Bathroom refit costs how much...?!?

[slicendice]

Had a quote the other day to refit the bathroom and I've still not quite got up off the floor...came to £7.5K, which is more than I was hoping!

 

It was a pretty comprehensive quote including:

- laminate flooring

- new bathroom suite (shower cubicle, bath, sink, toilet)

- extractor fan

- heated towel rail

- shower

- plastering 4 walls

- half tiling on 4 walls (i.e. tiling to waist height)

- full tiling of shower cubicle

- all necessary plumbing/wiring

- removal and disposal of all waste/rubbish

 

Didn't choose any specifics (i.e. bathroom suite, tiles, etc) and the guy said he was quoting for middle of the range type stuff (so not super cheap but not super expensive either). It's a decent sized room (9'9" x 7'2") and I realise there's a lot of work involved in the above so I was just wondering if anyone had any experience of this kind of thing and could indicate whether this is reasonable? Way too much? About right?

 

Any recommendations on ways to try and trim the cost a bit? I realise that DIY'ing it would be a lot cheaper, but sadly I'm not much of a DIY'er and whereas I might be able to hash my way round some of the simpler tasks, it wouldn't be pretty and it would probably take me ages...and with it being the bathroom, it needs to be done in a sensible time frame.

Edited 3 January, 2018 by slicendice

[Tilt]

Laminate flooring.................in a bathroom?

 

You can do better than that, surely.

[slicendice]

14 minutes ago, Tilt said:

Laminate flooring.................in a bathroom?

 

You can do better than that, surely.

 

Is that bad in terms of....looks? Durability? Cost? What would you recommend?

 

Been advised against tiles on the floor as they're cold, can get cracked and if you need to get under the floor for some reason, it's a big job (though I realise it wouldn't be a small job whatever flooring you have).

 

Parquet isn't an option really...it's expensive and has the potential to get scratched and get water in.

[Titanium_Man]

Laminate flooring will warp if it gets wet, surely?! 

[MickA]

I've heard others giving me stories of "how much" when they've had quotes for bathrooms or kitchens. When you consider the different tradesmen involved it's no wonder the price escalates.

Do they really need to plaster 4 walls, presuming they are ripping all the old stuff off and starting from scratch.

My neighbour opposite have had their bathroom done, it took the workmen 3 weeks and two skips full, don't where all the stuff came from and the amount of different tradesmen calling was ridiculous, but there you go.

 

I'm just glad I trained as a plumber in my earlier working life, I've recently, well over the last 7 years replaced the bathroom and last year the kitchen for the grand total of around £2.5k just getting a man in to fit the gas cooker and put me an extra electric socket in. I'm not bad with plastering now having been let down I did it myself and I just got someone to cut the worktops to size for me.

 

Regards the bathroom flooring , I plyboarded it, treated it with a waterproof finish and got some stick down vinyl tiles, they do look like proper tiles but can easily be taken up if and when I want a change.

Edited 3 January, 2018 by MickA

[Bignij]

Amtico or Karndean are a decent durable alternative floor covering. Can be pricey though.

[Tilt]

^^^ Yes, not good for bathrooms, so in reply to the Op..................Durability.

[Bignij]

3 minutes ago, Tilt said:

^^^ Yes, not good for bathrooms, so in reply to the Op..................Durability.

As it's still panto season.....................................Oh yes they are.

 

 

http://www.karndean.com/en-gb/floors/explore-by-room/bathroom?gclid=CjwKCAiAm7LSBRBBEiwAvL1-L7rfv0tDTOIGGeDQbLpAsNivX6NUPeTnVXrFDS4AfqcSXZEoFFX6vxoCuPYQAvD_BwE

https://www.amtico.com/bathroom-flooring/

[slicendice]

Yes, when I said laminate I was meaning something like Amtico (didn't mean lino ) 

[Tilt]

5 minutes ago, Bignij said:

As it's still panto season.....................................Oh yes they are.

 

 

http://www.karndean.com/en-gb/floors/explore-by-room/bathroom?gclid=CjwKCAiAm7LSBRBBEiwAvL1-L7rfv0tDTOIGGeDQbLpAsNivX6NUPeTnVXrFDS4AfqcSXZEoFFX6vxoCuPYQAvD_BwE

https://www.amtico.com/bathroom-flooring/

 

Mine was in reply to Jars's post, and the Op's.

Edited 3 January, 2018 by Tilt

[slicendice]

11 minutes ago, MickA said:

Do they really need to plaster 4 walls, presuming they are ripping all the old stuff off and starting from scratch.

 

Yes, sadly so...the old walls are all over the place wonky and the plaster is cracked and coming off. So it all needs to come off and get redone

[camelspyyder]

Without plastering, got a similar refurb done for 3.5k. But he's 400 miles away from you  :(

 

Edited 3 January, 2018 by camelspyyder

[KenONeill]

@slicendice - I don't know how much it will change the quote, but cushion vinyl for a bathroom or kitchen every time for me.

[fabiamk2SE]

Look at karndean flooring. Its hard wearing and not cold under foot. 

 

£7.5k might be a little or a lot. Depending on the quality of the stuff and whats involved in the job. 

 

I dont do bathrooms myself, but my mate does high end ones and 10-15k is about average for him. Then others use cheaper suites and dont install them as well for a couple of K. 

 

Its like saying ‘is 40k alot for a car’. It is for a Dacia, but it would be a very cheap Rolls Royce. 

[slicendice]

1 hour ago, fabiamk2SE said:

Look at karndean flooring. Its hard wearing and not cold under foot. 

 

£7.5k might be a little or a lot. Depending on the quality of the stuff and whats involved in the job. 

 

I dont do bathrooms myself, but my mate does high end ones and 10-15k is about average for him. Then others use cheaper suites and dont install them as well for a couple of K. 

 

Its like saying ‘is 40k alot for a car’. It is for a Dacia, but it would be a very cheap Rolls Royce. 

 

Yep, that's a very fair point - I realise it's a bit of a "how long is a piece of string" type question. I'm really just trying to get a feel for what would be considered cheap and what would be considered expensive as I know absolutely zippo about it all. From what I can tell, it's sounding like the figure I've been quoted is not extortionate...which is good in that it's realistic, but not good in that it's still a crapload of cash! 

[fabiamk2SE]

22 minutes ago, slicendice said:

 

Yep, that's a very fair point - I realise it's a bit of a "how long is a piece of string" type question. I'm really just trying to get a feel for what would be considered cheap and what would be considered expensive as I know absolutely zippo about it all. From what I can tell, it's sounding like the figure I've been quoted is not extortionate...which is good in that it's realistic, but not good in that it's still a crapload of cash! 

 

Yeah it is alot of money. 

 

Ask if hes got a portfolio he could show you of previous jobs. If you’re seeing any unneccasary pipes or where the tiles havent been worked out properly (a big cut at one end and a slither at the other, for example) then i wouldnt bother for that sort of money. 

 

Could always get other bathroom fitters to quote for a similar thing perhaps. 

 

Does it say his day rate anywhere on the quote? 

[gadgetman]

I'd say from others getting work done that £4k-£5k is more like it. 

 

But without knowing what's been spec'd its hard to say for sure as you could need more or less work done, items quoted could be slightly better/higher spec. 

 

Definitely avoid the high street kitchen/bathroom chains as their work isn't known to be the best. 

 

Good reviews from friends and colleagues about Wickes and B&Q design & installations with reasonably priced yet good quality stuff. 

 

Or Victoria plum if you want to spec and source your own stuff and just get an installer to do the graft and other bits? You could get some cashback from topcashback or quidco to help soften the blow too

[Aspman]

Good quality lino into the bathroom. You want it waterproof and some lino will be non-slip too.

 

I went with wood look lino in both my bathrooms and don't regret it.

 

£7.5k is a lot but I'm sure you could get higher quotes.

 

I had a handyman type guy do both bathrooms before I moved in. I bought the furniture, tiles and flooring myself but I was probably about £8k all in for both including his labour. I think he was about £4k.

 

He's not a plumber per se since he couldn't do a boiler or heater but can do a bog or a sink. He was reputable and a neighbour as well no issues over his work.

[fabiamk2SE]

1 hour ago, Aspman said:

Good quality lino into the bathroom. You want it waterproof and some lino will be non-slip too.

 

I went with wood look lino in both my bathrooms and don't regret it.

 

£7.5k is a lot but I'm sure you could get higher quotes.

 

I had a handyman type guy do both bathrooms before I moved in. I bought the furniture, tiles and flooring myself but I was probably about £8k all in for both including his labour. I think he was about £4k.

 

He's not a plumber per se since he couldn't do a boiler or heater but can do a bog or a sink. He was reputable and a neighbour as well no issues over his work.

 

He could be a Plumber then. 

 

Plumbers doin bathrooms, sinks etc... heating engineers do boilers and heating systems. 

 

Theyre often put together but they are actually different trades 

[SuperbTWM]

I used Quickstep Vinyl tiles in my recent bathroom overhaul, goes together like laminate, waterproof and doesn't feel cold like tiles or wood. Supposed to be hard wearing but we shall see, then again, I've never used a Quickstep product that has been rubbish.

 

I would say at 7.5K I would want to know exactly what he's putting in. He could be bang on the money if he is fitting a good quality shower and a £500 shower tray etc. 

[millser]

Did you get an itemised quote?

It may work out less expensive if you source your own furniture, fittings, flooring and tiles etc

 

to give you an idea of costs to have a plumber in I had my shower cubicle replaced by insurance which consisted of the tray wetwall on 3 sides , and a shower door , I bought the shower myself and the final cost came to around £1200.    I sourced the rest of the fixtures and fittings myself including wetwall and flooring which I fitted myself and the total came to around £1500

[Aspman]

I'd also suggest wetwall over tiles. Harder to get a look you like admittedly and it's not cheap but no worries about leaky or manky grout.

 

I got everything here except tiles - https://www.wholesaledomestic.com/

 

I've wetwall in the main shower but the rest is tiled floor to ceiling.

[VRS Mike]

first house I bought I did a DIY install of a bathroom, reckon it came in under £1k, going to redo my current bathroom at some point, will probably do this myself looking at prices you are all quoting!

[The Zee]

The problem is there is no benchmark for this type of job. It really is down to what you want and the quality of the fixtures and fittings. I had my kitchen done a couple of years ago and wanted it to last (couldn't stand the thought of doing it again in a couple of years). Lets face it you can get a set of taps for thirty or forty quid, but they probably won't last. I paid seven hundred and fifty for my taps and they will probably see me out.

My only advice is get the best you can afford.

[fabiamk2SE]

18 hours ago, The Zee said:

The problem is there is no benchmark for this type of job. It really is down to what you want and the quality of the fixtures and fittings. I had my kitchen done a couple of years ago and wanted it to last (couldn't stand the thought of doing it again in a couple of years). Lets face it you can get a set of taps for thirty or forty quid, but they probably won't last. I paid seven hundred and fifty for my taps and they will probably see me out.

My only advice is get the best you can afford.

 

Even if the taps dont see you out, theyll only need a valve changing on the inside. 

 

Ive fitted loads of cheap ****e taps that customers have bought themselves and they arent a patch on ones that are a few hundred quid.