Company needed for new Bathroom

redrabbit29

I have a simple 3x3 bathroom (shower over bath, sink, toilet). It's fully tiled.

I would prefer to go with a large company, someone like Wickes, Homebase, IKEA, b&q.

I also have a spare closet downstairs toilet that I'd like refurbed.

I would ideally like all of this done for £5-6k max. I think that's realistic? Not Low quality goods, but just middle of the road.

Anything I should be mindful of as I've never had this kind of work done before? I've looked at local companies but one quoted £6k just for the main bathroom.

Thanks

LEJC

TBH...Going with the large companies is going to be expensive and I would say that your budget would be better spent and achieve more if you opted for someone independant.
Whats putting you off going with a local trades rather than potentially overspending with the larger companies?


get another 2 quotes...and even one frm the likes of wickesetc and then compare them to see if your expectation and budget need revising.

redrabbit29

To be really honest I trust them more. I'm aware that's naieve but it's true. I know b&sq, Homebase and Wickes. They have shops you can go to, customer services, phone numbers and websites.

With independents I just feel a bit in the dark. Eg two men in a van. No control over quality of work. You hear horror stories about it.

The really good company I found that were independent quoted £6k. They were rated 9.9/10 on check-a-trade. Obviously excellent but stupidly pricey.

Also with big companies there are sales, and bathroom pictures to choose from.

I'm probably being a bit stupid. I'm willing to try an independent again. I will look to get another two quotes from them and another from Homebase.

Plumber90

Places like homebase use 2 men in a van to do the work a lot of the most of the time.

Don't trust the ratings on checkatrade as the installer can get fake reports handed in to make themselves look good.

If you go with an independent you can still go to homebase/b&q to look at the bathrooms to see what you want.

redrabbit29

I guess tho if the person on check a trade has 150 reviews and a 9/10 rating their more than likely good?

It's hard to know who to trust tbh

phill99

Plumber90 is right. None of the 'sheds' employ bathroom or kitchen fitters. All are subcontracted. If yiu oay £3k to B&Q for fitting, the fitter is only getting £1000. The rest is going to B&Qs bootom line. Also remember that they are on an often unrealistic timetable to get your bathroom done as they sre needed in the next one. So why on earth do you think you will get a quality service from the sheds? The ritterisn't that worried about quality as he has his next job lined up.

A local independent works on recommendations and referrals so will put in more effort as his reputation depends on it.

trailingspouse

We've just finished our small attic bathroom and we're just about to start our large main bathroom.

We use a local plumber, he gives us a quote for the labour, and we source the sanitary ware ourselves. Very simple.

We do the removal of the old bathroom ourselves, so that saves labour costs. We also do the painting ourselves, for the same reason.

The problem with using a single source for everything is that you might not be able to get everything you want or like from the same place, or you might be able to get some things cheaper elsewhere (eg the particular Edwadian style towel radiator I like is £400+ at B&Q, but only £199 at Screwfix.)

If money is no object, and you prefer to put it all into someone else's hands, then go for one of the big companies. But if you want to retain control, have exactly what you want, and keep an eye on costs, you're better off sourcing things yourself.

redrabbit29

So what would I buy?

Sink
Toilet
Bath
Shower
Radiator
Wall tiles
Floor tiles

Is that about it?

It would need re-plastering too. I guess the company I use would do that or get a contact in?

I say that as all the tiles are really old and would definitely take some plaster off.

Doozergirl

You might want taps

penguine

We bought a kitchen from Homebase last year and had our builder fit it in early November. We went with Homebase rather than having our builder source the units because we needed the finance but I would never use them again. The shipment was missing some parts, we were short on a couple of handles because the salesman miscounted, and it was very difficult to get through to them to get the parts that were missing – phone rang for ages then went dead and had to ring again, repeatedly.

When the shipment arrived with the missing parts it had some random cupboard doors we didn't need, and the handles still weren't included. So we went to our local Homebase with the original order form and ordered the missing handles. They took 3 weeks to arrive then the builder came round and pointed out they weren't even the same ones – similar but different and completely wrong size (even though they had the product number from our order form!). We are still trying to source the correct handles (and have been told most recently it will be a 4-week wait) and get the fittings to have one of the drawer fronts put on.

They would have charged us £4500 to put the kitchen in. Our builder did it for £1200.

All the sales people have been nice enough, but if you think you're going to get good customer service from one of the big names, I wouldn't count on it.

penguine

redrabbit29 wrote: »

So what would I buy?

Sink
Toilet
Bath
Shower
Radiator
Wall tiles
Floor tiles

Is that about it?

It would need re-plastering too. I guess the company I use would do that or get a contact in?

I say that as all the tiles are really old and would definitely take some plaster off.

Once you've chosen your tradesman they can advise you on what you'll need and what will work well in the space you have available.