Which bathroom suite Please advise HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ianhutchinson]

Hi

We are looking to purchase a new bathroom suite, we have been advised to stay away from B&Q etc. We have looked at villeroy and Boch which seems good quality but high price. Is there any other manufacturers that you would reccomend that offer a good quality at a reasonable price.

Someone has mentioned Frontline Bathroooms as a supplier, anyone had any experience of these.

Any help/advise would be appreciated as choosing a bathroom suite is becoming a nigtmare

Regards

Ian

 

[bab]

Roca is good quality at a reasonable price up to expensive.

 

[Corgigrouch]

I'm a fan of Ideal Standard

 

[bengasman]

I recommend staying away from small “specialist” shops. Warranty issues hurt their own pocket and many try to baffle customer with science in order to avoid exchanging goods under warranty.
I installed a stylish rad chosen by ex and the coating cracked when I hung it on the wall. When I confirmed I did the job myself he said he would have exchanged it if it was installed by a pro. Just so happened I had my CORGI card on me.
This kind of stuff is less likely to happen with large suppliers as they have more clout due to the volume they shift.

 

[ajs heating]

oh corgi now to fit rads. i would of told him where he can f*** off

 

[bengasman]

oh corgi now to fit rads. i would of told him where he can f*** off

yes, and i got a new rad delivered at home and the old one taken away.
customers in shop will choose vendor's side when confronted with raving lunatic and probably take their business elsewhere when vendor is exposed as B/S artist by reasonable pro.
and yes, RGIs fit rads as well, most boilers need them

 

[NEALDEAN]

HI IAN
TO BE HONEST IF HAVE INSTALLED MANY BATHROOMS, SOME WHICH COST THOUSANDS AND OTHER THAT COST A COUPLE OF HUNDRED AND THEY ARE ALL THE SAME. IN FACT I HAVE HAD INSTANCES WHERE I FOUND THE CHEAPER STUFF TO BE A BETTER QUALITY THAN THE DEARER STUFF.
THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME WORKINGS IN THEM AND YOU CHOOSE YOUR OWN TAPS ANYWAY SO I really THINK ITS A CASE OF CHOOSE WHAT YOU THINK LOOKS GOOD AND GO FOR IT.

HOPE THIS HELPS

NEAL

PS.. ARE YOU THE IAN HUTCHINSON THAT RACES MOTORBIKES ?

 

[njk]

Hi Ian,

I have to agree with bab and bengasman and strongly disagree with Neal.
Saying all bathroom suites are the same is like saying all cars are the same, they "all" have 4 wheels and engine.

It's not only how easy they are to fit, but also durability and access to spare parts later on. For example if you have a consealed bath/shower mixer, you won't have any problems with good brands to get spare parts in 10 years time, (Grohe keeps spare parts for 15 years after they stop selling them), but with unbranded it is very likely you can't get them and have to replace the whole mixer. If you have a thermostatic mixer the difference is massive between a hans grohe and a wickes one.
Another difference is the quality of the porcelain. I have seen numerous wc pans break just by people slamming the seat down.

These are only a few samples of the many differences that are out there.

About the suites I would recommend W&B and hans grohe mixers if you can afford it. If it is out of you budget choose Roca or ideal standard (suites and mixers).
Of the bad ones bathstore.com are the worst, always have problems, including both wc's and basins that have moulding defects, they know and still sell them. Also avoid B&Q and Wickes.

good luck

NJK

 

[ianhutchinson]

Thanks

What is W&B

Thanks

Ian

 

[NEALDEAN]

well i have to disagree with njk, and i wasnt talking about mixer showers we were talking suits.

i have many years experience in this field and just passing on my knowledge.

take it or leave it, but dont knock it !

thanks.

 

[kirkgas]

most china ware is ok but the thickness of an acrylic bath can make all the difference on a mid priced suite rather than a cheapie, i THINK the ones from the sheds are 5mm thick but you can get 7mm which i see as a better long term bet.

 

[IJWS15]

The difference between the chains (B&Q, MFI etc) and the specialist's is generally the volume they shift and the margin they add on. They will all use the same sources.

You could find B&Q selling the same bath as a specialist at a lower price and without a makers name on it. Actually one of the pair of toilets that we got from MFI had a logo on it (the other identical toilet did not) and saw a toilet in France with the same logo and makers name in France last year - it is one of their big names!

My view is that with porcelain it does not matter as long as it is straight and no glaze/moulding defects. If there are take it straight back.

Baths the thicker the better and I prefer the base board to be moulded in to the resin (the MFI ones we have are and the Saracen (bought from a plumber's merchant and not quite installed) is not.

Tiled in shower valves I would stick to a brand for parts availability. Taps are a little easier to change so I am less worried about brand.

 

[bengasman]

Quick addition to my earlier reply, I meant plumbers merchants, not diy chains

 

[DeltaT2]

Hi

We are looking to purchase a new bathroom suite, we have been advised to stay away from B&Q etc. We have looked at villeroy and Boch which seems good quality but high price. Is there any other manufacturers that you would reccomend that offer a good quality at a reasonable price.

Someone has mentioned Frontline Bathroooms as a supplier, anyone had any experience of these.

Any help/advise would be appreciated as choosing a bathroom suite is becoming a nigtmare

Regards

Ian

My advice Ian, and we fit 100s of Bathroom Suites.
Go to your local Plumbers' Merchants & buy Roca, Armitage Shanks or Ideal Standard. V&B are very high end & frankly not worth the money.
As Kirk has said, don't buy any acyrilic bath less that 8mm thick. I'd avoid steel baths, but if you want a steel bath buy a Bette one.

Vitrous China can break, so don't buy anything too fancy or imported. Two years down the line you'll not be able to replace it.