New bathroom plan. Where to start

m0rgana

Hi everyone

We are about to embark on renovating our bathroom and to avoid the sort of costs associated with Dolphin and their ilk, have decided to do it bit by bit. However I am really struggling with where to start! A quick rundown of what needs doing is as follows:

- walls need re-skimming (possibly fully replastering) and decorating (some tiles, some painting).

- Vinyl floor needs replacing with ceramic tiles

- sink, toilet and bath units to be removed and replaced with new ones

- strip lighting needs replacing with spotlights.

I'd like to start shopping around for quotes asap, so who should I be contacting initially - the plasterer/decorater? Plumber? Builder of some other sort?

Grateful of any input.

suisidevw

Try and get someone who can do the lot. I got a one man band who did everything and it was perfect. No waiting around for people to work around each other etc. Highly recommend this approach.

googler

So you need either a jack-of-all-trades, or a core contractor who knows and can work with the other trades without disagreeing or getting in each other's way.

We got a plumber in to discuss what we would replace our bathroom with (which sanitary items, which shower cubicle, cabinetry etc)

Once we had a general plan, the plumber recommended a joiner (for the plasterboard, shower wall, baseboard for floor tiling, and cabinetry) that he'd worked with before, and also a plasterer that he'd worked with before. We then left him/them to schedule things. It helps when they know they can get along.

We had to get the plumber in first, because we were replacing bath with shower, and had to sort out routing of piping, etc as the first consideration. You may not have to do this if you're replacing like with like for the sanitary items

Leif

It is easier to get a company that does bathrooms rather than hire tradesmen and project manage yourself with the risk of confusion and mistakes due to communication problems. There are plenty of bathroom fitters, often with just a few key staff. I'm not sure how much you save compared to for example going to Homebase and having their recommended fitter since Homebase take a cut.

MaggieBaking

Our local plumber who installed our heating did new bathrooms. You bought all the bits, he removed the old bathroom, installed the new one and got a tiler in for a day to tile everywhere. It seemed like the cheapest option.

I think he said once the old tiles were removed he plasterboarded everywhere to save on skimming which takes time to dry etc.

So I'd ring the plumber and see what he recommends, he'd probably recommend the electrician for your lighting.

By the sounds of it you don't want a complicated bathroom, or walls moving etc so it should be a straightforward job - especially if you're not relocating where the sink is for example.

phill99

Why don't you identify your location and someone maybe able to recommend a contractor.