Would you fit your own bathroom?

MaisieD

We need to replace our bath, new shower over bath, new basin, floor tiles and new boards under the tiles as we had a bath and the last plumber did a terrible job which resulted in leak after leak.

We also want to have an extractor fan fitted, plaster the ceiling and we know an electrician to put new spotlights in.

Weve had 2 quotes for this work and it's been about 3k for just those jobs I've listed and the bathroom is only 3x3, just, it's a small room. We are getting another quote tonight, hoping hes cheaper. Are we being quoted too much? We live in North Wales.

My hubby is quite handy but should I let him fit a bathroom? Lol. He wants to give it a go as he converted our home and added a 4th bedroom and new flat roof with no issues. I'm just unsure if it's worth it, but 3k seems expensive for such a small room and no major work. Surely just simple swap over of bath, new shower over bath, and sink, the floor is the biggest job.

Apjs87

Hi. To be fair 3k isn't a bad price at all.

When we did ours we paid just over 3k for a smaller room. You always get what you pay for and if a good finish is key then I'd ask to see examples of their work and let them crack on.

Equally if your hubby is more than competent with the work then go for it and save some money. However if it were me, I'd pay and have a proper job done

spadoosh

Pros and cons of each. I did mine, saved about £3k, the con is 3 years later ive still not sorted the missing bath panel. It will almost certainly take longer than getting it professionally done.

MaisieD

Thank you both. I was not expecting it to be 3k for just fitting, for such a small room. How times change in 10 years haha. Its that long since we last had a new suite.

fred246

Apjs87 wrote: »

I'd pay and have a proper job done

I always find this sort of statement strange. I was taught how to do DIY by a complete perfectionist. Doing the job yourself = it's done right. Employing someone means getting someone obsessed with doing the job fast so they can get to the next job. So in my mind DIY=perfect, get someone in is 2nd class. Is the work your husband has done before perfect? Plumbing isn't difficult but you have to make sure your joints are watertight. I've had far more problems with work done by plumbers than I've had with my own work.

Doozergirl

fred246 wrote: »

I always find this sort of statement strange. I was taught how to do DIY by a complete perfectionist. Doing the job yourself = it's done right. Employing someone means getting someone obsessed with doing the job fast so they can get to the next job. So in my mind DIY=perfect, get someone in is 2nd class. Is the work your husband has done before perfect? Plumbing isn't difficult but you have to make sure your joints are watertight. I've had far more problems with work done by plumbers than I've had with my own work.

There are some crap DIYers and there are some crap tradespeople.

If you can't DIY, then you will think that trades are proper. If you are good at DIY then you won't want to pay for a job you can perfectly yourself.

Of the few people that I know that DIY, it's not great work and it doesn't wear well. But we employ people that take pride in their work.

People have differing experiences. The people we employ are certainly not obsessed with getting to the next job. Most people in any job want to do a good job, get paid and feel good.

Apjs87

fred246 wrote: »

I always find this sort of statement strange. I was taught how to do DIY by a complete perfectionist. Doing the job yourself = it's done right. Employing someone means getting someone obsessed with doing the job fast so they can get to the next job. So in my mind DIY=perfect, get someone in is 2nd class. Is the work your husband has done before perfect? Plumbing isn't difficult but you have to make sure your joints are watertight. I've had far more problems with work done by plumbers than I've had with my own work.

Valid point indeed but not every diy'er is taught by a complete perfectionist.

As mentioned it always helps to see examples of works previously done and the customer to almost site manage and ensure the finish is how they want it

DigForVictory

The boards under the bath, the electrics & the plasterwork have me backing away politely.

Were I not messing with the floor or electrics I might well try & install my own whiteware but I share with family & anyone complaining about the 'quality of finish' would be handed the toolbox.
(Which explains in part why the shower has been bust for over a year. Money & terror have prevented action.)

ed110220

I redid our small bathroom which consisted of insulating the walls, putting up new wall boards and ceiling (got a plasterer to skim the ceiling), fitted a new bath, shower, hand basin and toilet, put up Splashpanels on one wall and floor to ceiling tiles on another and installed a towel rail radiator.

It did take much longer than a professional would take, but I'm happier with the result as everything is exactly as I'd want. It really depends on whether you'd notice or care about some details or not. For example I stayed at an Airbnb this weekend, a room in a pretty expensive looking house in the new forest. In the bathroom I was thinking I wouldn't have put up the brickwork pattern tiles like that so they were centred on each wall with two very small pieces of tile meeting in the corner, I'd have made it so that the two pieces at the corner added up to a full tile. Or that the light switch looked badly positioned as it was practically touching the door frame.

ANDY597

There's lots of good information on the google and the yoo tube to help train DIYers to do things competently as long as you take the time and effort to make it right.

I agree with the sentiment that often the DIYer does a better job because they have the luxury to take as long as they want to complete the job. Ive also seen some DIY disasters over the years.

What is your reservations allowing your OH to do it considering it sounds like he has already demonstrated comptency.

Plumbing is easy, its all compression or plastic push fit, the days of neatly soldering joints together is firmly over.

fred246

As things have become easier to do people seem to be more scared of doing things. As you say plumbing is easy. Car servicing has become much easier over the years but people who don't service their own cars keep telling me how it has become more difficult. I feel happier knowing I have done the work. If there are any problems you know how to fix it. It's a lot more stressful trying to get a workman back. Professionals don't fit bathrooms by the way, it's a tradesman you want.