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

Phirefly

helping_hubby wrote: »

If I could get the job done for £3k, (fixtures and fittings, and tile myself) it'll be doable on top of the electrics and plastering

Its astounding isn't it how you start with a budget you thought was relatively healthy and before you know it, its doubled. I'm very sceptical of these folk who claim they 'did the lot for £500' or whatever, perhaps so if you have the basic plumbing and electrics already in place without need for rejigging, get the naffest fittings and bogstandard tiles and hole yourself up on the project for weeks on end. No wonder when we were viewing houses last year most bathrooms were rubbish.

helping_hubby

Phirefly wrote: »

Its astounding isn't it how you start with a budget you thought was relatively healthy and before you know it, its doubled. I'm very sceptical of these folk who claim they 'did the lot for £500' or whatever, perhaps so if you have the basic plumbing and electrics already in place without need for rejigging, get the naffest fittings and bogstandard tiles and hole yourself up on the project for weeks on end. No wonder when we were viewing houses last year most bathrooms were rubbish.

I know - I've spent years watching property ladder and I really believed I could do a bathroom for £1500 lol.

I can finally understand why my friends who have bought in the last few years haven't got round to doing their bathrooms and kitchens...simply that they can't afford it.

I'm very very lucky to even have some funds to do what we can. It's just being clever with it to make the most of it to make a comfortable home in the mean time.

I'm thinking about being very honest with the previous plumber and saying I can't afford £2130. What will it cost just to have the suite and radiator plumbed in.

brownbake

Hi I posted on the costs of getting our bathroom fitted - bought all the stuff myself but paid a fitter to do everything. Was quite costly and was a full weeks full time work for a team of fitters!!

Before
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/bath.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/basin.jpg

During
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/DSCF1475.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/DSCF1470.jpg

After
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/DSCF1560.jpg

And Now 18 months later
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/bathfull.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/basin2.jpg

Hope this helps - all costings and suppliers listed on my previous bathroom posts from last year!!

helping_hubby

brownbake wrote: »

Hi I posted on the costs of getting our bathroom fitted - bought all the stuff myself but paid a fitter to do everything. Was quite costly and was a full weeks full time work for a team of fitters!!

Before
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/bath.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/basin.jpg

During
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/DSCF1475.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/DSCF1470.jpg

After
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/DSCF1560.jpg

And Now 18 months later
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/bathfull.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/basin2.jpg

Hope this helps - all costings and suppliers listed on my previous bathroom posts from last year!!

Oooh I love photos....does anyone else have befores and afters?

What a transformation. Looks lovely. Your bathroom tiles are exactly what I want

Off to look at your other posts now.

brownbake

Can be found here with other people wishing to do their bathrooms

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=588162&page=2

helping_hubby

brownbake wrote: »

Can be found here with other people wishing to do their bathrooms

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=588162&page=2

A question for you..how's your towel rail holding up? Would you recommend the gloworm?

Phirefly

brownbake wrote: »

Before
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/bath.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u206/booksgreatoffers/basin.jpg

My EYES! *rushes off to splash water on burning eyeballs*

Seriously though, that bathroom was a shocker - makes me feel slightly better about living with ariel's playpen a bit longer....



Fantastic transformation though.

helping_hubby, if you like those tiles, you should have a look at the ones I'm having. They are porcelain but look like natural stone, and have a lovely smooth matte finish which gives a really high-end look. They are Arkim 'micron', £28/m2 from EMC before the fitters discount. I got free samples from olinetileshop.

Phirefly

brownbake wrote: »

Can be found here with other people wishing to do their bathrooms

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=588162&page=2

Interesting post. A man (woman?) after my own heart - we have the exact same approach to sourcing the highest quality for the best value.

cheekyweegit

Hiya Phirefly,

Thought I'd let you know how I got on doing my bathroom. So here is the costs of everything broken down. It cost approximately £1800 and it's turned out gorgeous! I love it particularly the bath which my friends 5 year old called a swimming pool.

I sourced all the products myself except the shower pump which the plumber who fitted it, took me to get as I know nothing about my water pressure.

1900m x 850mm bath with waterfall fill, which also has a separate hand held shower which is handy for either washing your hair or rinsing the bath.

Toilet and large sink and associated plumbing stuff to go with it. £509 (The taps for the sink alone were £129 in Homebase).

Also included in the above price was Toilet roll holder, towel rail, glass shelf, toilet brush holder, towel ring, and your toothbrush thingy with glass cup and door hooks in silver. It's gorgeous although I've just looked and they no longer do the size of bath I got. Oh and price included the front and end panels too.


http://www.the-direct-group.co.uk/cgi-bin/products.cgi?fa=catlist&pid=60&cmpid=30 Their customer service was fantastic when I phoned them about a missing part for the shower. They had it in the post to me next day by recorded delivery.


Gravity fed, thermostatic shower - ebay, £112 same one in B&Q was over £200

Shower pump, £180, needed this as water pressure was too low for the shower and the hot water for the waterfall fill on the bath. Plumber took me to the local merchants to get this and got a 20% discount.

Large wall tiles 21sq m - ebay again. £142 including delivery and the seller was fantastic. Couldn't recommend highly enough. Tiles are 45cm x 45cm and look stunning up. I didn't need them all, but to buy them from the shops would have cost me around £500 maybe more.

Floor tiles - Homebase £28, should've waited until after christmas as they were reduced!

Mosaic tiles for border - managed to blag a couple of free full tile samples from one of the big sheds which are a great match to wall tiles.

Money for plumbing materials £160.

Money for tile adhesive - £50.

Money for tile edging strips - £20.

Towel radiator 500mm x 700mm - ebay £46.

Valves for above radiator - ebay £10 (same seller as radiator).

Fitter cost for bathroom suite, who also did the tiling - £450.

Plumber for shower pump - £40.

Electrician to wire up shower pump and make safe old electric shower cable - £50.

Toilet plastic waste thingy, that fits from the toilet to the soil stack? - £18.

This is the first time I've properly totalled it up, on a previous post I think I totalled it around £1500 but the above figure is closer to the mark. To think I was quoted £10-£12k for the same job by a bigger firm.

Just goes to show you and good luck it's well worth the hastle!

helping_hubby

Wow Cheekywidget, that's quite impressive. How did you get the labour so cheap?

I think I've made my final decision on my bits and pieces...

All from Jewson
Bristan taps
Bathroom suite (kaldewei bath and twyford sink and loo)
Matching Bristan shower and valve
1150 x 600 curved chrome radiator (same price as screwfix) + valves.
Free delivery
£970

I'm happy with it as I am now £300 less than my quote from the Bathstore and with taps I love.

I'm hoping to get a plumber in for less than £1000 to do the fitting. I'm not sure if this is doable though until I start hunting. Got some more numbers to phone.

As for tiling, we'll do it ourselves. I am absolutely confident I can do it. Just not so confident doing the floor.