Can't make my mind up on Bathroom - DIY or professionals?

helping_hubby

Phirefly wrote: »

How are you getting on budget-wise?

rotfl ahem. That budget went out the window a LONG time ago

We've had to hold off the floor for the living room. Not do the driveway (even though it was going to be done DIY). We also have no money for carpeting the rest of the house, or for buying any form of furnishings.

The bathroom has cost:
£1650 labour (plumbing and tiling)
£1050 for suite, taps, and radiator
£320 for tiles (floor and walls)
Approx £75 for building the wall, knocking it down, rebuilding it again! But the bits of wood and plasterboard can be used elsewhere on the house for boxing in other bits.
And then probably £50 on random things like nails and screws.
Shower curtain rail: £5
Shower curtain: free
So £3150 ish in total. I'm sure I've forgotten stuff.

On top, we'll need a cupboard at some point, a mirror for the window ledge, and a bath panel (probably going to stick with making one out of tongue and groove for now). And I want a plant too

brownbake

Phirefly - yes went for a screen as OH and everyone else said it looked better than a curtain - got it from Primose bathrooms too. Problem is is that we have very hard water and it is a right pain keeping it clean, that's why I wish I stuck to my guns.

Your fitter sounds great, mine weren't. No dimmer and I wouldn't say the highest quailty light fittings and nor would my spark!!

It still looks nice and 100 times better than before and should hopefully last a good few years until we want to sell anyway.

It was just a really big learning curve and I have learnt from my mistakes. A friend has just had her bathroom done with the £500 B&Q showerbath suite and looks really good.

Phirefly

helping_hubby wrote: »

On top, we'll need a cupboard at some point,

And I want a plant too

We're having a nightmare trying to choose a cupboard... and for what its worth - my new orchid seems to like the moisture and aspect, could be worth a go?

How are you getting on?

helping_hubby

Phirefly wrote: »

We're having a nightmare trying to choose a cupboard... and for what its worth - my new orchid seems to like the moisture and aspect, could be worth a go?

How are you getting on?

I was going to ask you if I could blatantly copy your orchid! I saw them in Morrisons this weekend, they had quite big ones for £9.99 each. I'm thinking of getting 2. My window is 3 panes, so quite big. My towels are turquiose, so I think that would go with the pink orchid OK.

I have some pictures here:
http://thehouserenovationinsurrey.blogspot.com/2008/12/some-tiling-progress.html
and before the tiling started:
http://thehouserenovationinsurrey.blogspot.com/2008/12/bathroom-was-started-on-monday.html

Cupboards are surprising difficult...I've got one in my head now, which isn't good as it'll be impossible to find

Phirefly

helping_hubby wrote: »

I have some pictures here:

Gosh it is very similar to mine isn't it. I got my orchid in true MSE style in Tescos for half price - our Tesco has a section where they discount all the flowers and plants that are past their best, and there are often orchids in there, although that's odd as they do not have a sell-by date (as do cut flowers) and the one I got was not tired at all. Definitely worth checking out...

helping_hubby

Phirefly wrote: »

Gosh it is very similar to mine isn't it. I got my orchid in true MSE style in Tescos for half price - our Tesco has a section where they discount all the flowers and plants that are past their best, and there are often orchids in there, although that's odd as they do not have a sell-by date (as do cut flowers) and the one I got was not tired at all. Definitely worth checking out...

OH works at Tesco so will get him to keep an eye out - he'd get the 10% discount too.

themanbearpig

helping_hubby wrote: »

rotfl ahem. That budget went out the window a LONG time ago

We've had to hold off the floor for the living room. Not do the driveway (even though it was going to be done DIY). We also have no money for carpeting the rest of the house, or for buying any form of furnishings.

The bathroom has cost:
£1650 labour (plumbing and tiling)
£1050 for suite, taps, and radiator
£320 for tiles (floor and walls)
Approx £75 for building the wall, knocking it down, rebuilding it again! But the bits of wood and plasterboard can be used elsewhere on the house for boxing in other bits.
And then probably £50 on random things like nails and screws.
Shower curtain rail: £5
Shower curtain: free
So £3150 ish in total. I'm sure I've forgotten stuff.

On top, we'll need a cupboard at some point, a mirror for the window ledge, and a bath panel (probably going to stick with making one out of tongue and groove for now). And I want a plant too

£1650 labour :eek:You people are crazy. I hope you got 2 weeks of labour out of them for that much money!

Mine cost:
£350 for Armitage shanks Sandringham suite + £100 thermostatic bristan taps from ebay.
£250 labour for 1st £100 for 2nd fix plumbing. £50 for wiring in a shaver socket.
Tiles and Misc stuff cost about £150
Plastering the room cost £200

I cleared out the old bathroom myself, and tiled myself (very easy if you have a keen eye for detail and proceed logically).

Total around = £1100

Same thing would have cost £3000 if I got a builder to organise it all. I had some jokers quote me £2k for moving a soil pipe, while it could be done in 30mins under the floorboards.

Not a very MSE thread TBH!