Ensuite bathroom installation

Jainar

Hi

I have just bought a Victorian terrace in East London.

We have a large bedroom on the 1st floor (top floor) and my wife is thinking of installing a new en-suite toilet. Two questions:

1. Any complications I should be aware of in terms of installing a new toilet. There is an existing one already on the same floor. There is a water pump that needs to be switched on to create enough pressure to supply the existing toilet

2. How much would it cost for a builder to build a new ensuite in terms of labour? Clearly materials will depend on what I choose. Any good mid-range brands to get e.g. Geberit, Hans Grohe?

phill99

Your second question is impossible to answer. It depends on access arrangements, size, location and access to water and waste......
You will only know when you get quotes. And by getting quotes, you will answer your first question.

flashg67

May be totally different of course, but I was quoted £2-2.5k labour only to fit an ensuite from scratch. Only thing I had available was was H&C water coming in.

TELLIT01

Is the toilet on the same floor anywhere near when the new one is to go? Routing waste from the new toilet to the existing soil pipe isn't straightforward unless there is an easy external route.

Jainar

Thanks all for your posts.

The toilet is on the opposite side of the floor so I reckon a hole needs to be drilled through the external wall to connect the new toilet to the existing soil pipe externally.

The ensuite bathroom will be 2.4m by 1.7m. I guess the access to water and soil pipe will be a major determinant of the cost in addition to building the bathroom itself.

Jainar

I have got quotes back which are drastically different. Two questions - which is more realistic and the other is what the day rate is for a London builder? Thanks for any help much appreciated!

1. A general builder with a day rate of £260. he estimates he will take the following 20 days. so all in will be £5000 labour.

1 day Preparation/Planning
4 days Removing floorboards, Drilling hole for soil pipe, preparing plumbing
2 days Building Walls, Door, Ceiling
2 days Plumbing water/waste/soil
4-6 days Tiling (depending on the amount of tiling)
2-3 days Fitting Toilet, Cistern, Basin, Shower
3 days Finishing off, Sealing, Painting, Tidying up

2. A building manager that thinks he can do this in 1.5 to 2 weeks. Total labour cost is c. £2000

1no Fixer at £170/shift for 4no days= £680
1no Plumber at £200/shift for 3no days= £600
1no Tiler at £220/shift for 2no days= £440
1no Electrician at £250 for 1no day= £250
Total labour cost: £1970

Dan-Dan

My guess is builder 1 doesnt really want/need the work

Jainar

To be fair the second quote has not gone into the details of what is required to be done so total time to get this all done may take longer.

The first builder has said he will do for £5000 labour + materials and wont charge more if it takes longer.

Is the £260 pound day rate in London (7-8 hours) reasonable?

Thanks for help in advance!

Dan-Dan

If i quote a day rate, i would not be giving any promises of not charging more days than i have estimated so that doesnt ring quite right for me

As for the rate itself, where we are £260 a day for one of my Gas engineers more or less

Jainar

Got it. I think given the sums involved I will be getting a contract signed so the particulars are understood by all parties!

Doozergirl

£1970 is really low. Who is putting up the stud walling, boarding and plastering it all, for a start? Who's going to fit the door? Decorate it? It's not going to be the plumber, tiler or electrician. 2 days isn't much for a tiler either, so look at how much of it is being tiled.

I don't employ 'fixers' so I have no idea who they are...

20 working days makes a lot more sense to me.