $200/hour expensive for travel time?

[Ace in the Hole]

I've got to get an inspection done for stormwater compliance for a final certificate on a new property just built - duplex.

As part of the fee structure, inspection fee and travel time are both charged at $198/hour.
Estimated travel time from Castle Hill to Sutherland area is 2 hours (total time).

I can accept $198/hour for inspection time, but $400 for a couple hours of driving seems excessive.
Not much I can do about it now, they have done an interim inspection and levels already done by surveyor.
This is just a re-inspection to get the final.
I enquired with another company to do it for me but they would have to start all over again, which would cost more.

The property was built through a project building co. and the stormwater/hydraulics contractors were arranged through them.

When I called them to question this fee, the woman on the phone said nobody has ever questioned it before, other services charge much more for travel time.
And, that this must be the first time I ever built before, implying that I'm inexperienced.
Which is true when it comes to development, although I'm currently developing a 5 and 6 townhouse developments also.

Does this seem reasonable?

 

[brazen]

That's...a lot.
I charge $400 to go to Newcastle and back (to do a site survey) from South Sydney...that's like $80 an hour.

 

[Piston Broke]

They know they have your left one in a vice grip.
Unless you agreed beforehand to such fees, I would not pay the travel time and dispute it.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

I haven't signed the agreement yet, but don't see any way around it.
They won't negotiate on the fee.
I can't get the job done any cheaper at this stage by engaging another company.

My main worry is that when they do the inspection, if there is any incorrect work and they have to be called out for another inspection, they will probably try to hit me up for travel fees again.

It's a difficult position.

 

[Annietom]

I feel for you, often services like these (engineers, lawyers) really tally up bills with what I call "fat" simply because they can. It's a prudent developer (business person) to forsee these traps and try to avoid them, having said that, new traps are set all the time. If it were me, I'd pay, I'd also make a comment to the person about how that fee is "a bit steep" (is probably the exact words I'd used) and if they don't register that you are saying "drop it, or I won't use you again and I'll tell the world you are a rip off" then nothing will. Perhaps they save you money in other ways, who knows... At least mention your surprise at the travel cost (speak to the person you hired, not their secretary) and see what response you get, you never know!

 

[pickle pickle]

If $200 an hour is charged for the work, why shouldn't they charge $200 an hour for travel? If they weren't traveling to see your property they would be doing other work charging $200 an hour.

You may think it's a bit steep to pay the same for travelling as for there work, but I think that the provider of the service is being fair. If I provided the service and anyone asked me why I charge the same rate for travel as for the work I do, I'll tell them the above reason as to why.

They are travelling for your purposes. Of course they will charge the same rate. To say they are ripping you off, is in my opinion unfair.

 

[pennyk]

i used to charge travel time when I was doing consulting work.
Is it a fixed number of hours? I think the hourly rate is probably a bit higher than I would expect (I used to charge less than my consulting rate for travel time).
But I think they are optimistic to get from Castle Hill to Sutherland in an hour in each way (although I havent travelled there recently)......... so I would just check that the quote for number of hours is fixed and wont be increased if they hit traffic!