New Bathroom

LunaAndBelle

I’m curious to hear thoughts on the quote I’ve received for a bathroom on a property I bought a couple of months ago. I’m happy with the price but I’ve never gone through this before. 

It’s a relatively small bathroom (1.9m x 1.9m) the quote was £6.8K but reduced to £5.5K because I’m a good friend of a family member. The quote covers:

- Full strip and removal
- Reboarding of walls (learned that current shower, over bath isn’t installed to regulations)
- New mixer shower, 1.7m shower tray and 1m wet room screen  
- New basin with vanity 
- New toilet 
- New towel rail
- Extractor fan
- All plumbing, building and electrical work. 

I only need to supply my own tiles, light and light fitting but the labour is included in the price. 

I trust the person, seen their work and was recommended to me. 

A local friend of mine was quoted £5-7k for labour alone for a similar job. 

Thanks!

mexican_dave

Can't help much here everything depends on the level of Specification. Chrome taps; gold taps; white suite; coloured suite. As you mention a wetroom screen, your floor covering beyond the shower tray needs consideration, there is no mention of floor covering in your summary, unless it's included in tiles. So that's where I would question the quote, what's included there? Here are things you might not have thought of do you want a wall socket for a shaver or to charge an electric toothbrush? Need to get the electrics in at the start! How about a mirror? Is the towel rail heated? Will it be connected to your central heating and if so will it have a heating element for summer use? Sorry more questions than answers? Without questioning cost it's better to get what you want in the finished job, rather than NOT get what you want. Suggest you imagine the things you want in your future bathroom and list them, then question the quote. If necessary walk around a friend's bathroom (with permission!) and take notes!

Cloth_of_Gold

I agree with all the above. You need to be sure what you are getting in terms of the sanitary ware and fixtures and fittings. These vary enormously, in style, price quality etc so you need to be sure that your expectations and the bathroom fitter's are the same. To avoid disappointments and possibly disputes later I would want to know exactly what it was he was intending to install, i.e. makes models, colours/finishes etc.

FreeBear

Cloth_of_Gold said:

I agree with all the above. You need to be sure what you are getting in terms of the sanitary ware and fixtures and fittings.

Add to that, what materials are being used to reboard the walls ?

Regular plasterboard, skimmed and then tiled (not recommended, it should be a tile backer board such as Wedi), or plastic wall panels ?

mexican_dave

FreeBear is talking about wall finishes, good point, but you can also have interlocking laminate boards, brands available are: Respatex; Aquamura; etc. Fitting these would avoid new plasterboard & skim (if that's in your quote). These panels are glossy, easy to clean, no grout to discolour. Have used these in 3 bathrooms, when I have moved house.

LunaAndBelle

Excellent thanks all. I’ll reach out to check those comments surrounding the walls. I sent over what I wanted for styling and it’s been agreed. Flooring is also being chosen by me (LVT).  

I’ve not gone for anything fancy as trying to keep costs down and luckily it’s only me in the house so it’s all neutral. Grey/white/chrome.