Fair price for fitting mixer shower

leo25

I have recently been quoted £200 to
fit mixer shower & simultaneously the same plumber is fitting an unvented heating & water system. This seems a bit on the high side for the shower it is a Mira Agile with two shower heads but at the same time I want to witness the shower performance when the new system is fitted to make sure the install is a success. Would I be better getting alternative quotes or just go ahead at £200?

Aylesbury_Duck

What's your benchmark for it being "a bit on the high side"? Get another quote to sense check the first.

leo25

That's a fair question.Well the shower only cost about £160 & another
plumber quoted me £150 which I felt was also a high price in relation
to fitting time etc. that it would take an experienced plumber.

Pittingdon

I always think it is not so much about the amount quoted but more about your faith that the installer will give a first rate after sales service if required.

Aylesbury_Duck

leo25 wrote: »

That's a fair question.Well the shower only cost about £160 & another
plumber quoted me £150 which I felt was also a high price in relation
to fitting time etc. that it would take an experienced plumber.

On what basis? It's all very well using terms like "on the high side" and "high price in relation" but they are relative terms and unless you have knowledge of exactly what's involved in the fitting and commissioning, they don't really mean anything.

You used the term "experienced plumber" in the context that an experienced plumber would be able to do the job faster than someone less experienced, as if somehow this would make the job cheaper. Fine if you're measuring everything by an hourly rate, but you should be looking at what value and service you get for the experience the plumber brings, not paying him less because he's able to do it faster than someone less competent.

Be careful of a race to the bottom. I'm sure there are people who will shave costs off to get the job but you only have to spend a short while browsing the many threads on here from people dissatisfied with something a tradesman has done to realise that a good professional is great value, even if they're not the cheapest to quote. Badly done plumbing can be a lot more expensive in the long run and when your bathroom ceiling is waterlogged, you might regret going with the cheapest quote.

giraffe69

I had an electric shower installed. It was a straight replacement for an old broken one. I bought the shower and the plumber charged £38 for fitting. Took under 45 minutes. I thought that was excellent value and it is fine 9 months later.

leo25

Yes that sounds very reasonable I would be ok paying up to around
£120 but will probably stretch to £200 in order to witness the hopefully
successful install.

Aylesbury_Duck

leo25 wrote: »

Yes that sounds very reasonable I would be ok paying up to around
£120 but will probably stretch to £200 in order to witness the hopefully
successful install.

Why would a plumber charge you a "viewing fee" of £80?

Alex1983

If you think it's too high get a few other quotes, you had 1 at £150 and another at £200 so it would suggest it's around the right price for a qualified plumber. I'm sure you can get someone who says they've done plumbing to do it on the cheap but you know the saying pay cheap pay twice.

leo25

That's good advice possibly the extra pipework associated with a thermostatic mixer shower off a new tank sited in the garage rather than the airing cupboard immediately next door is a factor ?

Mr.Generous

I would imagine some hot water is already piped to the bathroom. A plumber charges about £200 per day, if its 3/4 of a days work plus a few parts £200 is right.