Bathroom Quotes - can we ask them to go lower?

Goleo

We have got quotes from two people do our bathroom. The first one (Bob) came in £1980 and the second (Dave) £1250 - quite a difference!

Both quotes include fitting the new bathroom, plumbing, tiling, materials etc, but not the bathroom suite or tiles. So as far as we can see pretty simiar job spec. Bob was recommended to us by a friend who had their bathroom done by him and he did a good job. We don't know much about Dave but he seemed good when he came to look at our bathroom and came up with some good ideas to solve certain problems.

1. We only have a small bathroom - are these quotes reasonable?
2. I would like your opinion on who we should go with.
3. Is it reasonable to ask Bob to lower his price?

ListysDad

Firstly, NO ONE can make your decision for you.

What is important to you? What do you normally base your decision on? Wallet, Head or Heart?

For what its worth, your first most immediate reaction to the individuals will probably give you the answer you're looking for. The problem with blokes is that they then go on to factor in cost or rationalise things and in doing so override their instincts.

I have to say, I think 1200 is pretty low myself but he may not have included a single screw expecting you to supply it ALL. The other guy may well have included all pipework and sundries leaving only the pottery etc to you. Does it include tiles adhesive and what type, dry cement based is always best but costs more, BAL costs more than others too.

Lastly, which asked more questions of you? Which do you feel more aligned to? Who do you have the best feeling about? Have you asked about their last 5 jobs i.e. could you have their details so you can talk to them?

Finally. what happens when things go wrong?

Goleo

Here are a few more details...

Bob's quote £1980
Price for the fitting, the price does not include the toilet, hand basin, bath, tiles, screen, vanity unit, lights and cladding. I have priced for labour, pipe work, tile adhesive, plaster board, timber and cable.
Price as follows:
Remove tiles
Dot and dab walls with plaster board
Ply floor for tiling
Alter shower pipe and cable
Fit cladding to ceiling with lights
Tile walls
Fit bath, vanity unit, basin and toilet
Tile floor
Fit bath screen
Remove rubbish

Dave's quote £1250
Remove and dispose of old tiles, flooring and suite,
Repair/Make good walls,
Install new ceiling (not including price of panels) or re-plaster
Hide existing pipework and wastes,
Re-tile and grout bathroom walls,
Fit new bathroom suite,
Install new towel rail,
Ply floor,
Fit vinyl (or tiled) floor area
Install new basin in toilet area.
Any other finishing work required.
Quote includes all materials other than tiles and suite.

ListysDad

Personally I'd chose Bob but it's YOUR HOUSE.

sunshinetours

Bob seems to be including electrical work on shower cable and lights aswell? Also a replaster of walls rather than just "making good"

If Bob came recommended by someone who ahs used him and you have seen his work (especially the tiling) I would almost certainly be going back to him and seeing if there is any margin for any work you can do to keep his cost down
Dave sounds very cheap for all that work and I would wanty to see some finished articles especially the wall tiling

Goleo

ListysDad wrote: »

Personally I'd chose Bob but it's YOUR HOUSE.

Thank you for your reply. We know it's our house! We are looking for opinions and advice to help us make an informed opinion and hopefully not overspend.

Goleo

sunshinetours wrote: »

Bob seems to be including electrical work on shower cable and lights aswell? Also a replaster of walls rather than just "making good"

If Bob came recommended by someone who ahs used him and you have seen his work (especially the tiling) I would almost certainly be going back to him and seeing if there is any margin for any work you can do to keep his cost down
Dave sounds very cheap for all that work and I would wanty to see some finished articles especially the wall tiling

Good points. Thank you.

keystone

A complete bathroom including strip out takes around 10 days. It will also include between £300 and £ 500 basic building materials excluding the suite, tiles etc.

The size of bathroom is irrelevant in the greater scheme of things. Small bathroom, big bathroom, still a bath to fit, still a loo to fit, still a basin to fit including all necessary piping etc. All bathrooms have 4 corners, a door and most have a window too. So the cuts required for tiling a small bathroom are no different to a, large one. In fact a small one can be more of a challenge getting the tile layout correct.

Bob's price is about right. Dave's is far too thin. Either he's cutting corners or working for a pittance neither of which should fill you with a great deal of confidence. But remember I haven't seen the job. To get a true comparison you firstly need need to get yourselves a third quote mand secondly get Dave to requote for exactly the same scope of work as Bob. Currently they are different.

You can have a good job for a reasonable price or you can have a cheap job for a cheap price. What you cannot have is a good cheap job unless the guy thinks he is and operates as if he was, a charity. If you were to ask me (which you did so I will ) to answer your three questions based on what I know now they would be:

1) Yes and no.
2) Bob.
3) No.

My 2c.

Cheers

Ruski

Is Bob qualified to do the electrical work in a wet area?

keystone

Ruski wrote: »

Is Bob qualified to do the electrical work in a wet area?

Don't you mean special location? In any event why does he need to be? - he may be subbing it out to someone who is. Alternatively the work may be out of zone or if its replacing like for like then its not notifiable anyway. Unless OP can be more specific about exactly what work is involved electrically then we are not in a position to speculate.

Cheers

Goleo

Ruski wrote: »

Is Bob qualified to do the electrical work in a wet area?

I think he does, and we have seen his work (which hasn't blown up yet!). We will obviously double check before work starts.